SAG strike: Actors join writers in Hollywood picket line – BBC

Jul 14, 2023 at 7:10pm BST

Updated 53 minutes ago

video caption,

Watch: How the Hollywood Strike is Affecting You, in 75 Seconds

Jason Sudeikis, Susan Sarandon and thousands of actors have joined the writers at the Hollywood picket line in calling for the biggest strike in over 60 years.

In May, writers quit their jobs frustrated with the pay, working conditions and lack of protection from advances in artificial intelligence (AI).

Major films in production, including the sequels Avatar and Gladiator, could be affected by the closure.

As long as the strike lasts, actors are not allowed to appear in films or promote films.

Brian Cox, the lead actor of the HBO series Succession, told the BBC the strike could last “until the end of the year”.

“The whole streaming thing has changed the paradigm,” the Scottish star told BBC Newscast.

“They’re trying to freeze us and ground us because there’s a lot of money to be made from streaming and it’s not about sharing it with the writers or the cast.”

video caption,

Watch: Brian Cox: “I’m worried about artificial intelligence”

Talks about a new deal with studios and streaming giants collapsed on Thursday. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) accused the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) of “unwilling to offer a fair deal”.

About 160,000 artists stopped working as of midnight, joining the 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) who left work on May 2.

Union members and their supporters gathered outside the offices of major studios and streaming services in Los Angeles, New York and other cities on Friday afternoon.

The demonstrations drew support – and star power – from some of the biggest celebrities in film and television, including the stars of the upcoming Oppenheimer film, who walked the red carpet on Thursday night.

The two guilds want studios and streaming services to offer better wages, higher royalties, higher contributions to their pension and health plans, and protections for the use of AI in the industry.

Productions likely to be affected include sequels to the Avatar, Deadpool, and Gladiator franchises, as well as upcoming seasons of shows such as Stranger Things, Family Guy, and The Simpsons.

Red carpet premieres, promotional interviews, and events like the Emmys and Comic-Con have already been halted, postponed, or scaled back.

video caption,

Watch: The famous faces are on the strike line in support of the Hollywood strike

The strike action stems in part from an uncomfortable transition into the digital streaming era, as well as broader technological shifts.

“AI will affect everyone,” Oscar winner Susan Sarandon told the BBC from a picket line in New York.

“There was definitely always a feeling, if it’s not resolved now, how can we ever resolve it in the future?” she said.

“If you don’t have the vision to create something for the future, then you’re screwed. It is clear that nothing will change from the top down, it’s up to us below.”

Both writers and actors have complained that they are making far less money than they used to and that inflation has eroded contracts.

For actors, single role salaries have dropped, forcing them to seek multiple more roles to earn the same money as a few years ago.

Writing contracts have become shorter and more dangerous, often not including compensation for authors’ work on revisions or new material.

“We are falling victim to a very greedy organization,” said Fran Drescher, the current president of the SAG, on Thursday. “I’m shocked at the way the people we’ve done business with are treating us.”

The failed negotiations between the unions and the AMPTP mark the first tandem strike in the industry since 1960. The last strike in 1980 lasted ten weeks.

A third union, the Directors Guild of America (DGA), is not taking part in the strike after successfully negotiating its own contract in June, but the group said it “strongly supports” those picketing.

With the prospect of the strike dragging on for months, cinemas could be left with problems and viewers may be left with nothing new to watch apart from reality TV and live sports.

In a statement Friday, the White House said President Joe Biden “believes all workers — including actors — deserve fair pay and benefits.”

“The President supports workers’ right to strike and hopes the parties can reach a mutually beneficial agreement,” said spokeswoman Robyn Patterson.

Due to UK labor laws, actors represented by SAG’s sister union in the UK – Equity – must continue to work as usual. This includes stars from the HBO series House of the Dragon.

However, the union has told US companies that it will be “monitoring very closely” any attempts to move US production to the UK.

video caption,

Watch: Susan Sarandon on the dangers of AI in the film industry