Images of Owens working at a local Trader Joe’s went viral online, prompting several comments shaming him for his job. Others, however, came to Owens’s defense and shared stories of the jobs they have had throughout their careers.
Among those who showed support for Owens is Perry, who invited the actor to join his show on the OWN network in a tweet.
“I have so much respect for people who hustle between gigs,” Perry said. “The measure of a true artist.”
#GeoffreyOwens I’m about to start shootings OWN’s number one drama next week! Come join us!!! I have so much respect for people who hustle between gigs. The measure of a true artist.
— Tyler Perry (@tylerperry) September 4, 2018
Perry has three shows at OWN this year, including The Paynes, The Haves and the Have Nots and If Loving You Is Wrong, Deadline reports. The Haves and the Have Nots was the No. 1 original scripted series for African-American viewers in 2017.
Speaking on Good Morning America on Tuesday, Owens said the experience shed light on the “dignity” of work and that “every job is worthwhile and valuable.” The outpouring of empathy toward his situation revealed that many working actors and artists often take on different jobs to make ends meet.
When I look at this picture of Geoffrey Owens, the only things that come to my mind are courage, humility and dedication. Very few artists, especially actors, can fully support themselves in their craft. Taking honest, hard work to offset those dry periods is honorable. pic.twitter.com/tql80NegJt
— Aharon Rabinowitz (@ABAOProductions) September 2, 2018
“I was really devastated,” Owens said of the shaming he received. “But the period of devastation was so short.”
