Hollywood actors have officially gone on strike – leaving the film industry in utter shambles.
A union representing 160,000 actors is now joining the writers’ strike after failing to reach an agreement with industry bosses by Wednesday night’s deadline – lashing out at “disgusting and disgraceful” film directors.
With the Screen Actors Guild of Television and Radio Artists of America and the Writers Guild of America both actors and writers going on strike at the same time 60 years ago, there will be an unprecedented impact on our viewing habits.
The generation-defining decision was announced at a press conference today by SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator.
They insisted the strike was a last resort and compared the current contract situation to “moving around furniture on the Titanic”.
The Sag-Aftra Committee voted unanimously to hit the highest numbers ever and the National Assembly approved its decision.
Their recommendation came after more than four weeks of haggling with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the major studios and broadcast platforms from Amazon Prime Video to Warner Bros.
Crabtree-Ireland said that AMPTP was “unwilling to offer a fair deal on key issues” and that the current broadcasting model cut off remaining performers’ access.
He claimed that the beating was a “method of last resort” and that it would begin at midnight tonight – with the cast joining the picket line on Friday morning.
In her emotional speech, Drescher said she was “shocked” at the way they were treated.
“I can’t believe how far we are from so many things,” she said. “How they preach poverty while giving hundreds of millions of dollars to CEOs.”
“This sucks. Shame on them.”
Drescher compared the situation to “moving around furniture on the Titanic”, adding: “It’s crazy. We stand so long. You have to get up and smell the coffee.”
In its scathing statement Thursday morning, Sage-AFTRA alleged that AMPTP “remains unwilling to offer a fair deal.”
The statement read: “Companies have refused to engage meaningfully on some topics, and have completely held us back on others.
“Until they negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to come to an agreement. We have no choice but to proceed in unity, and on behalf of our members, with a strike recommendation to our National Assembly.”
International stars like Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence added their names to a letter in June urging union leaders not to settle down.
The joint strike could delay the Emmy Awards and San Diego Comic-Con and even have a major impact on the Los Angeles economy.
Although this summer’s films, such as Barbie and Oppenheimer, have already been filmed, they will be affected because the cast may not engage in further promotional activities.
The London premiere of Oppenheimer’s was moved to earlier in the day so that the cast members could leave.
Director Christopher Nolan announced that the cast had decided to leave early so they joined the picket line.
Stars like Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Rami Malek came out in solidarity with their fellow actors.
“I saw them here earlier on the red carpet,” Nolan declared to the audience.
“Unfortunately, they are on their way to write their picket signs for what we believe is an imminent strike by the Sag, to join one of my unions, the Writers Guild, in the fight for fair wages for working union members, and we support them.”
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