Follow the Hollywood actors’ strike in the United States, from Los Angeles to New York

First modification: 07/16/2023 – 01:08

4 min

Crowds of actors, joined by screenwriters who had gone ahead to strike in May, gathered on the sidewalks of Hollywood and midtown Manhattan on the first day of their strike Friday.

The atmosphere of the demonstration was full of joy, while the strikers, encouraged by the passers-by and fully aware of the historical magnitude of the moment, chanted slogans, splashed water on their faces and danced to the rhythm of reggaeton. This union fight has not been presented in Hollywood in the last six decades.

In California, in front of the emblematic Warner Bros. studios, under the inclement sun of a historic heat wave that hit the south of the State, the protesters raised banners in a scene imbued with determination.

In unison, they repeated slogans such as “Fists up, curtains down, Los Angeles is a union city!”

July 13 marked the start of the American actors’ strike, about two and a half months after the writers ignited their own flame of protest. Like their colleagues in the written word, the actors are demanding a pay rise and safeguards against the growing influence of artificial intelligence in the audiovisual realm.

After an almost unanimous vote of its members, the board of directors of SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), the union that represents 160,000 actors working in film, television and radio, announced the call for the strike. As of Friday, the American actors ceased all their activities, both in the sets filming as in the promotion of his work.

Fran Drescher, renowned actress and president of SAG-AFTRA, who shone in the popular series ‘The Nanny’, explained that the strike was “a last resort” given the refusal of the studios to cede.

“The way they treat us is outrageous. They scream poverty while squandering hundreds of millions of dollars on their top executives,” he strongly protested. Negotiations to renew the actors’ contracts between the union and the major studios had dragged on for four weeks before breaking down.

platforms of streaming and Artificial Intelligence, at the center of the conflict

In response to the demands of the actors, the Alliance of Film and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the historical studios (Disney, NBC Universal, Paramount, Warner Bros, Sony) and the prominent platforms (Netflix, Amazon, Apple ), expressed disappointment and considered the demands “unrealistic”. Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger lashed out at the strikers and their expectations, warning in an interview with CNBC that the strike would have “a very, very detrimental effect on the entire industry.”

Hours before the negotiations broke down, the alliance claimed to have put forward significant proposals, especially regarding wage increases. The AMPTP stressed that the strike is not the expected result, adding that “studios cannot function without the artists who bring our movies and shows to life.”

Right now, analysts are predicting a prolonged strike, with both sides convinced they have the power to win. Film and television production is expected to stop in the United States, with the exception of independent productions. Meanwhile, popular series like ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ have already been put on hold.

And it is that the actors show exceptional motivation and, fearful that the negotiators who represent them will give in to their demands, renowned figures such as Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence have published a letter expressing their willingness to make sacrifices.

“We are at a crucial point,” Fran Drescher pleaded. “The industry is undergoing significant changes due to the streaming, digital and Artificial Intelligence. If we don’t resist, we run the risk of being replaced by machines.” Actors and screenwriters alike are determined not to sit idly by as Hollywood’s business model has transformed since Netflix’s advent two decades ago.

They demand a salary increase, since the streaming multiply the repetitions without them receiving additional remuneration for it. They also claim a share of the profits in case of big hits, although the platforms do not disclose their audience data.

In addition, they request guarantees regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), expressing concern about the possibility that said technology can generate scripts or replicate their voice and image. The actors express concerns about the impact this could have on their work and the preservation of their artistic identity.

AP and local media