In an emotional TikTok video, former Nickelodeon star Giovonnie Samuels has opened up about her financial struggles amid the ongoing writers’ strike. Samuels, who starred in the popular show “Zoey 101,” said that she has been struggling to make ends meet since the strike began in May.
“I need y’all to understand that not all child stars are rich, not all of us are ballin’,” Samuels said in the video. “The leads of the cast they get the big money checks.”
Samuels said that she has been forced to dip into her savings to cover her expenses. She has also had to cancel her health insurance and put off some of her bills.
“I’m asking for a livable wage, I’m asking for health insurance,” Samuels said. “You have no idea how hard it is.”
The writers’ strike is a labor dispute between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The WGA is demanding higher pay, better benefits, and more transparency from the AMPTP.
The strike has been going on for over two months, and there is no end in sight. In the meantime, many actors and writers are struggling to make ends meet.
Samuels’s video has struck a chord with many people who are also struggling financially. The video is circulating on social media, and it has received thousands of comments from people who are offering their support.
“Damn y’all in the same boat as the rest of us,” one commenter wrote. “This is sad. I feel your pain for sure.”
“@Disney Needs to run that check,” another commenter wrote. “u carried all the jokes and everyone loves u on that show.”
Samuels’s video is a reminder of the financial struggles that many actors and writers face. It is also a reminder of the importance of the writers’ strike. The strike is a fight for better pay and benefits for all writers, and it is a fight that is worth fighting.
