Jack Haven didn’t ask for a raise. They asked for work—any work—as long as they didn’t end up without health insurance.
The 32-year-old nonbinary actor, known for playing Casey Gardner in all four seasons of Netflix’s Atypical and for starring in the acclaimed I Saw the TV Glow, uploaded a video to YouTube on September 18 with a title that already hinted at the urgency: “Are you casting?”. There, visibly distressed, they explained that they needed to earn 4.000 dollars before the end of the month to qualify for SAG-AFTRA’s health insurance starting in January. “I can sing, dance, speak softly, loudly, or imitate British accents”, they offered, willing to do whatever it took.
The video went viral within hours and split the online community in two. Some saw the harshness of a healthcare system that doesn’t even spare someone with credits on Netflix and at Cannes. Others accused them of being privileged for asking for public help instead of looking for work in another field. Days later, Haven shared an update thanking everyone for the wave of support: they had made it.
