Asia Kate Dillon, the non-binary actor who appeared in films like John Wick and the Showtime series Billions, has announced they’re returning to the food service industry after acting opportunities have largely disappeared.
The 41-year-old performer took to Instagram on October 20 to share the career shift with followers, revealing that after more than a decade working exclusively in entertainment, they now need to supplement their income with service work.
“I have worked exclusively in theater, film and TV for the last eleven years,” Dillon wrote in the post. “Now, like for many, many performer colleagues of mine — particularly those of us who are trans/nonbinary/gender nonconforming — acting work has all but diminished, and I’m in need of service work once more.”
From Bakery to Broadway and Back
Dillon explained that returning to food service won’t be entirely unfamiliar territory. The actor began working at a bakery at age 15 and held various positions in the industry before their acting career took off. Their most recent credited role was in the 2025 indie film Outerlands.
“I love customer service,” Dillon continued in the Instagram post. “I love creating welcoming environments for people to relax in and connect with each other. I love food and drink.”
Despite having landed high-profile roles in major productions, Dillon acknowledged that acting simply isn’t generating enough income to cover basic expenses. They told followers they’re available for part-time, night and weekend work, joking that the biggest challenge will be “learning the new POS systems” but adding “I’m a quick study.”
Part of a Broader Industry Crisis
According to Breitbart, Dillon isn’t alone among LGBTQ performers struggling to find work. Actor Billy Porter reportedly said this year that queer actors can’t make a living in what he called “Donald Trump’s America,” claiming the current political environment is holding back opportunities for LGBTQ talent.
Ryan O’Connell, who starred in Peacock’s Queer as Folk reboot, has also spoken out about what he sees as a pullback in gay-themed projects in Hollywood. “It’s Tim Allen’s world again and we’re just living in it,” the actor and writer reportedly said.
Matrix director Lilly Wachowski, who is transgender, has also criticized the industry for declining to back an all-transgender action film project she proposed.
Healthcare Coverage Concerns
The employment drought extends beyond LGBTQ performers. Several actors, including Princess Diaries star Heather Matarazzo and actor Jack Haven, have reported that dwindling roles are causing them to lose their union healthcare plans because they can’t meet the income threshold required to maintain coverage through SAG-AFTRA benefits.
The situation became heated enough that Drake Bell, known for his role on the Nickelodeon series Drake & Josh, publicly criticized SAG-AFTRA in October after the union informed him he didn’t qualify for health insurance coverage.
“Do not become an actor. Do not join SAG. You can work for 35 years and they still say [middle finger emoji],” Bell wrote in a social media post.
Industry Shifts Hit Working Actors
The struggles highlight a broader crisis facing working actors in Hollywood who aren’t at the A-list level. While top-tier stars continue to command multi-million dollar deals, mid-tier and character actors are finding fewer opportunities as studios consolidate productions, streaming services tighten budgets, and the industry navigates post-pandemic economic realities.
For actors like Dillon who broke barriers in representation—they were one of the first openly non-binary actors to play a non-binary character on a major TV series in Billions—the current climate represents a particularly stark reversal from the period of expanded representation that characterized much of the 2010s.
The entertainment industry has seen massive consolidation in recent years, with streaming services cutting back on original content production and traditional studios producing fewer mid-budget films. These shifts have disproportionately affected working actors who depend on a steady stream of television and film roles to maintain their income and benefits.
Dillon’s candid post about their employment situation struck a chord with many in the entertainment community, drawing attention to the precarious financial reality facing performers who lack the security of franchise roles or long-running series contracts.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/11/02/non-binary-john-wick-star-asia-kate-dillon-transitioning-back-to-food-service-as-acting-jobs-dry-up/