His Hollywood star was finally rising. Now he cleans apartments

Josh Hooks piled cleaning equipment into his pickup truck. Rubber gloves, bathroom brushes, a vacuum cleaner held together by duct tape, all props for a role he hoped he would never need to play again: An out-of-work actor struggling to pay his bills.

Just a few months ago, the 43-year-old felt closer than ever to his Hollywood dream. He had landed parts in several television shows and a Lifetime movie. He had a supportive agent and a little momentum. Then came the strikes, first by writers and then by actors, which shut down the industry, stalled his career and forced him to pick up odd jobs like tidying apartments for friends.

“We are all just scrambling to keep our heads above water,” Hooks said. He is one of many thousands. Despite the sparkle that is synonymous with Tinseltown, most of the actors working in America’s dream factory do not earn enough to live. Instead, they take on side gigs, known bleakly as survival jobs, to fund their Hollywood hopes. These dire conditions are at the heart of the historic double strike, a work stoppage the unions hope will usher in new protections for actors and writers during a time of rapid change.