Hollywood could come to a complete standstill as actors strike looms

Hollywood actors could strike by the end of the month.

Hollywood actors within the SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) union have overwhelmingly voted to strike if a new contract with major studios, streamers and production companies can't be agreed by June 30. On Monday it was revealed that nearly 98% of 65,000 members voted in favour of a strike if negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) fail to produce a satisfactory outcome. That means, with the WGA writers strike in its sixth week and counting, Hollywood may come to a complete standstill by the end of the month, heaping major pressure on corporations. The demands of the union are similar to the WGA demands, including base compensation, which actors say has been undercut by inflation and streaming services, the threat of unregulated use of artificial intelligence and benefit plans.

SAG-AFTRA Members Approve Strike Authorization with 97.91% Yes Vote https://t.co/hPCphXSMF9

— SAG-AFTRA NEWS (@sagaftranews) June 6, 2023

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher (yes, The Nanny herself is the president of the Screen Actor's Guild!) said she was “proud” of all those who had voted “in favour of strength and solidarity”. “Together we lock elbows and in unity we build a new contract that honors our contributions in this remarkable industry, reflects the new digital and streaming business model and brings ALL our concerns for protections and benefits into the now!” she said. “Bravo Sag-Aftra, we are in it to win it.” While writers and actors may both be on strike at the end of the month, the Directors Guild of America (DGA) recently reached a "truly historic" tentative agreement with studios on issues including wages, streaming residuals and artificial intelligence. The unions have all shown solidarity for each other throughout the writers strike. Actors like Colin Farrell and James Cromwell have all used their voices to spread awareness to the plight of writers, with the former even showing up at the picket line a few weeks ago. Major projects have already come to a halt, including Stranger Things, Yellowjackets and Marvel's Blade remake. An acting strike on top of the WGA strike would have a devastating impact on the output of Hollywood over the next few months and even years.

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