Hollywood Actors Plan Midnight Strike As Contract Talks Break Down
(SAG-AFTRA/Twitter)

Hollywood Actors Plan Midnight Strike As Contract Talks Break Down

Hollywood actors will join writers in a strike after TV/theatrical contract talks broke down Thursday.

The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) was negotiating with prominent production companies since June 7, but as an agreement could not be made, the guild announced the strike, effective July 14 at 12:01 a.m. PST.

"I went in, in earnest, thinking we could avoid a strike," SAG-AFTRA president and actress Fran Drescher said Thursday. "The gravity of this move is not lost on me, or our negotiating committee, or our board members who have voted unanimously to proceed with a strike."

The strike affects more than 160,000 actors represented by SAG-AFTRA, who may still work on projects not connected to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

Similar to what the Writers Guild of America (WGA) sought in its contract negotiations with the AMPTP, the actors are negotiating terms for increased wages, better working conditions, health and pension benefits and a cap on artificial intelligence.

"We stand behind [SAG-AFTRA] as they begin their strike," the WGA wrote in a statement Thursday. "The last time our unions struck at the same time, both won landmark provisions on residuals and pension and health funds—this fight is no less transformational."

As SAG-AFTRA announced its decision to strike, Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and several other cast members for Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer left amid the movie's London premiere, with Nolan attributing their departure to the strike.

In accordance with the labor union's rules, actors may not engage in tours, personal appearances, interviews, conventions, fan expos, festivals, panels, movie premieres or screenings, award shows, press junkets, podcast appearances, social media, or studio showcases.

The strike was authorized in June with 98% approval from voting members.

The actors now join 11,000 Hollywood writers who have been on strike since May 1.

The AMPTP represents multiple production companies such as Netflix, Disney, Apple, Amazon, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount and Sony.
 

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.

Subscribe to our Newsletter