For "Days of Our Lives" star Colton Little, dreaming big comes at a hefty price.
The 37-year-old actor, best known for his recurring role as Andrew Donovan on the Peacock soap opera, revealed in a new social media post that he's allegedly set to lose his SAG-AFTRA union membership amid financial struggles.
The Instagram video, posted Saturday, Oct. 31, opens with a screenshot of an apparent email from SAG-AFTRA stating that Little's membership was "scheduled to terminate" on Nov. 1 because of an "outstanding balance."
"Get ready with me to get kicked out of SAG-AFTRA, the actor's union," Little wrote in a caption over a Get Ready with Me parody video. "If you're new here, I'm an actor, and I've been acting professionally for about 15 years."
SAG-AFTRA,
which represents 160,000 media professionals worldwide, charges members "annual base dues," which are currently set at $246.14, according to the union's official website. Additionally, members must pay work dues, which consist of 1.575 % of all individual earnings under SAG (Screen Actors Guild) or AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) contracts.
Per SAG-AFTRA policy, membership is automatically terminated when a member has "not been in good standing for a period of 18 months because of nonpayment of dues, assessments, fines or administrative fees," per the union's website.
"I've been a recurring character on a major TV show for the last four [years]," Little continued. "I've done a handful of movies and costar spots and guest star spots on other shows, and SAG is kicking out hundreds of members today because the union charges actors dues that are based on how much you earn acting."
USA TODAY has reached out to SAG-AFTRA for comment.
Little shared that he owes roughly $2000 in outstanding fees. The actor attributed his financial hardship to a shrinking job market in Hollywood, which he said is the culmination of several industry shifts, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a pair of 2023 strikes by SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America, and the "imminent threat of [artificial intelligence] replacing everybody's jobs."
"There are no parts. There is nothing filming in [Los Angeles]. It's really bleak," Little said, adding that he chose "not to pay my dues" as he figures out his next career move.
"It does feel like a huge betrayal to myself and to this dream that I've poured so much into," Little continued. "But unless the right opportunity comes along, I'm going to prioritize myself for now, and I encourage you to do the same."
Colton Little joins Drake Bell, Laverne Cox in criticizing SAG-AFTRA
Little is not the only major actor to speak out against SAG-AFTRA.
In October, former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell shared on Instagram that he was allegedly ineligible for health insurance coverage, despite working steadily for 35 years.
"Do not become an actor. Do not join SAG," Bell wrote, before addressing SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin: "How about stop using actors to run things maybe? They literally just know how to say words in front of a camera."
And "Orange is the New Black" alum Laverne Cox also had choice words for the union in a June interview with USA TODAY, criticizing SAG-AFTRA's 2023 agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which ended the 118-day strike.
"I feel blessed to be a part of a union, and I'm very pro-union, but yeah that was a mess," Cox said, citing issues such as regulation of AI usage and residual payments for actors. "We got nothing that we wanted in that contract."
Contributing: Sameen Chaudhry and Ralphie Aversa, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Days of Our Lives' star blasts SAG-AFTRA union amid financial struggles
