SAG actors’ strike – latest: Kevin Bacon joins picket as studio horror stories go viral

Kevin Bacon is the latest A-list star to join the picket lines in support of SAG-AFTRA’s strike against Hollywood production houses.

Negotiators for the actors union unanimously recommended a strike after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) broke down last week.

Additionally, the Writers Guild of America has been on strike since early May. Both groups demand increases in base pay and residuals in the streaming TV era, plus assurances that their work will not be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI).

Fran Drescher, former star of The Nanny and SAG president, said studios’ responses to the actors’ concerns had been “insulting and disrespectful”.

In light of the historic double strike, several actors and writers, including Matilda child star and romcom staple John Cusack, have shared personal horror stories of Hollywood studio greed.

Meanwhile, Disney CEO Bob Iger condemned the threatened strike action as “very disruptive” at the “worst time” as well as calling the expectations of writers and actors “not realistic”.

Key points

• Hollywood in historic shutdown as actors join writers in strike action

• George Clooney and Jessica Chastain lead A-listers backing historic Hollywood actors strike

• Oppenheimer cast walk out of UK premiere in ‘solidarity’ with actors’ strike

• Bob Iger complains actors’ union is threatening to join writers strike at ‘worst time’

• Blade to Yellowjackets: Every TV show and movie affected by historic Hollywood actors and writers’ strike

Tom Cruis asked SAG-AFTRA to consider permitting continued publicity efforts amid strike

10:20 , Peony Hirwani

Tom Cruise reportedly spoke with reps SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP about issues like film promotion and AI, as well as some specifically concerning stunt professionals.

According to Deadline, the actor pushed SAG-AFTRA to consider allowing member promotion of studio projects during the strike.

A source told the outlet that this discussion wasn’t specifically concerning the 61-year-old actor’s latest film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, but it was instead an acknowledgment of the power promotion has in influencing box office results, which are crucial for the industry post-pandemic.

Should you cancel your streaming subscriptions in solidarity with actors and writers?

08:30 , Peony Hirwani

For those interested in supporting the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike, there are several things you can do.

While it may seem counterintuitive, you should not cancel your streaming subscriptions, actor Dave Wallace tweeted. In fact, he argued that doing the exact opposite “would actually be more supportive”.

What are SAG-AFTRA’s demands?

08:00 , Peony Hirwani

According to their official website, the following are SAG-AFTRA’s demands.

- Performers need minimum earnings to simply keep up with inflation.

- Performers need the protection of our images and performances to prevent the replacement of human performances by artificial intelligence technology.

- Performers need qualified hair and makeup professionals as well as equipment to safely and effectively style a variety of hair textures/styles and skin tones.

- Performers need compensation to reflect the value we bring to the streamers who profit from our labour.

- All performers need support from our employers to keep our health and retirement funds sustainable.

- Principal performers need to be able to work during hiatus and not be held captive by employers.

- Principal performers need to be reimbursed for relocation expenses when they’re employed away from home.

Orange Is the New Black star claims cast members held second jobs due to poor salaries

07:30 , Peony Hirwani

Orange Is the New Black star Kimiko Glenn has opened up about how little the cast was paid amid the Hollywood actors’ strike over poor working conditions.

The 34-year-old joined Netflix’s groundbreaking drama in its second season as inmate Brook Soso, who is thrown into prison for illegal activism.

After appearing in 44 episodes of its nine-season run, Glenn claimed she only made $27.30 (£20) in 2020 from streaming residuals, which the actors’ union, SAG-AFTRA, defines as “additional compensation paid to performers when a production is shown beyond the original use covered by the initial compensation”.

Read more:

Orange Is the New Black star says ‘you would die’ by how poorly cast was paid

Devon Sawa claims he wasn’t ‘paid a cent’ for Final Destination 5 cameo in deleted tweet

07:00 , Peony Hirwani

Devon Sawa has joined the throng of actors sharing horror stories from the industry amid the SAG-AFTRA union strike, which has ground Hollywood to a halt.

Final Destination star Sawa, 44, reportedly took to Twitter on Friday (14 July) to allege that he was never paid for his cameo in Final Destination 5 (2011).

Sawa’s character Alex Browning – the lead in the original 2000 Final Destination film – briefly makes an appearance in the franchise’s fifth instalment using footage from the first film.

Read more:

Final Destination star claims he wasn’t ‘paid a cent’ for cameo role

WATCH: Hollywood in historic shutdown as actors union joins writers strike

06:30 , Inga Parkel

Kevin Bacon joins actors protesting against Hollywood studios

06:00 , Peony Hirwani

Kevin Bacon joined SAG-AFTRA members protesting in front of Paramount Studios’ New York headquarters on Monday (17 July).

“I think AI is a huge issue,” the Footloose star told The Associated Press from the picket line.

Read more:

Kevin Bacon joins picket line to protest for ‘working class’ actors

House of the Dragon hit with backlash for continuing filming despite SAG-AFTRA strike

05:30 , Inga Parkel

House of the Dragon is set to continue filming in the United Kingdom this summer despite the Screen Actors Guild strike – due to local union rules.

The second season of the HBO series is likely to proceed with production as scheduled, Variety reported on Thursday (13 July). The cast of the Game of Thrones prequel is primarily composed of British actors working under Equity contracts, rather than SAG-AFTRA. As a result, Equity members aren’t legally allowed to strike in solidarity with the US union, according to the outlet.

Read more:

House of the Dragon hit with backlash for continuing filming despite SAG-AFTRA strike

UK law prohibits Equity union from legally calling a strike in support of SAG-AFTRA

Tom Cruis asked SAG-AFTRA to consider permitting continued publicity efforts amid strike

05:00 , Peony Hirwani

Tom Cruise reportedly spoke with reps SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP about issues like film promotion and AI, as well as some specifically concerning stunt professionals.

According to Deadline, the actor pushed SAG-AFTRA to consider allowing member promotion of studio projects during the strike.

A source told the outlet that this discussion wasn’t specifically concerning the 61-year-old actor’s latest film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, but it was instead an acknowledgment of the power promotion has in influencing box office results, which are crucial for the industry post-pandemic.

Mark Ruffalo rages against Hollywood ‘fat cats’

04:30 , Inga Parkel

Actor Mark Ruffalo has urged his fellow stars to work with indie producers, following the news that SAG-AFTRA will soon be signing “interim agreements” with truly independent producers that will allow many of them to make projects during the strike, as long as they are not affiliated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

“Then we just do what we always do – create great content and they can buy it, or we take it out ourselves and WE share in those sales,” he tweeted. “They’ve created an empire of billionaires and believe that we are no longer of value. While they hang out in the billionaire boy summer camps laughing like fat cats, we organise a new world for workers.”

George Clooney and Alec Baldwin have voiced strong support for the action

04:00 , Inga Parkel

In a statement shared with the PA news agency, Clooney said: “This is an inflection point in our industry. Actors and writers in large numbers have lost their ability to make a living.

“For our industry to survive that has to change. For actors that journey starts now.”

In a video posted to Instagram, Baldwin congratulated the union for calling the strike in order to protect its “rank and file” members.

“I don’t think anybody really wants a strike but they don’t want to continue under the unfair contracts that we’re working under now,” he said.

“So congratulations to everybody and I hope this is over right after we get everything we want.”

Studio executive predicts ‘fall festivals are f***ed’ amid actors’ strike

03:30 , Inga Parkel

Along with film premieres, Comic-Con, 90s Con and many more promotional events that are expected to be negatively impacted as a result of the actors’ strike, fall film festivals are also “f***ed”, one studio executive put it bluntly.

“You can’t premiere movies anywhere without your stars,” the executive told Variety. “No stars, no movie.”

The Telluride, Toronto and New York film festivals, which are scheduled for this fall, are at risk of being derailed by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, should it last for months.

Colorado’s famed Telluride Film Festival, which is to run from 31 August through 4 September, could potentially remain the least impacted as it doesn’t hold press conferences or step-and-repeats like many others do.

“Telluride will be mostly unaffected,” one studio executive told the outlet. “I can’t say the same for the others.”

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is expected to take place from 7 September through 17 September, followed by the New York Film Festival from 29 September until 15 October.

It’s unknown how long the Hollywood shutdown could last, however, SAG is ready for “the long haul”. So until studios and SAG come to an agreement on a fair contract, this fall might be a risky season for TV and film.

Blade to Yellowjackets: Every TV show and movie affected by historic Hollywood actors and writers’ strike

03:00 , Inga Parkel

Every TV show and movie affected by the Hollywood actors and writers’ strike

Production across the industry is being impacted by the protests

The Office star David Denman gives clear explanation of streaming residuals

02:30 , Inga Parkel

“Streaming residuals” has become a buzzworthy term thanks to the ongoing strike. Now, if you felt like it was too late to ask: What exactly are streaming residuals? Have no fear, The Office’s David Denman has broken it down for you.

“Netflix, they created a model that everyone else followed,” the actor told The Associated Press while on the picket lines in Los Angeles, “which is, we’re going to buy you out. We’re going to pay for your services for a cycle, which would be three months.

“And it doesn’t matter if you watch that show one or you watch it 100 times, you’re not going to get any more money because more people watched it. The only person that makes more money is the person who licensed that to Netflix.”

Offering an example, he continued: “So Universal [Studios] licensed that to Netflix. And when it was the number one show on Netflix, they’re able to make a significant profit off of that, but that doesn’t trickle down to the blue-collar actor like me.”

CBS adjusts fall TV schedule amid Hollywood shutdown

02:00 , Inga Parkel

Now that Hollywood is effectively shut down, leaving networks scrambling to rework their fall 2023 TV schedule, CBS has announced its revised lineup.

The network originally released its fall schedule in May, which included several of its scripted programmes set to return.

However, with the ongoing joint strike of actors and writers, CBS has been forced to adjust to the new landscape by adding a large number of unscripted shows and acquired programming, according to Variety.

This means that the network will import several shows from its broader Paramount universe. So, on Sundays at 9pm, viewers can expect to see Paramount’s original hit series Yellowstone make its broadcast debut on CBS, starting from season one.

All non-members of SAG-AFTRA who hope to someday join, take warning

01:30 , Inga Parkel

While SAG-AFTRA strike guidelines bar its members from posting any promotional material for studios during the strike on social media, there’s an additional caveat for those who hope to gain future membership too.

“Any non-member seeking future membership in SAG-AFTRA who performs covered work or services for a struck company during the strike will not be admitted into membership in SAG-AFTRA,” it explicitly states under the website’s strike Dos and Don’ts.

So for all those social media influencers, who hope to someday join the actors’ guild, refrain from promoting projects made under SAG contracts on social media.

Although, for all those influencers who were already invited to Disney World’s Saturday premiere of Haunted Mansion, it’s understood that their red carpet presence was already cleared.

“If an influencer is already under contract to promote struck work, then the influencer should fulfill their work obligation,” the guidelines add.

Should you cancel your streaming subscriptions in solidarity with actors and writers?

01:00 , Inga Parkel

For those interested in supporting the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike, there are several things you can do.

While it may seem counterintuitive, you should not cancel your streaming subscriptions, actor Dave Wallace tweeted. In fact, he argued that doing the exact opposite “would actually be more supportive”.

Meanwhile, Neil Gaiman addressed a fan on Tumblr who asked if going to see Barbie in theatres would be “crossing the picket line” and whether they should “wait until the strike has been resolved”.

“No, it’s not crossing a picket line to go and see anything,” the Good Omens author responded. “Continuing to go see your movies, watch your shows, streaming your favourites is one of the best ways to support the WGA and SAG-AFTRA right now.”

He explained that consuming content “helps immensely to show the studios the value of the work that writers and actors do”.

“If you don’t go, it hurts writers and actors,” Gaiman said. “Studios can say, ‘Well, actually Barbie only made $X dollars, Oppenheimer only made $Y dollars, only so many thousands of people watched Good Omens 2, obviously there isn’t enough money to go around.

“See the stuff you want to see with reckless abandon,” he encouraged.

Brian Cox says actors’ strike could last until the end of the year

Tuesday 18 July 2023 00:30 , Inga Parkel

In an interview on Friday (15 July) with Sky News, the 77-year-old British actor said the strike “could get very, very unpleasant” and “could go on for quite some time”. He said: “They’ll take us to the brink and we’ll probably have to go to the brink.”

Cox also addressed actors’ concerns about the use of AI in film and television production, such as using artificial intelligence to write scripts or generate actors’ likenesses without consent. “We don’t know the extent to which it can operate,” he said. “It’s the boogeyman, it really is the boogeyman.”

Will the Emmys be affected by the strike?

Tuesday 18 July 2023 00:00 , Inga Parkel

Last week, the nominations for the 2023 Emmys were announced, with Succession and The Last of Us leading the pack.

Typically, the awards ceremony is held in September and broadcast live, but there could be a delay this year because the strike’s rules bar members from participating in various promotional events, most notably awards shows.

A final decision is expected to be made by the end of July.

Read the full list of nominees here.

Succession makes Emmy history as full list of award nominations announced

HBO’s ‘The White Lotus’ also picked up a large amount of nominations

Will the actors’ strike affect Broadway?

Monday 17 July 2023 23:30 , Inga Parkel

While the total membership comprises more than 160,000 people, only the 65,000 performers in TV and film productions are currently participating in the strike.

Read more:

What the actors’ strike means for Broadway shows

Screen Actors Guild announced industrial action to coincide with writers’ strike

Ronald Reagan led actors in Hollywood’s first double strike 63 years ago

Monday 17 July 2023 23:00 , Inga Parkel

While the ongoing double strike, which has effectively shut down Hollywood, is a historic event, it’s not the first of its kind.

In 1960, the industry experienced its first joint walkout between the actors’ guild (SAG-AFTRA) and the screenwriters union (Writers Guild of America).

The strike was led by Ronald Reagan, who was the SAG president at the time, years before his US presidency.

The WGA first went on strike, beginning on 16 January 1960, before SAG-AFTRA began their own strike on 7 March 1960. While the latter ended picketing on 18 April 1960, the former strike lasted until 12 June 1960.

Haunted Mansion premiere goes ahead... with no stars

Monday 17 July 2023 22:30 , Inga Parkel

The Disney movie’s world premiere on Saturday (15 July), starring Tiffany Haddish and Jamie Lee Curtis, is the first major Hollywood event to go ahead without any actors present.

“I feel very ambivalent about it, but at the same time, I’m just so proud of this cast and I’m so, so proud of Katie Dippold who wrote the script, and so much of why I did this was to honour her words and to honour their work,” director Justin Simien told The Hollywood Reporter on the carpet.

“If they can’t be here to speak for it, I felt like I had to be here to speak for it. It’s sad that they’re not here, at the same time, I totally support the reason why they’re not here. And I’m happy to be the one to ring the bell in their stead.”

Kevin Bacon joins ‘working class’ actors protesting against Hollywood studios

Monday 17 July 2023 22:00 , Inga Parkel

Kevin Bacon joined SAG-AFTRA members protesting in front of Paramount Studios’ New York headquarters on Monday (17 July).

Bacon, 65, is among the latest A-listers to voice their support for the actors’ union strike, which was initiated last Friday (14 July) over fair wages and other concerns.

Read more:

‘I’m here for the working class’: Kevin Bacon joins actors protesting against Hollywood studios

‘I think AI is a huge issue,’ A-lister said from SAG-AFTRA picket line in New York

Mandy Moore shares photos from front lines of strike

Monday 17 July 2023 21:45 , Inga Parkel

Mandy Moore has joined her “fellow SAG-AFTRA and WGA members” to “demand a fair contract”.

Matilda child star and John Cusack share horror stories on Hollywood studio greed in support of SAG strike

Monday 17 July 2023 21:30 , Inga Parkel

In light of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ (SAG-AFTRA) historic move to join its fellow union, the Writers Guild of America (WGA), in striking against studios and streamers, actors and writers have shared horror stories that highlight the very corporate greed that the combined unions’ are fighting against.

Read more:

Matilda child star and John Cusack share horror stories on Hollywood studio greed in support of SAG strike

Actors’ union and screenwriters’ union have banded together in the fight for fair wages and higher streaming residuals

Kevin Bacon joins New York City picketers in fight for basic wages

Monday 17 July 2023 20:45 , Inga Parkel

On Monday (17 July), actor Kevin Bacon joined picket lines in New York City to protest against streamers and studios.

Speaking to AP Entertainment about who he’s fighting for, the Footloose star, 65, pointed to AI as a “huge issue” and added that “all of these things”, including basic wage, “are things that I personally can negotiate for, but I’m here for the working class, middle class part of our union, who needs these basic provisions in their basic contract”.

Devon Sawa claims he wasn’t ‘paid a cent’ for Final Destination 5 cameo in deleted tweet

Monday 17 July 2023 20:30 , Inga Parkel

Devon Sawa has joined the throng of actors sharing horror stories from the industry amid the SAG-AFTRA union strike, which has ground Hollywood to a halt.

Final Destination star Sawa, 44, reportedly took to Twitter on Friday (14 July) to allege that he was never paid for his cameo in Final Destination 5 (2011).

Sawa’s character Alex Browning – the lead in the original 2000 Final Destination film – briefly makes an appearance in the franchise’s fifth instalment using footage from the first film.

Read more:

Devon Sawa claims he wasn’t ‘paid a cent’ for Final Destination 5 cameo in deleted tweet

‘Final Destination’ lead also claimed he wasn’t told he was in the movie despite being invited to the premiere

Who has been on the picket line?

Monday 17 July 2023 20:00 , Inga Parkel

Among the stars seen holding banners have been Thelma & Louise actor Susan Sarandon and Jason Sudeikis, star and creator of comedy Ted Lasso.

Allison Janney, Timothy Olyphant, Josh Gad, Ben Schwartz, Sean Astin, Charlie Barnett, Joey King, Chloe Fineman, Ginnifer Goodwin, Patton Oswalt, Marg Helgenberger, Jake McDorman, Constance Zimmer and Michelle Hurd have also all been spotted showing solidarity in LA and New York.

Parks and Recreation co-creator Mike Schur told Deadline: “Now a thousand very attractive people have shown up and joined the lines, it’s an enormous amount of wind in our sails.”

Margot Robbie says she is ‘absolutely’ prepared to join actors’ strike

Monday 17 July 2023 19:30 , Inga Parkel

Orange Is the New Black star claims cast members held second jobs due to poor salaries

Monday 17 July 2023 19:00 , Inga Parkel

Orange Is the New Black star Kimiko Glenn has opened up about how little the cast was paid amid the Hollywood actors’ strike over poor working conditions.

The 34-year-old joined Netflix’s groundbreaking drama in its second season as inmate Brook Soso, who is thrown into prison for illegal activism.

After appearing in 44 episodes of its nine-season run, Glenn claimed she only made $27.30 (£20) in 2020 from streaming residuals

Read more:

Orange Is the New Black star claims cast members held second jobs due to poor salaries

Kimiko Glenn, who starred as Brook Soso on Netflix’s groundbreaking series, said, ‘We couldn’t afford cabs to set’

Former Paramount CEO Barry Diller says strikes could lead to Hollywood's 'absolute collapse' if not resolved soon

Monday 17 July 2023 18:30 , Inga Parkel

Former Paramount and 20th Century Fox CEO Barry Diller warned that the industry could face an “absolute collapse” if the Writers’ and Screen Actors Guild joint strike extends into the fall.

“What will happen is, if in fact, it doesn’t get settled until Christmas or so, then next year, there’s not going to be many programs for anybody to watch. So, you’re gonna see subscriptions get pulled, which is going to reduce the revenue of all these movie companies, television companies, the result of which is that there will be no programs,” Diller said on CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday (16 July).

“And at just the time, [the] strike is settled that you want to get back up, there won’t be enough money.”

Diller said he believes a settlement deadline of 1 September should be agreed upon by everybody to prevent “devastating” effects on the entertainment industry.

“I think there should be a settlement deadline because… this actually will have devastating effects if it is not settled soon,” he said “This is a huge business, both domestically and for world exporters.”

Diller added: “It sounds like I’m crying to the skies but these conditions will potentially produce an absolute collapse of an entire industry.”

Christopher Nolan gives warning about AI

Monday 17 July 2023 18:00 , Inga Parkel

At a special screening of his film Oppenheimer, director Christopher Nolan compared the rapid development of AI technology (a key issue in the labour dispute) with the events in his movie about the creation of the atomic bomb.

One of the reasons actors are striking is because of fears around AI replacing them and using their likenesses in perpetuity.

“The rise of companies in the last 15 years bandying words like algorithm – not knowing what they mean in any kind of meaningful, mathematical sense – these guys don’t know what an algorithm is,” Nolan said. “People in my business talking about it, they just don’t want to take responsibility for whatever that algorithm does.

“Applied to AI, that’s a terrifying possibility. Terrifying. Not least because, AI systems will go into defensive infrastructure ultimately. They’ll be in charge of nuclear weapons. To say that that is a separate entity from the person wielding, programming, putting that AI to use, then we’re doomed. It has to be about accountability. We have to hold people accountable for what they do with the tools that they have.”

He added: “With the labour disputes going on in Hollywood right now, a lot of it – when we talk about AI, when we talk about these issues – they’re all ultimately born from the same thing, which is when you innovate with technology, you have to maintain accountability.”

Most actors are broke – this strike should kill the ‘champagne socialist’ myth dead

Monday 17 July 2023 17:33 , Inga Parkel

Most actors are broke – this strike should kill the ‘champagne socialist’ myth dead

When big names walked out of the ‘Oppenheimer’ premiere this week, it signalled the start of historic industrial action in Hollywood. The persistent assumption that acting pays is finally beginning to look less viable, writes Claire Allfree

What does AI have to do with the writers' and actors’ strike?

Monday 17 July 2023 16:30 , Inga Parkel

While the demand for fair wages and higher streaming residuals remain at the forefront of the actors’ and writers’ strike, protections against artificial intelligence (AI) are also among the chief demands. But what exactly are they worried about?

Read more:

What striking writers and actors fear about tech replacing role

Concerns emerge over AI proposal that could allow studios to use scans of actors in perpetuity

How will the double strikes affect Hollywood?

Monday 17 July 2023 16:00 , Inga Parkel

The writer’s strike had already kneecapped the entertainment industry, taking late night talk shows off air and making awards shows virtual or unscripted.

With the added weight of tens of thousands of actors, Hollywood is effectively in limbo until an agreement with production companies can be reached.

Read more:

What does the writers’ and actors’ strike mean for Hollywood?

SAG-AFTRA announcement means both actors and screenwriters are on strike simultaneously for the first time since 1960

Watch: Hollywood in historic shutdown as actors union joins writers strike

Monday 17 July 2023 13:30 , Peony Hirwani

Former Paramount CEO Barry Diller says strikes could lead to Hollywood’s ‘absolute collapse’ if not resolved soon

Monday 17 July 2023 12:50 , Peony Hirwani

Former Paramount and 20th Century Fox CEO Barry Diller warned that the industry could face an “absolute collapse” if the Writers’ and Screen Actors Guild joint strike extends into the fall.

“What will happen is, if in fact, it doesn’t get settled until Christmas or so, then next year, there’s not going to be many programs for anybody to watch. So, you’re gonna see subscriptions get pulled, which is going to reduce the revenue of all these movie companies, television companies, the result of which is that there will be no programs,” Diller said on CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday (16 July).

“And at just the time, [the] strike is settled that you want to get back up, there won’t be enough money.”

Diller said he believes a settlement deadline of 1 September should be agreed upon by everybody to prevent “devastating” effects on the entertainment industry.

“I think there should be a settlement deadline because… this actually will have devastating effects if it is not settled soon,” he said “This is a huge business, both domestically and for world exporters.”

Diller added: “It sounds like I’m crying to the skies but these conditions will potentially produce an absolute collapse of an entire industry.”

George Clooney and Alec Baldwin have voiced strong support for the action

Monday 17 July 2023 12:00 , Peony Hirwani

In a statement shared with the PA news agency, Clooney said: “This is an inflection point in our industry. Actors and writers in large numbers have lost their ability to make a living.

“For our industry to survive that has to change. For actors that journey starts now.”

In a video posted to Instagram, Baldwin congratulated the union for calling the strike in order to protect its “rank and file” members.

“I don’t think anybody really wants a strike but they don’t want to continue under the unfair contracts that we’re working under now,” he said.

“So congratulations to everybody and I hope this is over right after we get everything we want.”

Will the Emmys be affected by the strike?

Monday 17 July 2023 11:20 , Peony Hirwani

Earlier this week, the nominations for the 2023 Emmys were announced, with Succession and The Last of Us leading the pack.

Typically, the awards ceremony is held in September and broadcast live, but there could be a delay this year because the strike’s rules bar members from participating in various promotional events, most notably awards shows.

A final decision is expected to be made by the end of July.

Read the full list of nominees here.

Succession makes Emmy history as full list of award nominations announced

Disney’s Haunted Mansion movie cast skips premiere amid strike

Monday 17 July 2023 10:30 , Peony Hirwani

None of the movie stars showed up at Disney’s Haunted Mansion premiere held at Disneyland on Saturday night (15 July).

The big names who were notably missing were Lakeith Stanfield, Danny DeVito, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, Winona Ryder, and Rosario Dawson.

The one person who did show up was the film’s director Justin Simien.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Simien said: “I feel very ambivalent about it, but at the same time, I’m just so proud of this cast and I’m so, so proud of Katie Dippold who wrote the script, and so much of why I did this was to honor her words and to honor their work

He added: “If they can’t be here to speak for it, I felt like I had to be here to speak for it. It’s sad that they’re not here, at the same time, I totally support the reason why they’re not here. And I’m happy to be the one to ring the bell in their stead.”

Simien also noted that he finds the AI issues coming up in SAG-AFTRA’s negotiations to be “a very important thing to hammer home and to figure out.”

Ron Perlman issues clarity after sharing ‘heated’ message aimed at studio executives amid strike

Monday 17 July 2023 10:00 , Peony Hirwani

Ron Perlman has issued clarity after sharing a “heated” message towards an unnamed studio executive.

On Friday (14 July), the 73-year-old actor addressed an anonymous studio executive who told Deadline last week that the AMPTP’s endgame – amid the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) strikes – “is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses.”

Speaking on an Instagram Live video that day, Perlman said: “Listen to me, motherf***ker. There’s a lot of ways to lose your house. Some of it is financial, some of it is karma, and some of it is just figuring out who the f*** said that – and we know who said that – and where he f***ing lives. … You wish that families would starve while you’re making 27 f***ing million dollars a year for creating nothing? Be careful, motherf***er. Be really careful.”

In a follow-up Instagram video, Perlman admitted that he “got quite heated” in his first message. He also clarified that he doesn’t “wish anybody any harm.”

“But when you start going around and saying we’re not even going to bargain with these f***ing d***heads until they start f***ing bleeding and their families start bleeding…” he added. “I mean, if you want to talk about some of the s*** that makes people so cynical and so pissed off with our current climate…

“I mean, this strike is just sort of… it’s a symptom of a struggle that’s way bigger than the strike itself. It’s a symptom of the soullessness of corporate America and how everything has become corporatised in this country.”

Studio executive predicts ‘fall festivals are f***ed’ amid actors’ strike

Monday 17 July 2023 09:30 , Peony Hirwani

Along with film premieres, Comic-Con, 90s Con and many more promotional events that are expected to be negatively impacted as a result of the actors’ strike, fall film festivals are also “f***ed”, one studio executive put it bluntly.

“You can’t premiere movies anywhere without your stars,” the executive told Variety. “No stars, no movie.”

The Telluride, Toronto and New York film festivals, which are scheduled for this fall, are at risk of being derailed by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, should it last for months.

Colorado’s famed Telluride Film Festival, which is to run from 31 August through 4 September, could potentially remain the least impacted as it doesn’t hold press conferences or step-and-repeats like many others do.

“Telluride will be mostly unaffected,” one studio executive told the outlet. “I can’t say the same for the others.”

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is expected to take place from 7 September through 17 September, followed by the New York Film Festival from 29 September until 15 October.

It’s unknown how long the Hollywood shutdown could last, however, SAG is ready for “the long haul”. So until studios and SAG come to an agreement on a fair contract, this fall might be a risky season for TV and film.

Dune prequel to continue filming during actors’ strike

Monday 17 July 2023 09:00 , Peony Hirwani

The HBO show, titled Dune: The Sisterhood and starring Olivia Williams and Emily Watson, will resume production in Budapest and continue throughout the strikes.

It is under contract with British Equity but there are some from SAG-AFTRA involved. While SAG members working on Equity productions can choose to strike, the UK’s anti-strike laws mean studios could sue.

Blade to Yellowjackets: Every TV show and movie affected by historic Hollywood actors and writers’ strike

Monday 17 July 2023 08:30 , Peony Hirwani

Every TV show and movie affected by the Hollywood actors and writers’ strike

Why Hollywood writers and actors are going on strike

Monday 17 July 2023 08:00 , Peony Hirwani

Why Hollywood writers and actors are going on strike

Comment: Most actors are broke – this strike should kill the ‘champagne socialist’ myth dead

Monday 17 July 2023 07:30 , Peony Hirwani

When big names walked out of the ‘Oppenheimer’ premiere this week, it signalled the start of historic industrial action in Hollywood. The persistent assumption that acting pays is finally beginning to look less viable, writes Claire Allfree.

Most actors are broke – this strike should kill the ‘champagne socialist’ myth dead

Christopher Nolan gives warning about AI

Monday 17 July 2023 07:00 , Peony Hirwani

At a special screening of his film Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan compared the rapid development of AI technology (a key issue in the labour dispute) with the events in his movie about creation of the atomic bomb.

One of the reasons actors are striking is because of fears around AI replacing them and using their likenesses in perpetuity.

“The rise of companies in the last 15 years bandying words like algorithm – not knowing what they mean in any kind of meaningful, mathematical sense – these guys don’t know what an algorithm is,” Nolan said. “People in my business talking about it, they just don’t want to take responsibility for whatever that algorithm does.”

“Applied to AI, that’s a terrifying possibility. Terrifying. Not least because, AI systems will go into defensive infrastructure ultimately. They’ll be in charge of nuclear weapons. To say that that is a separate entity from the person wielding, programming, putting that AI to use, then we’re doomed. It has to be about accountability. We have to hold people accountable for what they do with the tools that they have.”

He added: “With the labour disputes going on in Hollywood right now, a lot of it – when we talk about AI, when we talk about these issues – they’re all ultimately born from the same thing, which is when you innovate with technology, you have to maintain accountability.”

Director Simone Holland reveals the ‘hardest part about watching the strike’

Monday 17 July 2023 06:30 , Peony Hirwani

Director Simone Holland has opened up about the “hardest part about watching the strike”.

“The hardest part about watching the strike is seeing all of the black writers and filmmakers that have sacrificed everything, who get lower rates/deals over-all, who’s content is usually the first to go; deal with glass cliff cycles consistently,” she wrote on Twitter on Sunday (16 July).

Former Paramount CEO Barry Diller says strikes could lead to Hollywood's 'absolute collapse' if not resolved soon

Monday 17 July 2023 05:30 , Peony Hirwani

Former Paramount and 20th Century Fox CEO Barry Diller warned that the industry could face an “absolute collapse” if the Writers’ and Screen Actors Guild joint strike extends into the fall.

“What will happen is, if in fact, it doesn’t get settled until Christmas or so, then next year, there’s not going to be many programs for anybody to watch. So, you’re gonna see subscriptions get pulled, which is going to reduce the revenue of all these movie companies, television companies, the result of which is that there will be no programs,” Diller said on CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday (16 July).

“And at just the time, [the] strike is settled that you want to get back up, there won’t be enough money.”

Diller said he believes a settlement deadline of 1 September should be agreed upon by everybody to prevent “devastating” effects on the entertainment industry.

“I think there should be a settlement deadline because… this actually will have devastating effects if it is not settled soon,” he said “This is a huge business, both domestically and for world exporters.”

Diller added: “It sounds like I’m crying to the skies but these conditions will potentially produce an absolute collapse of an entire industry.”

Every project affected by the strike

Sunday 16 July 2023 19:06 , Ellie Harrison

The list of TV and movies impacted by the strike, from Gladiator 2 to Yellowjackets, is ever-growing.

Read the full story here...

Every TV show and movie affected by the Hollywood actors and writers’ strike

Matilda child star Mara Wilson and John Cusack share horror stories on Hollywood studio greed

Sunday 16 July 2023 17:05 , Ellie Harrison

Actors have been sharing stories of low income from hugely successful shows and films...

“Thanks to streaming, I have never once made enough to qualify for SAG-AFTRA healthcare,” Wilson tweeted.

While she acknowledged she hasn’t “acted much as an adult”, the star argued: “But I WAS a recurring character on one of the most critically acclaimed animated shows of all time, as well playing an actual Disney villain.”

John Cusack and child star share stories on studio greed amid SAG strike

Dune prequel to continue filming during actors’ strike

Sunday 16 July 2023 15:58 , Ellie Harrison

The HBO show, titled Dune: The Sisterhood and starring Olivia Williams and Emily Watson, will resume production in Budapest and continue throughout the strikes.

It is under contract with British Equity but there are some from SAG-AFTRA involved. While SAG members working on Equity productions can choose to strike, the UK’s anti-strike laws mean studios could sue.

Brian Cox says actors’ strike could get ‘very unpleasant'

Sunday 16 July 2023 15:00 , Ellie Harrison

In an interview on Friday (15 July) with Sky News, the 77-year-old British actor said the strike “could get very, very unpleasant” and “could go on for quite some time”. He said: “They’ll take us to the brink and we’ll probably have to go to the brink.”

Cox also addressed actors’ concerns about the use of AI in film and television production, such as using artificial intelligence to write scripts or generate actors’ likenesses without consent. “We don’t know the extent to which it can operate,” he said. “It’s the boogeyman, it really is the boogeyman.”

Who has been on the picket line?

Sunday 16 July 2023 13:45 , Ellie Harrison

Among the stars seen holding banners have been Thelma & Louise actor Susan Sarandon and Jason Sudeikis, star and creator of comedy Ted Lasso.

Allison Janney, Timothy Olyphant, Josh Gad, Ben Schwartz, Sean Astin, Charlie Barnett, Joey King, Chloe Fineman, Ginnifer Goodwin, Patton Oswalt, Marg Helgenberger, Jake McDorman, Constance Zimmer and Michelle Hurd have also all been spotted showing solidarity in LA and New York.

Parks and Recreation co-creator Mike Schur told Deadline: “Now a thousand very attractive people have shown up and joined the lines, it’s an enormous amount of wind in our sails.”

Mark Ruffalo rages against Hollywood ‘fat cats'

Sunday 16 July 2023 11:28 , Ellie Harrison

Actor Mark Ruffalo has urged his fellow stars to work with indie producers, following the news that SAG-AFTRA will soon be signing “interim agreements” with truly independent producers that will allow many of them to make projects during the strike, as long as they are not affiliated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

“Then we just do what we always do – create great content and they can buy it, or we take it out ourselves and WE share in those sales,” he tweeted. “They’ve created an empire of billionaires and believe that we are no longer of value. While they hang out in the billionaire boy summer camps laughing like fat cats, we organise a new world for workers.”

Christopher Nolan gives warning about AI

Sunday 16 July 2023 09:45 , Ellie Harrison

At a special screening of his film Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan compared the rapid development of AI technology (a key issue in the labour dispute) with the events in his movie about creation of the atomic bomb.

One of the reasons actors are striking is because of fears around AI replacing them and using their likenesses in perpetuity.

“The rise of companies in the last 15 years bandying words like algorithm – not knowing what they mean in any kind of meaningful, mathematical sense – these guys don’t know what an algorithm is,” Nolan said. “People in my business talking about it, they just don’t want to take responsibility for whatever that algorithm does.”

“Applied to AI, that’s a terrifying possibility. Terrifying. Not least because, AI systems will go into defensive infrastructure ultimately. They’ll be in charge of nuclear weapons. To say that that is a separate entity from the person wielding, programming, putting that AI to use, then we’re doomed. It has to be about accountability. We have to hold people accountable for what they do with the tools that they have.”

He added: “With the labour disputes going on in Hollywood right now, a lot of it – when we talk about AI, when we talk about these issues – they’re all ultimately born from the same thing, which is when you innovate with technology, you have to maintain accountability.”

Haunted Mansion premiere goes ahead... with no stars

Sunday 16 July 2023 08:45 , Ellie Harrison

The Disney movie’s world premiere on Saturday (15 July), starring Tiffany Haddish and Jamie Lee Curtis, is the first major Hollywood event to go ahead without any actors present.

“I feel very ambivalent about it, but at the same time, I’m just so proud of this cast and I’m so, so proud of Katie Dippold who wrote the script, and so much of why I did this was to honour her words and to honour their work,” director Justin Simien told The Hollywood Reporter on the carpet.

“If they can’t be here to speak for it, I felt like I had to be here to speak for it. It’s sad that they’re not here, at the same time, I totally support the reason why they’re not here. And I’m happy to be the one to ring the bell in their stead.”