Actor Drake Bell publicly criticized SAG-AFTRA after failing to meet the union's minimum earnings threshold required to qualify for health insurance coverage.

Actor Drake Bell has publicly criticized SAG-AFTRA after learning he did not qualify for the union's health insurance plan. Bell shared a screenshot from the SAG-AFTRA health plan portal on his Instagram Story, which indicated that his reported earnings for the period of July 2025 through June 2026 were insufficient to meet the union's eligibility requirements.

Earnings Requirements and Union Criticism

The portal screenshot revealed that Bell had earned $17,480.53 during the specified period. According to the website, he required an additional $11,452.47 to reach the minimum threshold for coverage. Sources provided conflicting figures for this threshold, with The Hollywood Reporter citing a requirement of $28,090, while Deadline reported the necessary total as $28,933. In his social media post, Bell expressed frustration with the union and its leadership, specifically tagging SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin. Bell advised followers against becoming actors or joining the union, stating that one could work for 35 years and still be denied coverage. He further suggested that the union should not be run by actors, claiming they only know how to perform in front of a camera. SAG-AFTRA did not provide a comment to The Hollywood Reporter at the time of publication.

Background on Career and Recent Activity

Drake Bell gained prominence in the early 2000s through his roles on Nickelodeon programs, including The Amanda Show and the sitcom Drake & Josh. Throughout his career, he has also performed voice work, including the role of Spider-Man in various animated series such as Ultimate Spider-Man. In recent years, Bell has focused on his music career, releasing the album Non-Stop Flight in 2024. Although he had been touring, he postponed the final shows of his recent tour scheduled for late July and early August, citing personal reasons. In 2024, he also appeared in the docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, where he disclosed that he was the victim of sexual abuse by a former dialogue coach as a teenager.