Non-binary actor Asia Kate Dillon has announced plans to return to the food service industry, stating that acting opportunities have severely diminished after more than a decade of working exclusively in theater, film, and television.
Dillon, 41, whose recent credits include the 2025 indie film Outerlands and a prominent role in the 2023 television series Billions, shared the career update with followers on social media last week. Reflecting on the current economic realities for working performers, Dillon noted that opportunities have contracted sharply, particularly for trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming artists.
“I have worked exclusively in theater, film and TV for the last eleven years,” Dillon wrote in an Oct. 20 Instagram 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.”
Dillon recalled starting in the industry early, holding a job at a bakery at age 15 and working various food service positions before establishing a full-time acting career. Expressing an affinity for the sector, Dillon added, “I love customer service. I love creating welcoming environments for people to relax in and connect with each other. I love food and drink.”
Despite high-profile credits, Dillon explained that current acting income is no longer sufficient to sustain living expenses. Anticipating practical challenges in returning to the field, Dillon mentioned adjusting to modern point-of-sale technologies while seeking part-time, night, and weekend shifts.
Dillon’s announcement arrives amid a broader wave of industry concerns voiced by LGBTQ performers and other actors regarding diminishing opportunities and financial instability in Hollywood. Earlier this year, actor Billy Porter publicly discussed economic challenges facing queer performers. Meanwhile, Ryan O’Connell, star of the streaming series Queer as Folk, criticized a perceived industry-wide reduction in LGBTQ-themed projects.
Beyond identity-specific concerns, industry professionals across demographics have reported widespread difficulties maintaining stable employment and benefits. Several performers, including Heather Matarazzo and Jack Haven, have noted that diminished work volumes have caused them to fall short of the earnings thresholds required to maintain union health insurance coverage.
The friction between union benefit requirements and employment scarcity has sparked open disputes. Actor Drake Bell publicly criticized SAG-AFTRA after failing to meet the income criteria for continued health insurance coverage despite decades in the industry, underscoring the deep economic pressures facing working actors in the current entertainment landscape.
