(LOS ANGELES) – Striking film actors will join writers in picketing in New York and Los Angeles on Friday in what has become the most significant Hollywood labor dispute in decades.
The double-barreled strike will end the few productions that have kept shooting in the two months since screenwriters went on strike.
Many actors joined the writers on the picket lines, including Fran Drescher, head of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and former star of “The Nanny.” The 65,000-member actors’ union chapter will now formally join them as strikers.
Both guilds are having similar problems with studios and streaming services. They are concerned about contracts that do not keep up with inflation, residual payments in the streaming era, and putting up barriers to using artificial intelligence to duplicate their work on film and television shows.
Oscar and Emmy winners’ prominent faces will almost certainly be seen on picket lines daily, giving star power to the writers’ demonstrations outside studios and corporate offices.
No negotiations are planned, and there is no end to the work stoppage, the first time both guilds have walked offsets since 1960. During that strike, SAG was led by then-actor Ronald Reagan.
When union leaders unanimously voted to strike on Thursday, Drescher delivered a blistering rebuke to studios and streaming providers.
Striking film actors will join writers in picketing in New York and Los Angeles on Friday in what has become the most significant Hollywood labor dispute in decades.
“We didn’t have a choice. We are the victims in this situation. “A very greedy entity is exploiting us,” Drescher explained. “I am astounded by how the folks we have done business treat us. I can’t believe how far apart we are on so many issues. How they claim to be poor, that they are losing money left and right while handing out hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs.”The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, representing businesses such as Disney, Netflix, and Amazon, condemned the strike, claiming that it will harm thousands of workers in industries that support film and television production.
The actors’ strike will influence more than just production. Stars will no longer be permitted to promote their work through red-carpet premieres and personal appearances, campaign for Emmy Awards, or participate in auditions or rehearsals.
While overseas shoots can legally proceed, the strike among US-based writers and performers is likely to also impact them.
The writers’ strike resulted in the immediate shutdown of late-night talk shows and “Saturday Night Live,” as well as numerous scripted shows, including “Stranger Things” on Netflix, “Hacks” on Max, and “Family Guy” on Fox, having their writers’ rooms or production paused. Many more will undoubtedly follow them now that performances have also been withdrawn.
SOURCE – (AP)
