A Costumer from 'That '90s Show' Is Now Dog-Sitting During 'Extinction-Level' Crisis in Hollywood

Marjaneh Ayati is a costumer whose work on "Downsizing" and "GLOW" is part of a Hollywood dream

When the Writers Guild of America went on strike in May, Marjaneh Ayati was set to begin work as a costumer on the second season of That '90s Show.

“I loved watching all the cool clothes come in during my first season on the show,” she remembers of her time on set with stars like Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith.

With the Screen Actors Guild now also on strike, Ayati is currently working the picket line. And dog-sitting. And, without any Hollywood productions going, worrying.

Ayati says the shutdown of Hollywood as studios square off against writers and actors over terms including residual payments and the use of artificial intelligence is nearly an “extinction-level event.”

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“I’m worried that what makes movies and television so special, what brought us all out here to pursue our dreams, is being lost," says Ayati, 38. "And that’s the human level of film production.” As the negotiating continues, the downtime gets harder.

“The scariest thing about what’s happening right now in Hollywood, for people like me, is the unknown. I feel like I am not in control of this aspect of my life. I’m on unemployment. My monthly take home income has been reduced by 80 percent. And I’m trying to live in one of the most expensive cities in the United States. Oh, and I’m dog-sitting.” She softly chuckles.

“Plus I have no idea when my job is going to come back. And what this entire industry will look like when it’s over.”

What the industry looked like to the Atlanta native when she was growing up was the zenith of fashion and beauty.

“I would look at music videos and be so inspired. I remember being a little girl and seeing Cher wearing Bob Mackie on her TV specials, like crazy gowns and stuff. Looking at Cher, it felt good to see someone on TV who looked like me, with dark black hair and a big nose.”

MTV would provide her a path to a career. “In high school, I saw a video by A Tribe Called Quest and one of the girls was wearing the same swimsuit that I had. That blew my mind. I was like, ‘Something I picked out is on my TV.’ "

Her Hollywood dream was born.

Ayati moved to Los Angeles in 2012 and began working as a celebrity stylist’s assistant. “I did all sorts of odd jobs, whatever I could.” She also worked in production for mall fashion shows. She even assisted a professional organizer, spending days in the homes of wealthy celebrities. “I remember arranging so many closets of handbags and thinking, ‘I am so poor.’ ”

Related: Hollywood on Strike: This TV Writer Has Been Juggling Side Gigs to Survive for Years

Then a friend, an assistant costume designer, asked her to assist on the Matt Damon movie Downsizing, as it filmed in 2016. The next year, she was hired as a production assistant in the costume department on the TV series GLOW, starring Alison Brie. The job got her into the Local 705 costumers union. (Ayati’s union is not currently on strike, but supports the writers and actors.)

Remembering the moment she had worked enough to get her union card makes her emotional.

"It felt like I had finally made it in Hollywood. I had hustled to stay in L.A. doing whatever I needed to do, and was starting a career.”

As a set costumer, Ayati preps all the costumes, making sure that however the designer envisioned it, that's how it appears on camera. She catalogs every look on every actor and makes sure — as the scenes are often filmed out of order — that there is continuity.

“The work I do is very personal,” she says, “interacting very closely with actors. But around the costumes, I found my community here, a belongingness and a reason to be in Hollywood. Not just trying to figure out what my next move was.”

She pauses. “Now, I’m back to figuring out what my next move is.” She laughs and jokes, “Does your dog need to be walked?” 

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