The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) which represents 160,000 stars announced recently that it’s joining the ongoing writers‘ strike to show solidarity after failed negotiations with big studios. This has brought about the first industrywide shutdown in 63 years.
ICYMI, writers in Hollywood have been on strike for the past 11 weeks to protest dwindling pay and the use of artificial intelligence in films and television. The negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers, which represent studios like Disney and Netflix, failed after the big studios refused to budge on their stance against paying writers more for their work and regulating the use of AI.
Many actors had joined the picketing writers to show their support but SAG’s announcement lends more weight to their protest as Hollywood has now been brought to a complete shutdown.
What does the Hollywood actors‘ strike mean?
The writers’ strike had already caused many projects to be delayed but with actors joining the protest, all activities like filming and movie promotions have been brought to a screeching halt.
How will it affect you?
Popular shows that were going to return to screens with new seasons will face lengthy delays and future releases, including several potential blockbusters will be postponed too.
When it comes to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, shows made outside of the US will be released according to their schedules.
For the movies already set to release, the press tours will be affected as actors won’t be promoting the films or attending premieres because of union rules.
This was seen happening when Wednesday’s UK premiere of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer had to be moved forward by an hour so that Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt could attend the premiere without breaking union rules. But the film’s US premiere, which was slated to happen in New York, will be derailed as the actors won’t be able to attend it. The strike is also going to affect actors’ attendance at the much-anticipated San Diego Comic Con this year.
Postponing events like the Emmy Awards is also being considered.
The historic announcement is already causing a big stir across the world and it’s clear that the studios can now no longer dismiss writers’ demands of fair pay and removal of the threat of AI in films and television.
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