What happens after Hollywood actors go on strike?
LOS ANGELES — Hollywood actors join screenwriters in the first double strike by the two unions in more than six decades, with huge ramifications for the film and television industries. Here’s a look at how it played out, why it’s happening, and what might come next.
WHAT LEADED TO THE ACTORS’ STRIKE?
Talking over a month about a new three-year contract between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the studios, streaming services and production companies that employ them led to little progress, and the tone turned openly hostile in the days before union leaders voted to go on strike on Friday. A last minute intervention by a federal mediator failed to bridge the gap.
Union leaders say the streaming model that has taken over the industry in recent years has cheated actors out of their share of the income and funneled money to executives and proposals from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios, streamers and production companies. did not even begin to meet their needs during negotiations.
A 12-day extension to the contract and talks shortly before an initial late June deadline brought some hope that a deal would be reached, but animosity only grew. “The Nanny” star Fran Drescher, who runs the union, said it made them “feel like we’ve been duped, like maybe it was to let studios promote their summer movies for another 12 days.”
Before talks began, the 65,000 actors who cast their votes overwhelmingly voted for union leaders to send them on strike, as the Writers Guild of America did when their deal expired more than two months ago.
WHAT DO THE ACTORS WANT?
For decades, an actor who appeared on a popular TV show like “Seinfeld” or “The Office” could count on royalty checks even once when the show appeared in reruns, which gave him pay even if they couldn’t find work.
The streaming model has largely dried up that income, with residual payments separate from a show or movie’s popularity. Actors want a long-term share of that income.
The issue is one of many the actors have in common with writers. For scribes and artists alike, the move to streaming and its ripple effects have also led to shorter seasons of shows with longer intervals, and thus less work. They say inflation is outpacing the planned wage increases in their contracts.
And writers and actors alike fear the threat of unregulated use of artificial intelligence. The actors say studios want to be able to use their images without hiring or paying them.
Actors also say they are contending with the new and increasing burden of self-recorded auditions – the cost of which used to be the responsibility of casting and productions.
The AMPTP said it offered actors a generous deal that included the largest minimum wage increase in 35 years and “a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses.” They say the union “unfortunately has chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for countless thousands of people dependent on the industry.”
WHAT DOES STRIKES MEAN FOR ACTORS?
Under Union rules, actors are not allowed to do any part of their job that goes far beyond actually shooting movies and TV shows.
They are not allowed to perform in person or promote their work on podcasts or at premieres. They may not do any production work, including auditions, readings, rehearsals, voiceovers, or wardrobe alterations.
Newly nominated Emmy nominees will not be able to publicly plead for votes nor appear at the ceremony, which is scheduled for September but will likely be severely scaled back or postponed.
Instead, they are expected to spend their days on picket lines, outside of studio headquarters and production centers.
While big names including Matt Damon, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jessica Chastain have spoken out in favor of the strike and are likely to become the face of the protests, SAG also has tens of thousands of actors struggling to find work and maintain their income. More serious financial problems are likely ahead for them.
WHAT EFFECT WILL THE COMBINED STRIKES HAVE ON VIEWERS?
Actors going on strike along with writers will force almost any U.S. show or movie that hasn’t been shut down yet to go on hiatus. Upcoming seasons of television shows will likely be postponed indefinitely and some movie releases will be delayed. (Don’t worry, the July 21 showdown between ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ is still ongoing.)
The writers’ strike had an almost immediate effect on late night talk shows, including NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”, ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and CBS’s “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” all of which immediately shut down. “Saturday Night Live” axed the last three episodes of the season.
In the two months since, many scripted TV shows have also stopped, including Netflix’s Stranger Things, Max’s Hacks, Showtime’s Yellow Jackets, and Apple TV+’s Severance.
It may take longer to notice the actors’ strike on the streaming menus on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, though fans of those outlets’ original series will eventually have to wait longer than usual for their favorites to return.
Shootings outside the US, where various unions and contracts operate, may continue, as Britain-based “House of the Dragon” will for HBO, though the strike will likely have a secondary impediment to them as well.
And reality shows, game shows, and most daytime talk shows are unlikely to be affected.
HOW LONG CAN THIS ALL GO?
It’s everyone’s guess. After two months, there are no talks scheduled or imminent for the Writers Guild.
The longest previous writers’ strike, in 1988, lasted five months. The most recent, in 2007 and 2008, lasted about three months, as did the most recent actors’ strike in 1980.
With both parties going on strike together for the first time since 1960 and both dealing with so many of the same problems, they could find themselves out of work together for a long time.
