SAG-AFTRA actors launch "One Job Away" campaign to find work, keep their health insurance
A growing social media campaign is shining a light on the struggle that many movie and television audiences never see, as actors fight for more work so they qualify for SAG-AFTRA union health insurance.
The "One Job Away" campaign, which caught steam on Monday, was started to highlight actors working job to job that may not meet the union's $28,000 minimum in annual earnings to receive health insurance.
"It just means I lose coverage. I lose access to my doctors," said Joe Camareno, an actor, director and producer who is currently just short of qualifying. "I made more than double the amount to qualify this calendar year, but because of where my windows are situated… it means that I'm currently shy about $6,500."
Actor Cheyenne Jackson, who started the movement, was one job short last year, until "Misery" star Kathy Bates helped him out.
"She says, 'I have a part on 'Matlock' for you,'" Jackson recalled. "'Bad news is, you don't have a name and you only have four lines.' And I was like, 'Sign me up!'"
He's now hoping to pay that forward by shining a light on the issue so many SAG-AFTRA members face. The campaign lets actors share how close they are to qualifying, so casting directors can find them. Jackson said submissions have poured in, so he created a dedicated Instagram account to feature their stories. He says several prominent casting directors have already reached out.
"I think whatever happens with this, I'm just so glad the conversation's happening," Jackson said, adding that actors should lean on each other. "We are paycheck to paycheck, and we are just doing the best that we can. So, I would say, hang in there. You're not alone."
Julie Marchiano says she and her husband are currently out of work and that SAG-AFTRA coverage would protect their family.
"COBRA is really expensive, especially for, at this point, an almost zero income house," she said. "We also have a 3-year-old, so being able to have insurance for me, my husband and my family would be really meaningful, obviously."
Miho Saito is another actor one job away from coverage.
"It would be silly to lose health insurance over $402," Saito said. "We audition, and then there's a callback, and then you get pinned if you're lucky, and then from the pin, you get hired. So, it's kind of like quite a process, even to get a job."
Starshine Pictures producer Diana Zollicoffer said she hires actors under SAG-AFTRA contracts so their pay counts toward insurance, but she believes more work depends on production tax incentives.
"If we can get the incentives to produce, then we can hire," Zollicoffer said.
Jackson said he's open to having a conversation with SAG-AFTRA leaders about what can be done. Upon request for comment, union officials directed CBS LA to the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan, which they said is a separate organization.
A plan spokesperson says that approximately 25,000 participants were covered at the end of 2025, which is up nearly a thousand from the year before. They don't yet have the final numbers for 2026.
