Two actors who starred in cult classics are both struggling to meet the $28,933-a-year earnings threshold needed to stay on SAG-AFTRA’s health insurance, and one posted a public appeal asking people to hire him for a SAG job.
Jack Haven, the star of Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma, posted a video titled “Are You Casting?” on YouTube. In it, he explains that he needs to make $4,000 by the end of the month in order to qualify for SAG health insurance starting in January. He offers his services for almost any job.
“I’m making this video today because I’m in a bit of an emergency situation,” Haven says. “I need to make $4,000 by the end of the month in order to qualify for SAG for SAG health insurance starting in January[…]If you or anyone you know can hire me on a SAG production and pay me $4,000, I will do pretty much any job. I can sing. I can dance. I can talk softly, loudly. I can do accents.”
Heather Matarazzo, the star of Welcome To The Dollhouse, responded to Haven’s video on Threads. She confirmed she is facing the same problem.
“I am literally in the same boat right now. Lots of my fellow actors are. I remember a time when we didn’t have to earn a minimum to qualify for insurance. Glad to see that Jack has gotten an offer that will let them qualify for 2027.”
The Earnings Requirement
SAG-AFTRA’s health insurance plan requires members to earn $28,933 a year to qualify for coverage. That minimum is expected to rise by approximately $900 every year until 2030, according to Variety.
The requirement applies to all performers, regardless of fame or past work. A well-known actor from a popular film can still lose coverage if they do not earn enough in a given year.
Why It Is Hard to Meet
The problem is simple: if you are not cast regularly, those minimum earnings are hard to reach. Even actors with established careers find themselves scrambling to find work that pays enough to meet the threshold.
Haven’s video makes that struggle visible. He is offering his skills across the board — singing, dancing, talking in accents — in exchange for a single SAG job that pays $4,000.
What Happens Next
Matarazzo has confirmed that she is in the same position as Haven. She also noted that many other actors face the same problem.
The deadline for Haven is the end of the month. After that, he will either qualify for the insurance or lose it.
The Broader Context
The situation is part of a larger trend in Hollywood. Media mergers are leading to more layoffs, and technology is replacing jobs. Those forces are making it harder for actors to find regular work.
The result is that even well-known performers from cult classics are having to compete for small jobs that pay enough to keep their insurance. It is a strange position for people whose work has defined entire genres.
The Sad Reality
This is not a happy story. Two actors who starred in beloved films are having to beg for work to keep their health insurance.
The irony is that these are people who made their living through performance. Now they are performing a different kind of act: asking strangers to help them keep their coverage.
The United States is the richest country on Earth, and yet its healthcare system is expensive and confusing. Other countries offer universal healthcare, and the US chooses not to join them.
That choice is part of why actors are in this position. They are not asking for charity, just for a fair chance to earn a living.
Key Facts
- Earnings threshold: $28,933 per year
- Minimum expected increase: Approximately $900 per year
- Deadline for Haven: End of the month
- Insurance qualification: Starts in January
- Jack Haven’s goal: $4,000 by end of the month
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Now | Matarazzo confirms she is in the same boat as Haven |
| End of the month | Deadline for Haven to earn $4,000 |
| January | Insurance qualification period begins |
| 2027 | Haven’s insurance status depends on whether he met the threshold |
What We Make of It
This story is a warning sign. It shows how fragile the livelihood of performers can be, even when they have done work that audiences love.
The fact that two actors from cult classics are in this position is telling. It raises questions about how actors without fame fare.
The system is broken. Actors should not have to beg for work to keep their health insurance. They should be able to perform and collect a paycheck without jumping through hoops.
By 2030, the threshold will be even harder to meet. That is a problem that needs fixing.
The situation is sad and unfair. But it is also a call to action. People who care about performers should push for better systems, not just for themselves but for everyone who works in the industry.
For now, the two actors are doing what they can. One posted a video. The other responded publicly. Both are in the same boat.
The question is whether anyone will help them before the deadline passes.
See the video the story is built around at The A.V. Club.
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