Well-Known ‘Billions’ Star Seeks Service-Industry Job Due to ‘Diminished’ Acting Work

Paramount

As an actor, Asia Kate Dillon has carved out an impressive résumé. In addition to portraying inmate Brandy Epps in two seasons of Netflix‘s “Orange Is the New Black,” Dillon also played a skillful assassin known as The Adjudicator who faced off against Keanu Reeves in “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.”

However, Dillon is best known for the role of genius nonbinary hedge fund wunderkind Taylor Mason throughout six seasons of Showtime hit “Billions.”

Despite all that screen time, Dillon is now coming forward to reveal that acting work has dried up to the point that they’re now seeking a restaurant job to pay the rent.

A Shift to the Service Industry

In a possibly tongue-in-cheek Instagram post, Dillon (who uses they/them pronouns), lays out their experience in the service industry.

“In the year 2000, when I was fifteen, I got my first job in food service. It was a weekend gig at the (locally) famous, always bustling Ithaca Bakery. I worked mornings; first up was sorting the freshly baked piping hot bagels in their respective bins, and then I would move into rotating and stocking the drink fridges. Throughout my shift my duties included maintaining the coffee station in the center of the retail floor – lids, sugars, straws, stirrers, sleeves, I kept everything very tidy – cleaning and restocking the restroom, mopping up inevitable customer spills, ferrying dirty and then clean dish bins to and from the dining areas, and greeting customers. I loved it,” they wrote.

“Ranging from dishwasher to food runner to floor manager, I continued working in food and general customer service, alongside any acting gigs I could rustle up, until the fall of 2015 when I was finally able to make the transition to a full time income stemming from just my acting work. I have worked exclusively in theater, film and TV for the last eleven years,” Dillon continued.

“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,” they 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. I am passionate and curious, and a great teammate. I imagine the hurdle to reentry will be learning the new POS systems, but I’m a quick study. I’m available for part time, night and weekend work,” Dillon wrote, concluding with, “Thanks in advance for your consideration.”

Kindred Spirits

The actor’s post caught the eye of Ellen Adair, a fellow actor who appeared on six episodes of “Billions” in 2017, in the recurring role of Axe Capital portfolio manager Graff.

“Hey Asia! Was on Season 2 of Billions with you,” Adair wrote in a comment.

“I feel this pain. Though I don’t have anything like your career, I had a good five years of doing nothing but acting work, and getting back into other career stuff can feel tough.” Adair explained that she was “the staffing coordinator for an events company in NYC that is like 90% actors” and told Dillon to send her a DM for a potential gig.

Another “Billions” actor, T.J. Hoban, also reached out in the comments.

“Hey! We worked on Billions in the office scenes together,” he wrote, explaining he appeared on the show in its fifth and sixth seasons while referring her to a company that offers flexible catering roles. “Lots of us creatives do that for in between work,” he wrote, adding, “Hang in there! I remember you being so kind to us on your busy days so any way I can help out I shall :).”