Hollywood Actors Strike As Talks With AMPTP End Without A Deal [Updated]
Update: This afternoon, SAG-AFTRA Union President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator of SAG-AFTRA Duncan Crabtree-Ireland officially announced that SAG-AFTRA members will strike as of midnight tonight. Our original article from this morning continues below.
Hollywood actors are poised to join writers on strike within hours as SAG-AFTRA confirms that talks with AMPTP failed to reach a deal before the deadline of 11:59 pm P.T. on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. SAG-AFTRA published a statement shortly after the deadline passed, saying that "in the face of the AMPTP's intransigence and delay tactics" the negotiating committee has voted unanimously to recommend strike action. SAG-AFTRA's national board will hold a vote on whether or not to strike at 9 am P.T. on Thursday, followed by a press conference at 12 noon.
Union president Fran Drescher said:
"SAG-AFTRA negotiated in good faith and was eager to reach a deal that sufficiently addressed performer needs, but the AMPTP's responses to the union's most important proposals have been insulting and disrespectful of our massive contributions to this industry. The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us. Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal."
In its own statement, AMPTP said it is "deeply disappointed that SAG-AFTRA has decided to walk away from negotiations" and that "this is the Union's choice, not ours."
If the national board votes to authorize action, then Hollywood will be faced with a double strike for the first time in 63 years. The Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May 2, 2023, and an estimated 80 percent of productions have already been shut down. An actors strike would go further, halting overseas filming on productions like Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" sequel and "Andor" season 2, which have so far been able to carry on due to being far away from the picket lines. Crucially, actors on strike also cannot be involved in any promotion of movies or TV shows that they're in — which has led to some hasty last-minute adjustments.
Oppenheimer? Can we do it a bit Oppen-sooner?
In anticipation of the looming SAG-AFTRA strike, studios have been scrambling to get as much promotional material banked as possible, with press junkets for "Barbie" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" moved up to June. One major promotional event that has come right down to the wire is the London premiere of Christopher Nolan's biographical thriller "Oppenheimer," starring Cillian Murphy in the titular role with Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt in supporting roles.
According to Variety, the red carpet for the premiere will now be rolled out an hour earlier than planned, with the start of the event moved from 5:45 pm B.S.T. (about 45 minutes after the SAG-AFTRA national board vote takes place) to 4:45 pm B.S.T. (about 15 minutes before the vote). Since the results of the vote aren't expected to be announced until the press conference at 8 pm B.S.T., this should give the cast time to do all their red carpet interviews before they're cut off from any promotional activity. Given that "Oppenheimer" is three hours long, however, the last act of the film might get disrupted by people in the audience discreetly (or not-so-discreetly) checking their phones for any news.