Hollywood actor’s union announced a strike, starting today. As the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (or SAG-AFTRA) stated, they were not able to secure a new fair contract with major studios and streaming services after weeks of negotiating. As a reaction, the guild’s national board voted unanimously for the work stoppage, which will concern around 160,000 film and television performers worldwide. Why are actors on strike and what does it mean for the industry? Let’s take a closer look! Fran Drescher – an American actress and the SAG president – gave a quite fierce speech during the press conference, declaring the strike. She accused the Hollywood studios of being greedy and compared working under the current contract in the midst of major industry changes (which includes new business models like streaming and the threat of artificial intelligence generated content replacing actors) – “moving around furniture on the Titanic.” I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us. I cannot believe it, quite frankly, how far apart we are on so many things. How they plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right, when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history at this very moment. We stand in solidarity, in unprecedented unity. SAG president Fran Drescher, announcing the strike Fran Drescher, SAG president, giving her speech. Image credit: the official Twitter...
Published By: CineD - Friday, 14 July, 2023