- Drake Bell criticized SAG-AFTRA after revealing that his reported covered earnings of $17,480.53 were insufficient to qualify for the union’s health insurance plan.
- The former Nickelodeon star needs another $11,452.47 to reach the $28,933 eligibility threshold, despite having worked in the entertainment industry for 35 years.
- Actors Jack Haven and Heather Matarazzo have also raised concerns about SAG-AFTRA’s earnings requirements, citing difficulties securing sufficient acting work to maintain health coverage.
Actor and musician Drake Bell has publicly criticized SAG-AFTRA after revealing that he does not qualify for the performers’ union health insurance plan, despite a career spanning approximately 35 years.
The former Nickelodeon star shared screenshots from the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan website on Instagram Stories, showing that his reported earnings fell below the minimum required to receive coverage.
The notification stated, “You do not qualify for Health Plan coverage at this time.” It further explained that Bell’s reported covered earnings between July 2025 and June 2026 had not met the minimum eligibility requirements, or that he had not qualified under other eligibility provisions.
A separate notice showed that Bell had accumulated $17,480.53 in qualifying earnings, leaving him $11,452.47 short of the $28,933 threshold required for health insurance eligibility.
Bell responded with a strongly worded criticism of the union, questioning the value of membership for performers who have spent decades working in the entertainment industry.
Bell also directed his criticism at SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin, the actor known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Goonies.
Tagging the union and Astin in his Instagram post, Bell wrote, “@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.”
His comments add to public criticism from performers who have struggled to meet the earnings requirements for union health coverage as employment opportunities fluctuate.
Bell became widely recognized through Nickelodeon productions, including The Amanda Show, which premiered in 1999, and All That, in which he appeared in 2004.
He achieved broader recognition as one of the leads in Drake & Josh, the Nickelodeon sitcom that ran for four seasons during the 2000s.
Following the series, Bell pursued music and voice acting as his on-screen acting work became less frequent.
Among his voice performances was Spider-Man in the animated series Ultimate Spider-Man, which premiered in 2012. He subsequently reprised the superhero role in Phineas and Ferb, Avengers Assemble, and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. in 2013.
Bell also appeared in the 2024 documentary series Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, where he disclosed that he had been sexually abused as a teenager by dialogue coach Brian Peck.
His latest comments focus on the financial qualifications required for SAG-AFTRA members to access health insurance, rather than the length of their professional careers or union membership.
Under the eligibility information Bell shared, qualifying earnings during the relevant reporting period determine whether a performer meets the required threshold. His screenshots indicated that his earnings remained below that threshold.
Bell is not the only established performer to raise concerns about these requirements.
In September 2026, actor Jack Haven, known for the Netflix series Atypical, publicly discussed difficulties meeting the earnings threshold necessary to retain SAG-AFTRA health insurance.
Haven subsequently obtained enough work to meet the requirement after discussing the situation publicly.
Actor Heather Matarazzo, known for The Princess Diaries, also disclosed that she was facing difficulties qualifying for union health coverage.
The experiences described by Bell, Haven and Matarazzo illustrate how eligibility based on qualifying earnings can affect performers with established careers, particularly when their employment does not generate sufficient income during the applicable reporting period.
Their statements also reflect concerns about maintaining access to health coverage when acting work becomes less frequent or earnings fall below the union plan’s requirements.
Bell’s criticism specifically targeted SAG-AFTRA’s leadership, whereas Haven and Matarazzo focused on the immediate financial consequences of potentially losing eligibility.
The cases involve different earnings shortfalls and coverage periods, but each concerns the minimum income necessary to qualify for the performers’ health plan.
Variety reported that it had contacted representatives for both SAG-AFTRA and Bell seeking further comment. No response from either party was included in the reports.
