Several Canadian actors say working a day job while employed in the biz is more common than some might think.

The issue was thrust into the spotlight when a photo of 鈥淭he Cosby Show鈥� actor Geoffrey Owens working the cash register at a Trader Joe鈥檚 went viral.

After news of Owens鈥� employment was published by multiple media outlets, a legion of social media users and industry workers jumped to the 57-year-old actor鈥檚 defence, with some tweeting their own personal stories about juggling multiple jobs during their careers with the hashtag #ActorsWithDayJobs.

Arwen Humphreys, who plays Margaret Brackenreid in the Canadian drama series 鈥淢urdoch Mysteries,鈥� said she鈥檚 worked on-and-off as a server in Toronto throughout the entire run of the show, which was renewed for a twelfth season in March.

鈥淭here鈥檚 an assumption that if you鈥檙e on a big TV show, that somehow, that鈥檚 what you鈥檙e doing all the time,鈥� she said in a phone interview Monday. 鈥淎s an actor, sometimes you鈥檙e working and sometimes you鈥檙e not, and you鈥檝e got to find a way to fill in the gaps.鈥�

Humphreys 鈥渙uted鈥� herself as a restaurant worker on Sunday, tweeting her support for Owens after the photo came to light.

She said having to take on a second job is an aspect of show business that many people don鈥檛 think about, noting that there鈥檚 a common misconception about how much money actors make and how much work they can get.

鈥淭his is the reality of being an actor 鈥� it ebbs and flows,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd what people think about it, at the end of the day, is irrelevant, because I can鈥檛 pay my rent based on what people think.鈥�

While Humphreys occasionally gets recognized at her restaurant job for her recurring role as the wife of one of the show鈥檚 main characters, she said she feels her fans don鈥檛 look down on her because of her job.

She fondly remembered one of her younger fans, a 13-year-old girl from Ottawa, who was surprised to see Humphreys when she and her mother visited the restaurant one Saturday.

鈥淭hat little girl just lost her mind 鈥� she didn鈥檛 care that I was a server,鈥� she said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e living as actors, and part of that means is that you have to take these other jobs, and it鈥檚 nothing to be ashamed of.鈥�

Andrew Phung, who plays the supporting role of Kimchee on 鈥淜im鈥檚 Convenience,鈥� said he鈥檚 worked in customer service jobs since he was a teenager, starting out as an employee at a mall at the age of 16.

Phung, who also worked at a non-profit organization, kept that job part-time after the first season of the popular sitcom wrapped up.

鈥淚 love customer service jobs! I crush those jobs,鈥� he said in a phone interview from Calgary.

For him, the recent coverage around the picture of Owens points to a larger problem of society鈥檚 tendency to value certain jobs over others.

He said any job deserves respect no matter what it is, adding that the issue is somewhat personal.

鈥淢y mom worked two jobs. She worked early in the morning at a university cafeteria, she鈥檇 come home, take care of me during the day, then she鈥檇 work late at night at a Japanese sushi restaurant,鈥� said Phung.

鈥淔or me, this isn鈥檛 just about actors coming together: this is about humans coming together, supporting those who are just trying to make a life for their family.鈥�

鈥淜im鈥檚 Convenience,鈥� which debuted internationally on Netflix in July, tells the story of a Korean family-owned convenience store in Toronto, and the characters鈥� trials as they try to balance work and family life.

Phung said the show is a less-glamorous look into the lives of customer service workers than other shows might portray.

鈥淚鈥檝e always joked on the television show, 鈥楩riends:鈥� 鈥榃hen do they work? How do they all afford to live in New York in these beautiful apartments?鈥� Whereas you watch a show like 鈥楰im鈥檚 Convenience,鈥� and there鈥檚 episodes where my character and Jung were too poor to go out, or Janet can鈥檛 afford rent.鈥�

He said some of his fans tell him they like the show because it tells the stories of real people working real jobs.

Meanwhile, 鈥淢r. D鈥� star Gerry Dee said that even for those who are able to transition to working in showbiz full time, service jobs are often a stop along the way.

After he left his teaching job in 2003, he said he worked as a waiter for years as he ran a hockey school while his acting career was taking off, and it鈥檚 鈥漹ery common鈥� for actors to take on second jobs because of the fickle nature of the industry.

鈥淚 think people would be surprised what the longevity is,鈥� he said. 鈥漈here鈥檚 no guarantees.鈥�

He said he鈥檚 grateful to be able to make money performing standup comedy while he鈥檚 not acting, but he notes that not every actor has that opportunity.

Dee added he鈥檚 glad to see the acting community stand behind Owens.

鈥淧eople are coming to his defence, because how do you knock a man or a woman for trying to earn a dollar?鈥�

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Alex Cooke , The Canadian Press

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