Former child star Brandon “Bug” Hall, who captured hearts playing Alfalfa in the beloved 1994 comedy The Little Rascals, is pleading with fans for financial help after walking away from Hollywood, giving up his fortune and choosing to live off the grid with his growing family.
The 41-year-old actor launched a GoFundMe campaign Thursday, November 5, revealing that he and his wife, Jill, are struggling to cover basic expenses as they prepare to welcome their sixth child in less than a month.
“I really need some help,” Hall admitted in the fundraising appeal, explaining that the family recently moved onto rural property in Arkansas but has fallen behind on several bills.
Among the expenses are cellphone service, propane to heat their camper and an unexpected electrical hookup fee. Hall also said he needs additional building materials to finish preparing the property before the baby arrives.
The financial appeal marks a striking turn for the former Hollywood star, who previously revealed that he had taken a “vow of poverty” and donated much of the money he earned during his acting career to charity.
“It’s now six years since I self-cancelled, and I have avoided doing one of these in all that time,” Hall wrote, explaining that he had resisted asking others for help because his unconventional lifestyle was his own decision.
The former actor said he hopes to complete the remaining work on the family’s property within two weeks so he can take on additional paid jobs before his wife gives birth.
Despite their financial difficulties, Hall insisted that the family remains happy with their decision to leave their previous life behind.
The fundraiser initially requested just $2,000, but donations quickly poured in, surpassing $23,000 by Sunday as his story attracted widespread attention.
The appeal has also sparked controversy, with some social media users questioning why Hall was asking strangers for money after voluntarily abandoning a successful acting career and continuing to expand his family.
Hall pushed back against the criticism, defending his decision to raise his children in a traditional, faith-centered household and insisting that he has continued working while preparing the family’s new property.
The former actor previously explained that he left Hollywood in 2020 after deciding that the entertainment industry conflicted with his deeply held religious beliefs.
In an interview earlier this year, Hall described himself as a “radical Catholic extremist” and said he had deliberately embraced a simpler lifestyle that required as little income as possible.
He and his family have since relocated to rural Arkansas, where they are building a homestead, living in a camper and homeschooling their five children.
“My goal is to maintain a life as free of any need for an income as possible,” Hall previously explained, adding that he was willing to take odd jobs whenever unexpected expenses arose.
His unconventional choices stand in sharp contrast to the fame he enjoyed as a child.
Hall became a household name at just 9 years old when he starred as the mischievous, cowlick-haired Alfalfa in The Little Rascals, a childhood favorite that continues to entertain audiences more than three decades later.
He later appeared in films including The Stupids and The Big Green, as well as television projects throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
However, his life after Hollywood has not been without controversy.
In April 2026, Hall was arrested in Ohio on a charge stemming from his alleged failure to appear in court over a 2024 traffic citation. He was also arrested in Texas in 2020 in connection with an incident involving inhalation of aerosol products.
Those legal troubles are separate from the family’s current financial appeal.
With another baby on the way, Hall says his immediate priority is making sure his wife and children have everything they need as they settle into their new home.
The former child star has thanked supporters who contributed to the fundraiser, emphasizing that even those unable to donate could help by sharing the appeal or offering prayers.
No money and having his 6th child what is wrong with people. I can’t believe what people will donate to.