Drake Bell Urges Followers, ‘Do Not Become an Actor,’ After SAG Health Insurance Denial

Drake Bell wants people to think twice before becoming a professional actor.

via: Deadline

Drake Bell is calling out SAG-AFTRA after revealing he didn’t have health insurance because he didn’t qualify.

The Drake & Josh alum took to social media to share a screenshot from the actors’ guild website where it read, “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 under other eligibility rules,” the portal read.

A second notice on the website stated that Bell had earned $17,480.53 so far and needed $11,452.47 more to reach $28,933 and qualify for health coverage.

SAG-AFTRA members must meet a “minimum earnings” threshold in order to qualify for “earned eligibility” coverage. Members must make a minimum of $28,090 to get health insurance for the benefit year of 2026. That number will raise to $28,933 in 2027.

“Do not become an actor. Do not join SAG,” Bell captioned his Instagram Stories post. “You can work steadily for 35 years and they will say [middle finger emoji].”

Bell also tagged the guild and SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin, saying “you’re doing a bang up job,” and adding, “How about stop using actors to run things maybe? They literally just know how to say words in front of a camera.”

The actor is best known for starring in Nickelodeon shows like The Amanda Show (1999), All That (2004), and Drake & Josh, a sitcom that ran on the children’s network for four seasons.

In recent years, Bell has taken on voice roles like Spider-Man in Ultimate Spider-Man (2012). He would reprise the superhero role in Phineas and Ferb (2013), Avengers Assemble (2013), and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. (2013).