'Baywatch' Icon Donna D'Errico Admits to Feeling 'Shame and Embarrassment' Over Secret Homeless Past Before Finding Fame
Donna D'Errico volunteered on Skid Row during a special Easter outreach event.
April 8 2026, Published 4:48 p.m. ET
Donna D’Errico is using her platform to give back while also opening up about a deeply personal chapter of her past, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The former Baywatch star, 58, recently spent time volunteering on Los Angeles' Skid Row, where she helped serve meals and support individuals experiencing homelessness during a special Easter outreach event.
A Personal Connection
The actress helped serve meals and spend time with people experiencing homelessness.
While working with HOPE UNITED Los Angeles Mission, and Hope the Mission, alongside a partnership with Albertsons, D'Errico revealed her involvement is rooted in lived experience.
"The biggest surprise from my career journey? I think is, I guess, the fact that I went from something similar to what these guys are experiencing here with homelessness, to being on one of the biggest shows in the world, actually two of them," she told Fox News Digital. "And going from there and ending up very fortunate in life. But I do understand their plight because I experienced it myself at one time."
'Shame and Embarrassment'
D'Errico opened up about her own past struggles before fame.
Before her rise to fame, D'Errico faced hardships that still stick with her today.
"It was finding places to wash my clothes and stuff like that. Not a lot of people are aware that I went through that, but I did. A long, long time ago, in another life, but I remember it well," she detailed.
The emotional toll of that period lingered, with feelings of "shame and embarrassment" shaping her experience.
Giving Back on Skid Row
D'Errico revealed she once faced homelessness and the challenges that came with it.
Her connection to the cause has kept her returning to the Los Angeles Mission over the years, particularly as homelessness continues to impact vulnerable communities, including single women and children.
The Easter outreach included a freshly prepared meal and a day centered on compassion, connection and restoring a sense of dignity for those facing hardship.
'I Could Be in That Situation'
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
She reflected on her rise from hardship to landing her breakout role on 'Baywatch.'
Now living a more comfortable life, D'Errico remains grounded in perspective. Her career took off in the mid-'90s after she was named Playboy's Playmate of the Year before landing a role on Baywatch, where she played Donna Marco.
"[I'm] lucky enough to live a nice life. I'm not doing anything else. And there's a lot of people that, like the saying goes, 'There but for the grace of God go I.' I could be in that situation too, and it just feels good to spend my time on a nice day like this giving back," she said.
She also emphasized the importance of showing up in person.
"[Time is] one of the most valuable things. [It's] easy to give money and to donate, but giving your time is so precious because we all are busy," D'Errico added.
