Fran Drescher (65) continues to lead the strike of US actresses and actors. Drescher, who became known in the 1990s for the sitcom “The Nanny”, was re-elected for two more years as president of the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA. More than 81 percent of eligible voters who voted chose Drescher.
“I am honored to serve my union for another term as President,” Drescher said in a statement. These are “dynamic times” in which we as a unit want to “defy the storms, stand by our principles and ensure that our great contributions to this collaborative art form are never diminished again, but rather increased.”
Drescher wants all members to be “equal in every way and I will continue to fight against marginalization and discrimination within our union, from our employers and the world in general.” The main goal is that everyone has the same opportunity to work. A lot has already been achieved in recent years, but she is optimistic that the next two years will be “the best of all time.” She expressed hope for a “golden age” for SAG-AFTRA.
In mid-July, negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) failed. SAG-AFTRA then joined the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. The members of the screenwriters’ union had already stopped work at the beginning of May. The Hollywood double strike can be called historic – it is the first since 1960.
The AMPTP, an association of companies from the TV, film and streaming business, and SAG-AFTRA have not returned to the negotiating table since the strike began. The most important points of contention include the remuneration of actors and the use of artificial intelligence in films and series.
