From July 14 to November 9, 2023, the American actors' union
SAG-AFTRA
The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA, stylized as SAG·AFTRA ) is an American labor union representing approximately 160,000 film and television actors, journalists, radio personalities, recor ...
(Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) was
on strike over a
labor dispute
A labor dispute is a disagreement between an employer and employees regarding the terms of employment. This could include disputes regarding conditions of employment, fringe benefits, hours of work, tenure, and wages to be negotiated during ...
with the
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is a trade association based in Sherman Oaks, California, that represents over 350 American television and film production companies in collective bargaining negotiations with ente ...
(AMPTP). As the longest strike in SAG-AFTRA history, its combined impact with the
2023 Writers Guild of America strike resulted in the loss of 45,000 jobs,
and "an estimated $6.5 billion" loss to the economy of
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban ...
.
According to ''
Deadline Hollywood
''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, w ...
'', the "harshest pain" was "perhaps felt among the below-the-line workers who've had to sell or mortgage their homes, and wipe through IRAs to survive."
Along with the
2023 Writers Guild of America strike (which ended on September 27, 2023), it was part of a series of
broader Hollywood labor disputes. Both the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes contributed to the biggest interruption to the
American film and television industries since
the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 just three years prior. In addition to standing in solidarity with the writers, the strike was led by changes in the industry caused by
streaming
Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content i ...
and its effect on
residuals, as well as other new technologies like
AI and
digital recreation. It marked the first time that actors initiated a labor dispute in the U.S. since the
1980 actors strike
The 1980 actors strike was a labor strike held in 1980 by the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, two labor unions representing actors in the American film industry. The strike was caused by a breakd ...
and the first time that actors and writers have walked out simultaneously since 1960.
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP took place from October 2 to October 11, and resumed on October 24. On November 8, 2023, a tentative deal between the two sides was reached. Striking ended on November 9 at 12:01 a.m. PST.
On December 5, the SAG-AFTRA membership officially ratified the contract with over 78% of members voting in favor of it.
Background
Unionization in Hollywood
The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is a
labor union that represents approximately 160,000 media professionals and entertainers. The
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is a trade association based in Sherman Oaks, California, that represents over 350 American television and film production companies in collective bargaining negotiations with ente ...
(AMPTP)
trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific Industry (economics), industry. An industry tra ...
represents film and television studios in
collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and rights for workers. The ...
negotiations with unions such as SAG-AFTRA, the
Directors Guild of America
The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is an entertainment guild that represents the interests of film and television directors in the United States motion picture industry and abroad. Founded as the Screen Directors Guild in 1936, the group merg ...
(DGA), and
Writers Guild of America, East
The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) is a labor union representing writers in film, television, radio, news, and online media.
The Writers Guild of America, East is affiliated with the Writers Guild of America West. Together the guilds adm ...
and
Writers Guild of America West
The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers. It was formed in 1954 from five organizations representing writers, including the Screen Writers Guild. It has around 20,000 mem ...
, comprising the Writers Guild of America (WGA). SAG-AFTRA was formed by the merger of the
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...
(SAG) and the
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) was a performers' union that represented a wide variety of talent, including actors in radio and television, radio and television announcers and newspersons, singers and recording a ...
(AFTRA) in March 2012, allowing SAG-AFTRA to represent not only actors, but also journalists, talk show hosts, and other broadcast workers. The WGA and the Screen Actors Guild have not simultaneously been on strike since 1960, when actors
joined striking writers over
residual payments from films sold to television networks. The
1980 actors strike
The 1980 actors strike was a labor strike held in 1980 by the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, two labor unions representing actors in the American film industry. The strike was caused by a breakd ...
involved the combined efforts of SAG and AFTRA. The largest SAG-AFTRA strike since 1980 occurred in 2000, in which commercial actors
went on strike to push for a continuation of the residual system against advertiser backlash, amidst the divisions between SAG and AFTRA.
During the last decade and the rise of streaming, writers and actors have been frustrated over studio policy regarding residuals from
streaming services
An over-the-top media service is a streaming media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet. OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms, the companies that traditionally act as a controller or distributors of s ...
; the decline of network television has led to a stronger reliance on other residuals. The
2007–08 WGA strike was motivated in large part by studio executives insisting that writers should receive no residuals from streaming services. The 2007–08 strike cost the city of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...
an estimated billion, according to
NPR. As with striking WGA writers, actors have expressed concerns about the use of
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech r ...
, noting that it could be used to replicate their likeness without compensation.
Pre-strike activity
Weeks after the
Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers:
* The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO
* The Writers G ...
went
on strike in May 2023, SAG-AFTRA's national board of directors unanimously agreed to pursue a strike authorization vote ahead of a renewed contract; SAG-AFTRA approved a new contract in 2020 that would expire on June 30, 2023. The union stated that it did not intend to strike but that it sought to give its negotiators "maximum bargaining leverage" ahead of negotiations on June 7, 2023. SAG-AFTRA cited several issues in negotiations, including "economic fairness, residuals, regulating the use of artificial intelligence and alleviating the burdens of the industry-wide shift to self-taping", and told its members that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers would cut actors' salaries to "pad corporate profits". In a video released on May 30, 2023, SAG-AFTRA members
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus ( ; born January 13, 1961) is an American actress, comedian, and producer who worked on the comedy television series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1982–1985), ''Seinfeld'' (1989–1998), '' The New Adventure ...
,
Jean Smart
Jean Elizabeth Smart (born September 13, 1951) is an American actress. After beginning her career in regional theater in the Pacific Northwest, she appeared on Broadway in 1981 as Marlene Dietrich in the biographical play '' Piaf''. Smart wa ...
, and
Kumail Nanjiani
Kumail Ali Nanjiani (; ur, کمیل علی ننجیانی, ; born May 2, 1978) is a Pakistani-American actor, comedian and screenwriter. He is known for his role as Dinesh in the HBO comedy series ''Silicon Valley'' (2014–2019) and for co-w ...
appealed to members to vote to strike but reserved that a vote for strike authorization was solely a bargaining tool, not a vote to order an immediate strike.
On June 5, 2023, SAG-AFTRA approved the strike authorization by a 98% margin, according to the union. High-profile members—including
Quinta Brunson
Quinta Brunson (born December 21, 1989) is an American writer, producer, actress, and comedian best known for creating, executive producing, co-writing, and starring in the ABC comedy series '' Abbott Elementary'' (2021–present). Brunson gain ...
,
Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Shrader Lawrence (born August 15, 1990) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2015 and 2016, her films have grossed over $6 billion worldwide to date. She appeared in ''Time''s 100 most influential people i ...
, and
Rami Malek
Rami Said Malek (; , ; born May 12, 1981) is an American actor. He is known for portraying computer hacker Elliot Alderson in the USA Network television series '' Mr. Robot'' (2015–2019), for which he received the Primetime Emmy Award for Ou ...
—signaled their willingness to strike ahead of the deadline to achieve a "transformative deal", despite "extremely productive" negotiations. SAG-AFTRA agreed to extend negotiations to midnight on July 13, 2023, in an attempt to avoid a strike, but negotiations broke down in July 2023. SAG-AFTRA surveyed members on a strike on July 5, 2023 and began preparing
picket signs two days later.
The AMPTP agreed to a "last-minute request" for mediation from the
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service on July 11, 2023; congressional and public affairs director Greg Raelson stated that a federal mediator would be present the following day. In turn, SAG-AFTRA accused the AMPTP of attempting to extend negotiations beyond the deadline and reiterated that it would not continue negotiating after July 12, 2023. A number of high-profile actors, including Lawrence and Malek, then affirmed their support again by signing a letter urging the union to take aggressive measures and stating their willingness to strike. It was later reported by ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' that mediation collapsed after AMPTP President Carol Lombardini insulted negotiators by telling them to "be civilized" and avert a strike, which prompted a walkout by union negotiators.
In response to Lombardini's comment, SAG-AFTRA president
Fran Drescher
Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader. She is known for her role as Fran Fine in the television sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993–1999), which she created and prod ...
reportedly said to AMPTP negotiators "Now you've got two unions on strike" as they left.
On July 12, a statement was made announcing the construction of a ''
Fast & Furious
''Fast & Furious'' (also known as ''The Fast and the Furious'') is a media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heist films, heists, spy films, spies, and family. The franchise also in ...
''-themed
roller coaster
A roller coaster, or rollercoaster, is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Passengers ride along the track in open cars, and the rides ar ...
; the date of the announcement coincided with the deadline SAG-AFTRA gave before ending negotiations with the AMPTP, and construction began by the strike's start. This added to the construction that began on May 8, shortly after the WGA began protesting on-site, obstructing Lankershim Boulevard along the west end of the park's campus and parking lot and further restricting sidewalk access.
The sidewalks in front of Gates 1, 2, 4, and 5 would be scaffolded-off and demolished in this construction.
Despite prior advice from the
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal Police, police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the thir ...
's Labor Relations Unit to place
K-rails
A Jersey barrier, Jersey wall, or Jersey bump is a modular concrete or plastic barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing vehicle crossovers resu ...
from River Road to Universal Hollywood Drive for the safety of protesters and other pedestrians since WGA protests as early as June 6, none were placed by July 18, by which time reports of two protesters being struck by vehicles had been made.

On July 13, with no agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is a trade association based in Sherman Oaks, California, that represents over 350 American television and film production companies in collective bargaining negotiations with ente ...
(AMPTP), the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee voted unanimously to recommend a strike to the union's national board. The national board held a vote officially approving the strike. SAG-AFTRA president
Fran Drescher
Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader. She is known for her role as Fran Fine in the television sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993–1999), which she created and prod ...
announced the strike would begin at midnight on July 14; the cast of ''
Oppenheimer'' left the film's London premiere ahead of the announcement to walk out. Joined by chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, Drescher asserted that the strike was a reluctant last resort and described the proposed contract as "moving around furniture on the ''
Titanic
RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...
''." In the press conference, Crabtree-Ireland alleged that the AMPTP attempted to include a proposal that allowed studios to, for a one-time fee equivalent to one day's pay, have exclusive and indefinite rights to
extras' likenesses, including the use of
generative AI to replicate them on screen.
Media commentators likened this to the film ''
The Congress'' (2013) and the ''
Black Mirror
''Black Mirror'' is a British anthology television series created by Charlie Brooker. Individual episodes explore a diversity of genres, but most are set in near-future dystopias with science fiction technology—a type of speculative ficti ...
'' sixth series episode "
Joan Is Awful" (2023). However, AMPTP denied these claims, stating that their proposal would allow usage of these replicas within the specific film for which they are employed, and that any other uses would require consent and further compensation.
Timeline of negotiations and strike activity
July 2023
The strike officially began on July 14.
As part of the rules established on July 10, actors cannot engage in film or television productions and cannot take part in promotional work, such as
press junkets, film premieres, and events—including
San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
, which was scheduled for July 20–23. The strike action does not apply to SAG-AFTRA members who work under contracts that are negotiated by the union separately from the AMPTP contract, including broadcast journalists. Work in podcasts, "micro-budget" independent films, and student films is allowed, as is "unscripted" television work such as game shows, reality competition shows, documentaries, and talk shows. Internationally, SAG-AFTRA members are authorized to continue work in the United Kingdom under pre-established
Equity collective bargaining agreements, as UK law criminalizes
solidarity strikes. The HBO series ''
House of the Dragon
''House of the Dragon'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by George R. R. Martin and Ryan Condal for HBO. A prequel to ''Game of Thrones'' (2011–2019), it is the second TV show in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' franchi ...
'' thus continued its UK-based filming with SAG-AFTRA actors operating under Equity contracts, prompting backlash among fans of the series.
On July 17, the
Ficus trees on Barham Boulevard's sidewalk outside Gate 8 were
pruned almost entirely of their leaves.
Pine tree
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family (biology), family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic ...
s on the opposite side of Barham were not touched, nor were a row of
pepper tree Pepper tree is a common name for several plants and may refer to:
* Trees in the genus ''Schinus''
* ''Macropiper excelsum
''Piper excelsum'' (formerly known as ''Macropiper excelsum''), of the Pepper Family (Piperaceae) commonly known as ka ...
s behind the fence near the production gate. The pruning was described as a vindictive action because the trees had been being used by protesters as shade from the over 90 °F (32 °C) summer temperatures of Southern California. The pruning was also described as illegal, on the grounds that the trees are owned by the city and that Los Angeles' tree ordinances prohibit trimming them between July and September. NBCUniversal issued a statement to ''
Deadline Hollywood
''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, w ...
'' denying that the trimming was done out of malice, claiming that they trim the trees outside the park in July annually for safety, and describing it and the obstructive construction hazards as "unintended challenges for demonstrators".
NBCUniversal was fined US$250 for violating tree laws and destroying city property.
Also on July 17, SAG-AFTRA released a twelve-page statement outlining the breakdown in negotiations, and terms they found unacceptable, including but not limited to a five-percent salary increase for actors, while the union had asked for eleven percent. The AMPTP released a counter-statement, highlighting that its actions were being "deliberately distort
d and that SAG-AFTRA had chosen to pass over "the most lucrative deal we have ever negotiated... valued at $318 million over the three-year term of the contract."
On July 18,
NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate corporation owned by Comcast and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States.
NBCUniversal is primaril ...
was accused of conducting business at
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is a film studio and theme park in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles County, California. About 70% of the studio lies within the unincorporated county island known as Universal City while the rest lies wi ...
to deter or endanger the protesters and infringe on their rights to protest.
In response, SAG-AFTRA and WGA issued a joint grievance to the National Labor Relations Board against NBCUniversal, accusing the company of interfering with their freedom to picket and endangering their members.
Writers Guild of America West
The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers. It was formed in 1954 from five organizations representing writers, including the Screen Writers Guild. It has around 20,000 mem ...
additionally filed a petition to the AMPTP in response to NBCUniversal's failure to install barriers to protect WGA and SAG-AFTRA protestors from the risk of being forced into traffic.
NBCUniversal responded to ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
'' in a statement: "We are aware of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA complaints. We strongly believe that the company has fulfilled our legal obligations under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and we will cooperate with respect to any inquiries by the National Labor Relations Board on this issue. While we understand the timing of our multi-year construction project has created challenges for demonstrators, we continue to work with public agencies to increase access. We support the unions' rights to demonstrate safely."
On July 19, 2023, SAG-AFTRA approved more films to be shot during the strike, including
Ishana Night Shyamalan
Ishana Night Shyamalan (born ) is an American filmmaker. She made her directorial debut with the horror film ''The Watchers'' (2024), which was produced by her father, M. Night Shyamalan.
Early life
Shyamalan was born and raised in Phila ...
's ''
The Watchers'',
Sam Raimi
Samuel M. Raimi ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007) and the '' Evil Dead'' franchise (1981–present). He also directed the 1990 superhero film ''Darkman' ...
's ''
Don't Move'', and
David Lowery's ''
Mother Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...
''. 56 films then became eligible to shoot under strike rules.
On July 25, 2023, thousands of actors rallied Tuesday morning at Times Square from 9:30 A.M. to noon to voice their concerns about fair treatment and wages. SAG-AFTRA's main contractual negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland spoke about the struggle that the union is facing with the AMPTP. Many celebrities gave speeches to express their concerns about the future of their union and technological advancements in the industry. In attendance were:
Lauren Ambrose
Lauren Anne D'Ambruoso (born February 20, 1978), known professionally as Lauren Ambrose, is an American actress and singer. She performs in television, film, and on Broadway.
Ambrose had television roles as Claire Fisher in ''Six Feet Under'' ...
,
Matt Bomer
Matthew Staton Bomer (born October 11, 1977) is an American actor. He is the recipient of accolades such as a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
In 2000, he made his television debut o ...
,
Christine Baranski
Christine Jane Baranski (born May 2, 1952) is an American actress. She is a 15-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, winning once in 1995 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Maryann Thorpe in the sitcom '' Cybill' ...
,
Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent Buscemi ( ,As stated in interviews by Buscemi himself, some may insist that his pronunciation of his own name is "wrong" because it does not match the original Italian pronunciation as well. It is not uncommon for people to pronou ...
,
Bobby Cannavale
Roberto Michael Cannavale (; born May 3, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for various television roles, including leading roles in '' Third Watch'', '' Vinyl'', and '' Mr. Robot'', as well as recurring roles in '' Will & Grace'', whic ...
,
Tituss Burgess,
Liza Colón-Zayas,
Bryan Cranston
Bryan Lee Cranston (born March 7, 1956) is an American actor and director who is best known for portraying Walter White in the AMC crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and Hal in the Fox sitcom ''Malcolm in the Middle'' (2000–2 ...
,
Jessica Chastain
Jessica Michelle Chastain (born March 24, 1977) is an American actress and producer. Known for primarily starring in films with feminist themes, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. ''Time' ...
, Gregory Diaz,
Jennifer Ehle
Jennifer Anne Ehle (; born December 29, 1969) is an American actress, the daughter of English actress Rosemary Harris and American author John Ehle. She gained fame for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1995 BBC miniseries ''Pride and Prejudic ...
,
Brendan Fraser
Brendan James Fraser ( ; born December 3, 1968) is an American-Canadian actor known for his leading roles in blockbusters, comedies, and dramatic films. Having graduated from the Cornish College of the Arts in 1990, he made his film debut in '' ...
,
Nancy Giles,
Danai Gurira
Danai Jekesai Gurira (; born February 14, 1978) is an American-Zimbabwean actress and playwright. She is best known for her starring roles as Michonne on the AMC horror drama series '' The Walking Dead'' (2012–2020, 2022) and as Okoye in the ...
,
Jill Hennessy
Jillian Noel Hennessy (born November 25, 1968) is a Canadian actress and singer. She is most known for her roles on the American television series ''Law & Order'', on which she played prosecutor Claire Kincaid for three seasons, and ''Crossing ...
,
Marin Hinkle
Marin Elizabeth Hinkle (born March 23, 1966) is an American actress. Among many television and movie roles, she is best known for playing Judy Brooks on the ABC television drama ''Once and Again'', Judith Harper-Melnick on the CBS sitcom '' Two ...
,
Stephen Lang
Stephen Lang (born July 11, 1952) is an American actor. He is known for roles in films including '' Manhunter'' (1986), '' Gettysburg'', '' Tombstone'' (both 1993), '' Gods and Generals'' (2003), '' Public Enemies'' (2009), ''Conan the Barbaria ...
,
Arian Moayed,
Christopher Meloni,
Chloë Grace Moretz
Chloë Grace Moretz (; born February 10, 1997) is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including four MTV Movie & TV Awards, two People's Choice Awards, two Saturn Awards, and two Young Artist Awards.
She began act ...
,
Wendell Pierce
Wendell Edward Pierce (born December 8, 1963) is an American actor and businessman. Having trained at Juilliard School, Pierce rose to prominence as a character actor portraying roles both on the stage and screen. He first gained notoriety port ...
,
Michael Shannon
Michael Corbett Shannon (born August 7, 1974) is an American actor, producer, musician, and theater director. He is an off beat actor known for his on-screen versatility, performing in both comedies and dramas. He became known for his frequent ...
,
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut with a leading role in '' The Legend of Billie Jean'' (1985) and gained wider recognition for his breakthrough role as Jason "J.D." ...
,
Corey Stoll
Corey Stoll (born March 14, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Congressman Peter Russo on the Netflix political thriller series '' House of Cards'' (2013–2016), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination in 2013 ...
,
Merritt Wever
Merritt Carmen Wever (born August 11, 1980) is an American actress. She is known for starring as a perennially upbeat young nurse in '' Nurse Jackie'' (2009–2015), an intrepid widow in the Netflix period miniseries '' Godless'' (2017), and a d ...
and
Rachel Zegler.
August 2023
Picketing was called off for one day, August 21, 2023, due to
Hurricane Hilary The name Hilary has been used for ten tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
* Tropical Depression Hilary (1967)
* Hurricane Hilary (1971)
* Tropical Storm Hilary (1975)
* Hurricane Hilary (1981)
* Hurricane Hilary (1987)
* Hurricane Hilary ...
.
September 2023
On September 1, the SAG-AFTRA National Board voted to send the video game strike authorization vote to its members, and on September 25, the results showed the authorization passed with 98.32% voting in favor.
After the WGA and AMPTP reached a tentative agreement on September 24, leading to the
official end of the WGA strike on September 27, SAG-AFTRA announced that it remains on strike, and called for renewed negotiations with the AMPTP. Later on September 27, SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP made a joint announcement that "SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP will resume negotiations for a new TV/Theatrical contract on Monday, October 2."
October 2023

On October 2, SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP met for negotiations,
in the first meeting between the two unions since the SAG-AFTRA strike began on July 14.
Unlike the WGA's negotiations, the SAG-AFTRA's negotiations were held at SAG-AFTRA's headquarters on
Wilshire Boulevard
Wilshire Boulevard is a prominent boulevard in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, extending from Ocean Avenue in the city of Santa Monica east to Grand Avenue in the Financial District of downtown Los Angeles. One of the prin ...
rather than the AMPTP's headquarters in
Sherman Oaks
Sherman Oaks is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California located in the San Fernando Valley, founded in 1927. The neighborhood includes a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, which gives Sherman Oaks a lower population density than ...
as, according to ''Deadline'', SAG-AFTRA officials were displeased "with the AMPTP's setup" and wanted a change of scenery. Participants included AMPTP chief Carol Lombardini,
Donna Langley
Dame Donna Langley-Shamshiri (born 1968 on the Isle of Wight, UK) is a British film executive who is Chairwoman of Universal Pictures. She was profiled in '' Variety''s "Power of Women" issue in 2014.
Career
Langley began her career as a produc ...
(
NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate corporation owned by Comcast and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States.
NBCUniversal is primaril ...
),
David Zaslav
David Zaslav (born January 15, 1960) is an American media executive who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Warner Bros. Discovery. Zaslav spearheaded the transaction between AT&T and Discovery to combine with Warn ...
(
Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at 230 Park Avenue South in New York City. It was formed after the spin-off of WarnerMedia by AT&T, and its merger with Di ...
),
Ted Sarandos
Theodore Anthony Sarandos Jr. is an American businessman who serves as the co-chief executive officer and chief content officer for Netflix.
Early life
Sarandos was born in Phoenix, Arizona. His father was Ted Sarandos Sr, an electrician, and ...
(
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
),
Bob Iger
Robert Allen Iger (; born February 10, 1951) is an American businessman who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company. He previously served as the President of American Broadcasting Company, ABC Television between 1994 an ...
(
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
), as well as SAG-AFTRA's
Fran Drescher
Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader. She is known for her role as Fran Fine in the television sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993–1999), which she created and prod ...
, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, and Ray Rodriguez.
The meeting concluded with an announcement that they would meet again on the 4th.
This pattern continued from October 4
to 9, when a joint statement announced a meeting on October 11.
However, negotiations broke down on October 11.
Beginning October 12, numerous reasons were given as to why negotiations stopped. Sarandos said that talks broke down because SAG-AFTRA "introduced a levy on subscribers on top of
ther Ther may refer to:
*''Thér.'', taxonomic author abbreviation of Irénée Thériot (1859–1947), French bryologist
*Agroha Mound, archaeological site in Agroha, Hisar district, India
*Therapy
*Therapeutic drugs
See also
*''Ther Thiruvizha
''Th ...
areas" which he said was "a bridge too far." However, SAG-AFTRA accused the AMPTP of using "bully tactics", with SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, stating that the AMPTP "had given us a proposal package. We worked for like 36 hours on it. We brought it back to them. We walked them through it and they left and then called a few hours later and said, 'We're breaking negotiations.'"
Drescher has also said that SAG-AFTRA wants to continue negotiations.
[ Duncan Crabtree-Ireland (SAG-AFTRA) also responded stating that, "the public statement from the CEOs in their press release from the AMPTP characterized our demands as excessive. But really we don't think they are. The numbers they've been using are wildly overstated."
On October 16, SAG-AFTRA announced that it will schedule negotiations regarding a new video game contract.
On October 19, '']Deadline Hollywood
''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, w ...
'' reported that a Zoom
Zoom may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Zoom (software), videoconferencing application
* Page zooming, the ability to magnify or shrink a portion of a page on a computer display
* Zooming user interface, a graphical interface allowing for imag ...
call between Hollywood stars (George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by George Clooney, numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film A ...
, Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Ingrid Johansson (; born November 22, 1984) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2018 and 2019, she has featured multiple times on the ''Forbes'' Celebrity 100 list. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 100 ...
, Kerry Washington
Kerry Marisa Washington (born January 31, 1977) SidebarCertificate of Live Birth: Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha(County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health). Gives Kerry Washington birth dateArchivedfrom the original on May 2, 2016.Note: Fi ...
, Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr., September 13, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of the Madea character, a tough elderly woman. Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmmak ...
, Bradley Cooper
Bradley Charles Cooper (born January 5, 1975) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and two Grammy Awards, in addition to nominations for nine Academy Awards, s ...
, Meryl Streep
Mary Louise Meryl Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Often described as "the best actress of her generation", Streep is particularly known for her versatility and accent adaptability. She has received numerous accolades throu ...
, Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...
, Robert De Niro
Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...
, Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup.
Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
, Laura Dern
Laura Elizabeth Dern (born February 10, 1967) is an American actress. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards.
Born to actor Bruce Dern and ac ...
, Emma Stone
Emily Jean Stone (born November 6, 1988), known professionally as Emma Stone, is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award. In 2017, she ...
, Reese Witherspoon
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, she ...
, Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian-American actor. He is one of the highest-grossing film actors of all time, with a worldwide box-office gross of over billion.
He began his career starring in the Canadian teen ...
, and Ariana DeBose
Ariana DeBose (; born January 25, 1991) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award and a nomination for a Tony Award. In 2022, ...
) and SAG-AFTRA leaders introduced a proposal that "amounts to the town's biggest earners defraying the costs to AMPTP signatories by eliminating the cap on membership dues, to be used to bolster health benefits and other areas that SAG-AFTRA is trying to shore up. The offer would remove the $1 million cap on membership dues," and ultimately would have brought $150 million over three years. While Crabtree-Ireland found the proposal "worthy of review and consideration" as "someone wanting to help is not someone wanting to undermine," Drescher ultimately rejected the offer, saying that it is not feasible. She instead called upon the AMPTP to resume negotiations with SAG-AFTRA.
On October 20, actress and former SAG president Melissa Gilbert dismissed a message from SAG-AFTRA stating that actors should not wear Halloween costume
Halloween costumes are costumes worn on Halloween, a festival which falls on October 31. An early reference to wearing costumes at Halloween comes from Scotland in 1585, but they may pre-date this. There are many references to the custom during ...
s of characters from "struck companies," and said: "THIS is what you guys come up with? Literally no one cares what anyone wears for Halloween ... do you really think this kind of infantile stuff is going to end the strike? ... please tell me you're going to make this rule go away... and go negotiate!... people are suffering mightily... this is the kind of silly bullshit that keeps us on strike."
On October 21, a joint statement announced that negotiations would resume on October 24, 2023. After a full day of negotiations on the 24th, the initial plan of meeting on October 25 was moved to October 26. Negotiations thus resumed on October 26, with Crabtree-Ireland stating that they are "100% focused on making a fair deal at the table ... I am cautiously optimistic that can happen. I don't really want to characterize what's going on in the room but we're really focused on just staying prepared and focused on getting the negotiations done." An individual also speculated to ''The Wrap'' that "studios believe that if they can’t reach a deal in the next week with the Screen Actors Guild, which has been on strike since July 14, then no new production will be able to start before 2024." After the meeting, they announced that negotiations will continue on October 27. Also on October 26, a public letter signed by thousands of high-profile actors was sent to the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee encouraging them to keep fighting for their values rather than cave in to the studios' demands, saying, "As hard as this is, we would rather stay on strike than take a bad deal."
On October 27, 2023, negotiations continued, but no deal was made, and it was announced that talks will continue over the weekend. The four studio CEOs did not attend the meeting, and Lombardini attended in their stead. The meeting on October 28 was conducted virtually between SAG-AFTRA leaders Drescher, Crabtree-Ireland and the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee, with the guild awaiting a response from the studios, and plans to meet again on October 29.
Then, after intermittent communications on October 29, a guild source told ''Deadline Hollywood
''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, w ...
'' that there "is a feeling of optimism... looks like we're in the final stretch." ''Deadline'' also states that "both sides expressed confidence a deal may be reached within days, but as before cautioned the situation is still fluid. From our understanding, SAG-AFTRA and the studios have gained 'significant' traction on bridging their gap over what has been termed as success-based compensation for streaming shows and their casts." Late in the evening SAG-AFTRA stated: "Both parties will be working independently Monday and re-engage on scheduling at the end of the day." The next day, Crabtree-Ireland informed ''Deadline'' that the weekend talks were "productive," and he continues to remain "cautiously optimistic about making progress." Also according to ''Deadline'', he said that SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP are "not just 'dotting I's and crossing T's' just yet... He added that AI is the current focus of talks." Later in the afternoon a "well-positioned individual" told ''Deadline Hollywood'' that "There's still a lot of work to be done."[ Another source told ''Deadline'', "there's a lot of common ground now, and we are building on that... details still have to be determined, but we're heading in the right direction."][ That evening, SAG-AFTRA released a statement saying they would meet again on October 31.
On October 31, talks ended early out of consideration of families celebrating ]Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. ...
, with the intention to meet again on November 1, and with plans to have further meetings later in the week if needed.[
]
November 2023
Meetings continued from November 1 to November 3. On November 4, SAG-AFTRA lead negotiators stated that they "received an offer today from the AMPTP, which they characterized as their 'Last, Best, and Final Offer' ... we are reviewing it and considering our response within the context of the critical issues addressed in our proposals." On November 5, SAG-AFTRA sent a statement to its members saying that the negotiating team had "analyzed and thoroughly discussed the AMPTP's counter proposal all day and well into the night and will continue our deliberations on Monday." On November 6, SAG-AFTRA sent a letter to members that said: "This morning our negotiators formally responded to the AMPTP’s 'Last, Best & Final' offer ... there are several essential items on which we still do not have an agreement, including AI." Later that evening, ''Deadline Hollywood'' reported that the virtual meeting ended late, with plans to continue negotiations. A studio insider told ''Deadline'' that, "this was a productive session, some work still required before there’s a deal."[ On November 7, SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP met again. A "guild source" told ''Deadline Hollywood'' that they "are very close ... not done yet, but very close with strong protection language in place." However, the meeting ended without a deal, and with plans to continue talking on November 8.] In addition, ''Deadline Hollywood'' reported that it "heard from several sources that guild president Fran Drescher was pinged by A-list stars asking about whether a deal was nigh." Also on November 7, Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr., September 13, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of the Madea character, a tough elderly woman. Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmmak ...
gave an interview on ''CBS Mornings
''CBS Mornings'' is an American morning television program which is broadcast on CBS. The program debuted on September 7, 2021, and airs live every weekday from 7:00a.m. to 9:00a.m. It is hosted by Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil, and Nate Burleso ...
.'' While praising the SAG-AFTRA lead negotiators, he also stated that the work stoppage has been "debilitating," and that "it's really important to know when we've won. This is only a three-year deal. In two years, two-and-a-half years, we'll be renegotiating again ... so we have to know what have we won, and what have we won for now? That's the thing. For now. ..If I had ran my business trying to get everything at once, I wouldn't be here. I've got as much as I can for now, so let's see what we can do next."
On November 8, 2023, SAG-AFTRA released a statement to its members that announced the end of the strike: “We are thrilled and proud to tell you that today your TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee voted unanimously to approve a tentative agreement with the AMPTP. As of 12:01am on November 9, our strike is officially suspended and all picket locations are closed." The SAG-AFTRA's National Board committee then approved the agreement by a majority of 86%. The summary of the agreement was published on November 13, 2023. Voting among SAG-AFTRA members began on November 14.
December 2023
Voting concluded on December 5. The deal was approved with 78.33% support, with a 38.15% turnout.
Strike activity and responses
Locations
SAG-AFTRA's strikes in Los Angeles targeted the major film studios as well as offices for companies. Drescher personally joined the strikes outside of Netflix's offices. Josh Gad was among the protestors at Fox Entertainment
Fox Entertainment is an American production company owned by Fox Corporation. The company was formed in 2019 after The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of 21st Century Fox. The programming is created for the Fox Broadcasting Company, MyNetworkT ...
's picket lines. Allison Janney
Allison Brooks Janney (born November 19, 1959) is an American actress. In a career spanning three decades, she is known for her performances across multiple genres of screen and stage. Janney has received various accolades, including an Academ ...
, Kaitlyn Dever
Kaitlyn Rochelle Dever (; born December 21, 1996) is an American actress. She gained recognition for her roles in the FX crime drama television series '' Justified'' (2011–2015), the ABC/Fox sitcom '' Last Man Standing'' (2011–2021), the Ne ...
, Logan Lerman, and Joey King
Joey Lynn King (born July 30, 1999) is an American actress. She first gained recognition for portraying Ramona Quimby in the comedy film ''Ramona and Beezus'' (2010) and has since gained wider recognition for her lead role in ''The Kissing Booth ...
joined protests at Warner Bros., and actresses Constance Zimmer and Ginnifer Goodwin
Jennifer Michelle "Ginnifer" Goodwin (born May 22, 1978) is an American actress. She is known for her starring role as Margene Heffman in the HBO drama series ''Big Love'' (2006–2011) and Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard in the ABC fa ...
took part in picket lines at Paramount's Los Angeles studios. Disney's offices saw picket lines whose notable members included Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her debut single, "Candy", which peaked at number 41 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Her debut studio album, '' So Real'' (1999), recei ...
, Michelle Monaghan
Michelle Lynn Monaghan ( ; born March 23, 1976) is an American actress, best known for her starring roles in '' Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'' (2005), '' Gone Baby Gone'' (2007), '' Made of Honor'' (2008), '' Eagle Eye'' (2008), '' Trucker'' (2008), ''So ...
, Raini and Rico Rodriguez, Danielle Fishel, and Ben Schwartz
Benjamin Schwartz (born September 15, 1981) is an American actor and comedian. He has guest starred as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on the NBC sitcom ''Parks and Recreation'' and Clyde Oberholt on the Showtime series '' House of Lies''; voiced Randy ...
.
SAG-AFTRA's New York picketing action took place at Paramount's New York headquarters at 1515 Broadway and various offices of NBCUniversal, including Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a large complex consisting of 19 commerce, commercial buildings covering between 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street and 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The 14 original Art Deco ...
. Jason Sudeikis joined the NBCUniversal picket lines, stating that actors would strike for "as long as it takes", as did Joe Pantoliano
Joseph Peter Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American character actor who has appeared in over 150 films, television and stage productions.
After his early roles in the television series ''M*A*S*H'' and the 1983 comedy '' Risky Bus ...
, the Naked Cowboy, Alex Edelman, and Sarah Sherman. Meanwhile, at Paramount's headquarters, picket lines included Michael Schur
Michael Herbert Schur (born 1975) is an American television producer, writer, director and actor. He was a producer and writer for the comedy series '' The Office'', and co-created ''Parks and Recreation'' with ''Office'' producer Greg Daniels. ...
and Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. His films include the musical-drama film '' Footloose'' (1984), the controversial historical conspiracy legal thriller ''JFK'' (1991), the legal drama '' A Few Good Men'' (1992), th ...
.
SAG-AFTRA also staged brief strikes at other locations outside of New York and Los Angeles. Branded as "Quick Photo Op" strikes, these took place in Orlando, Honolulu, and Atlanta. The union stated it plans to launch more protests across the country, requesting that SAG-AFTRA members contact their local executives for details.
Media executives' response
Before the end of SAG-AFTRA's negotiations, one anonymous AMPTP executive stated that their current strategy was to "allow things to drag on until union members tartedlosing their apartments and losing their houses" to force SAG-AFTRA into less favorable negotiating positions.
Casey Bloys, CEO of HBO and Max, said the strike "will slow everything down." He predicted the strike would heavily affect HBO's 2024 season.
Bob Iger
Robert Allen Iger (; born February 10, 1951) is an American businessman who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company. He previously served as the President of American Broadcasting Company, ABC Television between 1994 an ...
, the CEO of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Disney Stud ...
, said the actors' demands were "not realistic", adding they were "adding to the set of challenges that this business is already facing". Iger has been criticized for these remarks in light of his contract with Disney, which allows him to earn as much as $27 million in 2023 between his salary and bonuses. ''TheWrap
''TheWrap'' is an American online news website covering the business of entertainment and media via digital, print and live events. It was founded by journalist Sharon Waxman in 2009.
Awards
''TheWrap'' has won awards for its journalism, incl ...
'' wrote Iger makes over 500 times the median salary of Disney employees, while '' Town & Country'' wrote it was actually 1,242 times a Disney employee's median salary. When asked about Iger's remarks, Drescher described them as "repugnant" and "tone deaf." She went on to call Iger a "land baron" who "has no idea about what is really happening". The ''Wall Street Journal'' also called Iger "tone deaf". Actor Bryan Cranston
Bryan Lee Cranston (born March 7, 1956) is an American actor and director who is best known for portraying Walter White in the AMC crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and Hal in the Fox sitcom ''Malcolm in the Middle'' (2000–2 ...
responded to Iger in part: "We will not be having our jobs taken away and given to robots."
Politicians' response
U.S. President Joe Biden, Vermont U.S. senator Bernie Sanders, and Mayor of Los Angeles
The mayor of the City of Los Angeles is the official head and chief executive officer of Los Angeles. The officeholder is elected for a four-year term and is limited to serving no more than two terms. (Under the Constitution of California, all ju ...
Karen Bass
Karen Ruth Bass (; born October 3, 1953) is an American politician, social worker and former physician assistant who is serving as the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles since 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, Bass had previously served in the U.S ...
have voiced their support for the actors' union. Biden had previously supported the writers on strike in May 2023. Some politicians joined the picket lines themselves, including Burbank mayor Konstantine Anthony
Konstantine Anthony (born 1981) is an American politician and former actor, serving as a member of the Burbank, California, Burbank City Council since 2020. He previously served as Mayor of Burbank from 2022 to 2023.
In 2020, Anthony was electe ...
(himself a SAG-AFTRA member) and California U.S. Representative Adam Schiff
Adam Bennett Schiff (born June 22, 1960) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who has served as a U.S. representative since 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, he has represented since 2013.
Schiff's district (numbered as the ...
. U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (; ; born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019, as a member of ...
joined the picket line in front of Netflix studios in New York City. She criticized the wealth of studio executives while the average screenwriter or actor struggles to get access to healthcare, and she emphasized the power of direct action
Direct action originated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which the actors use their power (e.g. economic or physical) to directly reach certain goals of interest, in contrast to those actions that appeal to othe ...
in achieving economic victories.
Both Bass and Governor of California
The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard.
Established in the Constitution of California, t ...
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom (born October 10, 1967) is an American politician and businessman who has been the 40th governor of California since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California fro ...
have offered to help mediate an end to the strikes.
Other unions' response
Numerous other labor unions in the United States expressed support for the strike. Along with the Writers' Guild, statements of support were released by the Directors Guild and Producers Guild. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), also known as the Teamsters Union, is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of The Team Drivers International Union and The Teamsters National Union, the ...
, itself in a contractual dispute with UPS and scheduled to go on strike at the end of July if no deal is reached, expressed support through a statement released by their president, Sean O'Brien. The AFL–CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million ac ...
additionally threw their support behind SAG-AFTRA, as did the Department for Professional Employees, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, known as simply the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE or ...
, and the Writers Guild of America, East
The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) is a labor union representing writers in film, television, radio, news, and online media.
The Writers Guild of America, East is affiliated with the Writers Guild of America West. Together the guilds adm ...
.
Other organizations' response
Two forthcoming film festivals, the Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...
and the Venice International Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
, have acknowledged the potential impact of the strike and its associated ban on promotional appearances by actors if the strike is not resolved by September but have indicated that both events will proceed regardless, with an increase of Canadian, European, Asian, and South American titles in all sections being expected. However, leaders of SAG-AFTRA had been adamant that actors in movies with interim agreements should be at festivals to promote them.
Impacted productions
On October 30, 2023, the ''Hunger Games
''The Hunger Games'' is a series of young adult dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The first three novels are part of a trilogy following teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and the fourth book is a prequel set 6 ...
'' prequel film '' The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes'' was given an interim agreement so that actors could promote the film during the strike.
Lucasfilm Animation Singapore
On August 15, 2023, Lucasfilm announced that it would be shutting down its Singapore operations. Disney explained that the shutdown was due to economic factors, with the SAG-AFTRA strike in the United States affecting the industry's work.
See also
* List of Hollywood strikes
This list of Hollywood strikes names the industrial strikes organized by Hollywood trade unions such as SAG-AFTRA—formerly the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA)—the Writers Guild of A ...
* List of US strikes by size
See also
* List of strikes
* List of striking US workers by year
References
Further reading
* Brenner, Aaron, et al. eds. ''The Encyclopedia of Strikes in American History'' (Routledge, 2009excerpt
{{World topic, prefix=:Labor dispu ...
* 2023 Writers Guild of America strike
* 2016–2017 video game voice actor strike
*
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:SAG-AFTRA strike, 2023
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2023 Hollywood labor disputes
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2020s strikes in the United States
July 2023 events in the United States
August 2023 events in the United States
September 2023 events in the United States
October 2023 events in the United States
November 2023 events in the United States
Controversies in California
Controversies in New York (state)
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