Canadian actors say taking a day job not so uncommon
Cosby Show actor spotted working at grocery store
Several Canadian actors say working a day job while employed in the business is more common than some might think. The issue was thrust into the spotlight when a photo of “The Cosby Show” actor Geoffrey Owens working the cash register at a Trader Joe’s went viral.
After news of Owens’ employment was published by multiple media outlets, a legion of social media users and industry workers jumped to the 57-year-old actor’s defence, with some tweeting their own personal stories about juggling multiple jobs during their careers with the hashtag #ActorsWithDayJobs.
Arwen Humphreys, who plays Margaret Brackenreid in the Canadian drama series “Murdoch Mysteries,” said she’s worked on and off as a server in Toronto throughout the entire run of the show, which was renewed for a 12th season in March.
“There’s an assumption that if you’re on a big TV show, that somehow that’s what you’re doing all the time,” she said in a phone interview Monday. “As an actor, sometimes you’re working and sometimes you’re not, and you’ve got to find a way to fill in the gaps.”
Humphreys “outed” herself as a restaurant worker on Sunday, tweeting her support for Owens after the photo came to light.
She said having to take on a second job is an aspect of show business that many people don’t think about, noting that there’s a common misconception about how much money actors make and how much work they can get.
“This is the reality of being an actor . . . it ebbs and flows,” she said. “And what people think about it, at the end of the day, is irrelevant, because I can’t pay my rent based on what people think.”
While Humphreys occasionally gets recognized at her restaurant job for her recurring role as the wife of one of the show’s main characters, she said she feels her fans don’t look down on her because of her job.
She fondly remembered one of her younger fans, a 13-year-old girl from Ottawa, who was surprised to see Humphreys when she and her mother visited the restaurant one Saturday.
“That little girl just lost her mind . . . she didn’t care that I was a server,” she said.
“We’re living as actors, and part of that means is that you have to take these other jobs, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Andrew Phung, who plays the supporting role of Kimchee on “Kim’s Convenience,” said he’s worked in customer service jobs since he was a teenager, starting out as an employee at a mall at the age of 16.
Phung, who also worked at a non-profit organization, kept that job part time after the first season of the popular sitcom wrapped up.
“I love customer service jobs! I crush those jobs,” he said in a phone interview from Calgary.