On the first day of their strike, Hollywood actors and actresses picketed the major US film studios in Los Angeles. Hundreds of strikers marched with placards to the Netflix building on legendary Sunset Boulevard and in front of the HBO, Amazon and Paramount studios on Friday. They were supported by honking drivers. There were also pickets in New York.
The strike is a “historic moment” for her, said 44-year-old Vera Cherny, who is best known from the series “The Americans” and “For All Mankind”. “It’s about time we did the deals that will benefit future generations of actors. Just like we did in 1960,” the actress said.
Stars like Allison Janney (“The West Wing”), Mandy Moore (“This Is Us”) and Ben Schwartz (“Sonic the Hedgehog”) also took part in the picket line. In New York, Jason Sudeikis and Susan Sarandon, among others, attended the rally.
In Manhattan, 36-year-old actress Casey Killoran said many colleagues in New York are concerned with getting a “living wage” from the production companies. “We want to be able to live in the place where we work,” she said.
After failed negotiations with the major film studios, the actresses and actors of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) union went on strike at midnight. It is the first strike by US actors since 1980. Because US screenwriters have also been on strike for eleven weeks, Hollywood is experiencing a double strike for the first time in more than 60 years.
“We’ve been out here for about 80 days,” said Marta Kauffman, who co-created the cult series Friends. The fact that the actors’ union has now also gone on strike “has brought a lot of energy and there is incredible solidarity,” she said.
While the work stoppage of the screenwriters, which has been going on for weeks, has already severely hampered productions for cinema and television, many film and series projects are now likely to come to a complete standstill due to the actors’ strike. In addition, planned premieres for films that have already been completed will have to be canceled or postponed because the actors will not walk the red carpet because of the strike.
A number of films stopped filming on Friday, including Deadpool 3, the Gladiator sequel and the eighth installment of Mission: Impossible. However, it will probably be a while before cinema-goers notice the effects of the strikes, since most of the blockbusters for this year have already been filmed.
In the TV sector, on the other hand, the effect should unfold more quickly. The screenwriters’ strike had already hit the industry: In the United States, repeats of late-night shows are already being broadcast and a large number of television and film productions have halted or suspended work. The double strike could also have an impact on film festivals such as Venice or events such as the Emmy Awards.
SAG-AFTRA represents 160,000 actresses and actors, including stars such as Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Glenn Close. The union is demanding higher fees from studios and streaming providers such as Disney, Paramount and Netflix, as well as assurances about the future use of artificial intelligence (AI).
“The studios are deaf and greedy and they need to wake up because we’re the ones who made them rich,” said actress Frances Fisher, who has also starred in “Titanic”.
The Association of Film and Television Producers (AMPTP) said it had presented the actors with hefty salary increases and a “groundbreaking” proposal on AI. A deadline for an agreement in the negotiations had expired on Thursday night without a result.
It was not yet clear how long the strike could last. However, some of those involved assumed it would take a long time. According to British actor Brian Cox, known for his role as media mogul Logan Roy in the series “Succession,” the situation could become “very awkward,” he said. “And it could go on for quite a while.” It may be that the conflict cannot be resolved before the end of the year, the 77-year-old told British television station Sky News.
