'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAHxABAAEEAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMAAgQRBSEGB0ES/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwT/xAAfEQACAQIHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwEAIQQRElFhofD/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AM6j9gk0BNjcNj2XsbbJE37H6Bd1rp29VOPnOWuzh8UPh+2lKZTTSMAE25v3Oc1I3BIbOoxv7av/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Drake Bell has slammed SAG-AFTRA, claiming he didn't qualify for their health insurance. He told young actors not to join the organization and took aim at its president, Sean Astin.
SAG-AFTRA is the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. It was formed in 2012 and represents thousands of artists across different mediums. Sean Astin was elected as its national president in September last year.
On Tuesday, October 13, Drake Bell shared an Instagram story, slamming SAG-AFTRA. He shared a screenshot of the organization's website, which read (via Variety):
“You do not qualify for Health Plan coverage at this time. Your reported covered earnings from July 2025-June 2026 did not meet minimum eligibility requirements, or you did not qualify other eligibility rules.”
“Do not become an actor. Do not join SAG. You can work for 35 years and they still say [middle finger emoji],” he added.
According to the screenshot he shared, the total amount needed to qualify for SAG-AFTRA's health plan was $28,933. He had earned $17,480.53 and needed $11,452.47. In another Instagram story, Drake Bell took a dig at Astin, writing:
“@SAGAFTRA really 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.”
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Drake Bell has a net worth of $300,000. The 40-year-old began his career as a child actor in multiple TV ads and shows. He is best known for his role as Drake Parker in the Nickelodeon sitcom Drake & Josh.
In recent years, Bell has moved into music, releasing his album Non-Stop Flight in 2024. He has also been touring with it since then.
Also Read: Why is SAG-AFTRA under fire? Backlash over Actor Award nominations explained
Josh Peck revealed how much he and Drake Bell earned on Drake & Josh
Josh Peck played Josh Nichols on Drake & Josh. He appeared on an episode of the Financial Tea with Mrs. Dow Jones podcast, released in June this year. On it, he spoke about how much he and Drake Bell earned on the show, saying:
"We started out making $3,000 an episode on The Amanda Show. By the time we finished Drake & Josh, so that was, like, 60 episodes total for the whole show. The median rate, the average rate per episode was about $15,000. So over four years, we wound up making about $900 grand."
"Between agent, manager and taxes, we cleared half of that. We were making about $125,000 a year," he added.
Peck revealed that he had financial anxiety, which made him "very obsessive, in bad ways".
Meanwhile, Drake Bell is not the first actor to slam SAG-AFTRA recently over its health insurance issues. Actors Jack Haven and Heather Matarazzo said last month that they are also at risk of not qualifying for the health insurance.
Haven said that he is in "a bit of an emergency situation". He, however, did get work soon after sharing his situation, which would allow him to qualify for the insurance. Meanwhile, Matarazzo said that she was "literally in the same boat" as Haven.
Trending
Love movies? Try our Box Office Game and Movie Grid Game to test your film knowledge and have some fun!
Reply
