Russell Andrews, the veteran actor who has appeared in films such as “Better Cowl,” “Insecure,” and “Straight Outta Compton,” has revealed that he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The 64-year-old shared the news Saturday night on CNN’s “The Story Is With Elex Michaelson” alongside his fiancée, actress Erika Tazel (“Justified”). He said he was diagnosed with the disease, a neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, after experiencing nerve compression and spasms, common signs of early ALS, late last fall.
“I thought I had a stroke from the pandemic. It was a stressful time. We hadn’t worked for about three years, and then there were back-to-back strikes,” Andrews explained, referring to the SAG-AFTRA strike and the Writers Guild of America strike that shut down Hollywood in 2023. I couldn’t do the things I normally do, I would drop glasses, and at night I would feel like something was running down my arm, and it was because of my nerves. ”
Andrews, who said he played football “all the way through college,” said: “It looks like CTE might be the culprit…Of course, we won’t know until this is all over and we can do brain research.”
Andrews said she had not worked for years, lost her health insurance, and the early signs of ALS were not properly diagnosed.
“As soon as we got out of COVID, work picked up and I was able to come back,” he said. “The first place I went was to Cedars (Sinai)…and within 15 minutes, my primary care provider wanted me to see a neurologist. One thing led to another, and here we are sitting.”
Along with the ALS Network, which provides resources and free care to people with ALS and attempts to find a cure, Andrews traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with politicians to discuss and shed light on this debilitating disease. Euphoria and Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane passed away in February due to complications from ALS.
Teisel said she was still coming to terms with the news, but said her love for Andrews was “unconditional” and they planned to go ahead with the wedding.
“When he told me this news…I looked across the room at him and said, ‘At least now I know what it is. I still want to be your wife.'”
