{"id":10249,"date":"2026-10-14T17:20:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T16:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/?p=10249"},"modified":"2026-10-14T17:20:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T16:20:19","slug":"drake-bell-warns-dont-become-an-actor-after-being-denied-sag-aftra-health-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/2026\/10\/14\/drake-bell-warns-dont-become-an-actor-after-being-denied-sag-aftra-health-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Drake Bell warns ‘don’t become an actor’ after being denied SAG-AFTRA health insurance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Drake Bell has spoken out against SAG-AFTRA after revealing he doesn’t qualify for the union\u2019s health insurance, despite acting and performing for more than three decades. <\/span><\/p>\n

The actor, best known for starring alongside Josh Peck in Nickelodeon sitcom Drake & Josh, took to Instagram<\/a> on Tuesday to issue a stark warning to aspiring actors about the realities of working in Hollywood.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo not become an actor. Do not join SAG,\u201d he wrote on his Instagram Story. \u201cYou can work steadily for 35 years and they still say [middle finger emoji].\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Drake
Credit: Instagram\/@drakebell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bell then directly called out the union and its president, Sean Astin, sarcastically writing, \u201cReally though @seanastin you’re doing a bang up job. How about stop using actors to run things maybe? They literally just know how to say words in front of a camera.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Alongside this message, Bell shared a screenshot of his SAG-AFTRA Health Plan account. It says that he doesn\u2019t qualify for coverage at this time as his reported earnings between July 2025 and June 2026 don\u2019t meet the minimum eligibility requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

The screenshot also revealed that Bell had earned $17,480.53 towards the next coverage period, leaving him $11,452.47 short of the $28,933 threshold needed to qualify for next year. <\/span><\/p>\n

Bell is far from the only actor to speak out on the issue of late. Just last month, Jack Haven – best known for starring in Atypical and I Saw the TV Glow – shared a public plea for work<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

As they explained, they needed to earn $4,000 before the end of September to qualify for SAG-AFTRA health insurance from January 2027. <\/span><\/p>\n