Drake Bell opens up about sad side of fame: ‘Do not become an actor’

Drake Bell has called out the leadership team at SAG-AFTRA after he failed to qualify for health insurance.

Taking to his Instagram Stories, the former Nickelodeon child star posted a screenshot of his account on the labour union's website.

"You do not qualify for Health Plan coverage at this time," the message reads. "Your reported covered earnings from July 2025 - June 2026 did not meet minimum eligibility requirements, or you did not qualify under other eligibility rules."

A second notice on the portal stated Bell had earned $17,480.53 (£13,167) in the latest period and needed to exceed $28,933 (£21,795) to qualify for health coverage.

For 2026, the minimum earning requirement to receive the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan is $28,090 (£21,160).

"Do not become an actor. Do not join SAG," the 40-year-old added in the caption. "You can work steadily for 35 years and they will say (middle finger emoji)."

Representatives for SAG-AFTRA have not publicly responded to Bell's criticism.

Bell started his career with a role in the TV sitcom Home Improvement before rising to fame on various Nickelodeon shows, such as The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh. More recently, he competed on season 12 of The Masked Singer in 2024.

The father-of-one has also been focusing on music, and released his fifth studio album, Non-Stop Flight, in October 2024.