Geoffrey Owens is busy jet-setting from coast-to-coast working on various TV and movie gigs after viral photos showed him bagging groceries at a NJ Trader Joe’s in August.
The former ‘Cosby Show’ actor is working at breakneck speed filming multiple TV and movie gigs in 5 weeks.
Owens owes his many blessings to Tyler Perry, the director and playwright who reached out to him after the photos went viral on social media.
READ MORE: Cosby Show Star Geoffrey Owens Quit His Job at Trader Joe’s After ‘Unwanted Attention’
The drama forced Owens to apologize to his embarrassed adult son who was away at college when the photos hit the headlines.
But the bad news quickly turned good as stars like Perry and rapper Nicki Minaj offered the actor their support — and Tyler offered him a job on his TV show, The Haves and the Have Nots on Oprah’s OWN Network.
Since then, Owens has been jetting from set to set filming TV and movie appearances on both coasts.
“The last four or five weeks have been crazy,” he tells Access Live. “I went from doing an episode of NCIS: New Orleans (and) I went for literally for a few hours before flying to Atlanta and worked for a week for Tyler Perry. I did 11 scenes for him in three days. And then I went directly to Los Angeles and filmed my first day of (movie) Fatale.”
Owens said he flew back home to New Jersey, where he made a church appearance; appeared at a concert; did a reading of Shakespeare at the Public Theater, and taught a Shakespeare class at a local college.
Owens admits he is not turning down any work. “There are other offers in the works,” he says.
He is grateful to Perry for his support: “He did a very bold, almost foolhardy, generous thing that day, making that offer. I think it’s wonderful what he did.”
Owens adapted quickly to Perry’s work ethic.
“It was really fun to work with him. He works really fast and furious in a way I’ve never worked before, but I was ready for it.”
Owens said he has returned to Trader Joe’s since the drama began — but not as an employee.
“I’ve been back a few times and it’s nice to go back. My working experience there was really wonderful — the 15 months I worked there. The people were very generous and very nice. They’re kinda thrilled for me. That’s where I do my shopping.”
