SAG strike news: Universal Studios accused of pruning trees to remove shade for picketing actors and writers

Universal Studios has been accused of trimming the trees that lined its studio lot and provided shade for striking actors and writers.

On Monday (17 July), following the first weekend of the historic Hollywood shutdown, comic Chris Stephens tweeted a photo showing the bare trees.

“Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave our picket line shade right before a 90+ degree week,” Stephens wrote.

SAG-AFTRA negotiators unanimously recommended a strike after talks with the 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 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 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

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

Monday 17 July 2023 19:30 , Inga Parkel

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.”

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

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”.

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

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”.

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

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.”

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.

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

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

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.”

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.

CBS adjusts fall TV schedule amid Hollywood shutdown

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.

The Office star David Denman gives clear explanation of streaming residuals

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.”

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.”

Mark Ruffalo rages against Hollywood ‘fat cats’

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.”

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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

Kevin Bacon joins actors protesting against Hollywood studios

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 06:30 , Inga Parkel

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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

What are SAG-AFTRA’s demands?

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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”.

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 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.

Mark Ruffalo rages against Hollywood ‘fat cats’

Tuesday 18 July 2023 11:00 , Peony Hirwani

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 11:45 , 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.”

Tom Cruise tried to make a change last month

Tuesday 18 July 2023 11:58 , Jacob Stolworthy

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tom Cruise urge the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to support the guild’s position on stunt performers. He was unsuccessful.

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 12:15 , Peony Hirwani

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.

Disney’s Haunted Mansion movie cast skips premiere amid strike

Tuesday 18 July 2023 12:55 , 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.”

Will the actors’ strike affect Broadway?

Tuesday 18 July 2023 13:55 , Peony Hirwani

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

Kevin Bacon joins actors protesting against Hollywood studios

Tuesday 18 July 2023 14:30 , 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

Tom Cruise tried to make a change last month

Tuesday 18 July 2023 15:40 , Inga Parkel

ICYMI: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tom Cruise urge the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to support the guild’s position on stunt performers and artificial intelligence (AI). He was unsuccessful.

Why are actors striking?

Tuesday 18 July 2023 16:00 , Inga Parkel

Basically, it comes down to what most strikes are about: fair wages.

But to get more specific, here is a list of demands from SAG-AFTRA’s website:

- 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.

Actors and writers share horror stories of studio greed

Tuesday 18 July 2023 16:30 , Inga Parkel

To put “fair wages” into perspective, I’ll reshare some of the horror stories from actors and writers who’ve experienced firsthand the negative consequences of unfair wages.

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’

Kevin Bacon posts video from front lines of NYC picket

Tuesday 18 July 2023 16:45 , Inga Parkel

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 17:00 , 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:

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

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 17:30 , Inga Parkel

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

The Office star David Denman gives clear explanation of streaming residuals

Tuesday 18 July 2023 18:00 , 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.”

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

Tuesday 18 July 2023 18:30 , 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.”

Retired actor Russ Tamblyn tells picketers not to ‘sell out like Ronald Reagan did'

Tuesday 18 July 2023 18:45 , Inga Parkel

Retired actor Russ Tamblyn, best known for his role in the 1961 movie musical West Side Story, has offered actors and writers currently striking some advice from his early days on the picket line.

“Stay in there and keep striking,” he told People in a new interview. “And don’t sell out like Ronald Reagan did.”

The 88-year-old actor, who’s been a “proud member of the Screen Actors Guild since 1949”, was a part of the monumental Hollywood shutdown of 1960.

The SAG-AFTRA strike, which began in March 1960, led by Ronald Reagan, who was the union president years before his US presidency, came to an end five weeks later after the union struck a deal with studios.

Studios agreed to actors earning residual payments for films produced in 1960 and after, but for projects they had worked on before 1948, they would earn zero residuals.

“I was pretty upset when I found out that Reagan gave away the residuals for actors that worked in the 1940s and the 1950s,” Russ said. “Because I did most of my films, most of them in the 1950s.

“So that really cut me out of the loop, and I thought it was pretty crappy,” he added.

Bob Odenkirk shares message of encouragement for strikers

Tuesday 18 July 2023 19:00 , Inga Parkel

When will the actors’ strike end?

Tuesday 18 July 2023 19:30 , Inga Parkel

Following the Screen Actors Guild’s (SAG-AFTRA) recent decision to join the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in the strike against studios – which has effectively shut down Hollywood – there’s been a significant question looming overhead: How long will this last?

Read more:

When will the actors’ strike end?

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said actors’ union is ‘looking for the long haul’

Equity stands in ‘total solidarity’ with sister union SAG-AFTRA

Tuesday 18 July 2023 20:00 , Inga Parkel

In response to SAG-AFTRA’s calls for a strike, after negotiations with AMPTP over fair wages and higher residual payments fell apart, its sister union Equity, which represents performing arts and entertainment industries in the United Kingdom, shared a statement in solidarity.

“Equity stands full square behind our sister union in their claim, and the action their Board have agreed to take. Equity too is experiencing bullish engagers attempting to undermine its collectively bargained agreements. SAG-AFTRA has our total solidarity in this fight,” General Secretary of Equity, Paul W Fleming said in a statement.

California Representative Adam Schiff joins LA picketers

Tuesday 18 July 2023 20:30 , Inga Parkel

California’s US House of Representative Adam Schiff joined Los Angeles picketers on Monday (17 July) in the fight for “workers”, who he argues “ought to share in the nation’s prosperity”.

Universal Studios gets heat for allegedly trimming trees that gave SAG strikers shade in 90 degree weather

Tuesday 18 July 2023 22:42 , Inga Parkel

Universal Studios has received backlash for allegedly pruning the trees that shaded striking actors and writers, protecting them from California’s high temperatures.

Read more:

Universal Studios gets heat for allegedly trimming trees that gave SAG strikers shade in 90-degree weather

Los Angeles picketers are scattered between several studio lots

Every TV show and movie affected by historic Hollywood shutdown

Tuesday 18 July 2023 23:00 , Inga Parkel

Following the historic Hollywood shutdown brought on by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) joining the Writers Guild of America (WGA) to strike against streamers and studios, the list of TV and movies impacted has grown.

Find out which projects have been impacted here.

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

Production across the industry is being impacted by the protests

Mark Ruffalo rages against Hollywood ‘fat cats’

Tuesday 18 July 2023 23:30 , 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.”

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

Wednesday 19 July 2023 00:00 , 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.

What can you do to support the strike efforts?

Wednesday 19 July 2023 00:30 , 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

01:00 , 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?

01:30 , 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

02:00 , Inga Parkel

Will the actors’ strike affect Broadway?

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

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

02:30 , 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.

The Office star David Denman gives clear explanation of streaming residuals

03:00 , 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.”

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

03:30 , 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.

When will the actors’ strike end?

04:00 , Inga Parkel

Following the Screen Actors Guild’s (SAG-AFTRA) recent decision to join the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in the strike against studios – which has effectively shut down Hollywood – there’s been a significant question looming overhead: How long will this last?

Read more:

When will the actors’ strike end?

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said actors’ union is ‘looking for the long haul’

These movie and TV stars are sharing ‘appalling’ pay stories to explain the historic Hollywood strike

10:10 , Peony Hirwani

As actors and screenwriters join in the fight for fair wages and higher streaming residuals, Inga Parkel reports on the stars sharing stories that speak to the importance of the strike.

Hollywood stars are sharing ‘appalling’ pay stories to explain historic strike

This isn't the first time Hollywood's been on strike. Here's how past strikes turned out

10:45 , Peony Hirwani

This isn't the first time Hollywood's been on strike. Here's how past strikes turned out

SAG-AFTRA approves 39 Indie projects to shoot during strike

11:15 , Peony Hirwani

SAG-AFTRA has granted approval to 39 independent productions to shoot during the strike, after confirming that they are not tied to AMPTP companies.

The list includes two projects from A24, the independent production company: Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, and Death of a Unicorn, starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, which is set to begin shooting soon in Hungary.

The projects also include The Rivals of Amziah King, starring Matthew McConaughey, Flight Risk, starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Mel Gibson, Dust Bunny starring Mads Mikkelsen and Sigourney Weaver, Bride Hard with Rebel Wilson, and The Chosen, a TV series about the life of Jesus.

Bob Odenkirk shares message of encouragement for strikers

11:45 , Peony Hirwani

An LA food bank is feeding striking writers and actors for free

12:15 , Peony Hirwani

An LA-based food bank named World Harvest is reportedly offering free groceries to striking SAG-AFTRA and WGA members.

The owner of the food bank Glen Curado described the initiative as “all you can eat”, adding that WGA and SAG-AFTRA members who present their membership card to the World Harvest Food Bank get the green light to fill a grocery cart with whatever is on the shelves.

Curado began offering union members free groceries on Saturday last week, the day after SAG-AFTRA officially joined the WGA on the picket lines in the first double strike to hit Hollywood in 63 years.

WATCH: The moment SAG-AFTRA joined writers in strike action, shutting down Hollywood

13:45 , Nicole Vassell

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick speak out about their reason for striking

14:15 , Nicole Vassell

Actors and writers have joined picket lines on both coasts of the United States in protest of working conditions and pay in Hollywood.

In a video captured by Deadline, married actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick speak out against studios while picketing in New York City.

“The studios have been making a lot of free money for a really long time, and the time for that to come to an end is now,” Sedgwick stated.