Jeff Goudblum helped actors qualify for PREGNANCY-AFTRA health insurance while receiving guests Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, casting actors who need more work to meet minimum income requirements.
“The vast majority of actors are working-class people just trying to get by,” Goldblum told the audience on Thursday. “They actually have to make a certain amount of money a year to qualify for health insurance through the Screen Actors Guild, and that's not easy. Sometimes an actor can be so close to that income threshold that they only have to get one more role to qualify. So tonight I'm going to help some actors who are really in that situation by casting them for a role on the show.”
Goldblum then enlisted actors, all of whom were about $500 away from health insurance, to play themselves. Each actor, dressed in a suit reminiscent of Goldblum's, did his or her best imitation of the comedian.
In 2024, SAG-AFTRA performers usually have to make At least $27,000 in covered income or work at least 104 days over the course of 12 months to qualify for health insurance. In 2023 (before the union strike), about 25,000 union members out of about 160,000 met the requirements. Actors who appeared on Thursday’s show told Goldblum they would use the insurance for things like a dermatologist’s skin check and a root canal.
Thursday was the second time Jimmy Kimmel live! cast actors based on insurance needs. The first happened two years ago, when Kerry Washington was hosting.