Hollywood actors have joined screenwriters in a historic strike, after the national board of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union approved a walkout by its members.
The strike comes after months of negotiations with studios broke down, and it is the first time that both actors and writers have gone on strike together in over 60 years.
The unions are demanding higher pay, improved residuals, and greater transparency in how streaming revenue is distributed. They are also seeking assurances that their work will not be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI).
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the studios, has said that it is willing to negotiate, but it has refused to meet the unions’ demands.
Fran Drescher, the president of SAG-AFTRA, said that the studios’ responses to the actors’ concerns had been “insulting and disrespectful.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger has condemned the strike action as “very disruptive” and “just not realistic.”
The strike is expected to have a significant impact on Hollywood production, as it will prevent the production of new scripted TV shows and movies.
It is unclear how long the strike will last, but it could have a major impact on the industry.
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