Exclusive: Hollywood Studios and Insiders Seek Federal Intervention to Avert Imminent Actor's Strike

Hollywood studios and insiders are seeking assistance from the federal government to prevent an actors' strike. The ongoing WGA strike, which started on May 2, has had a significant impact on the entertainment industry, resulting in production delays for movies and TV shows. However, the industry may face another blow as the actors' union SAG-AFTRA plans to strike unless a new agreement is reached by the deadline on Thursday, July 13.

As Hollywood anxiously awaits a potential and costly actors' strike, Variety reports that studios and industry insiders are now urging federal mediators to intervene and prevent a walk-out. Executives, including Disney's Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery's David Zaslav, and Netflix's Ted Sarandos, supposedly participated in an emergency conference call on Tuesday morning. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reached out to the government to request mediation. Negotiations have been held back by issues like streaming residuals and artificial intelligence. If mediators are involved, the negotiations, which have already been extended for 12 days past the June 30 deadline, may require a second extension.

A Potential SAG-AFTRA Strike Is Already Having Effects

A strike is becoming increasingly likely, and as a result, SAG members have been advised to avoid attending San Diego Comic-Con 2023 this weekend. This advice has led to several major studios, including Netflix, Disney, and HBO, completely pulling out of the event. If SAG-AFTRA joins the WGA on the picket lines, it will further disrupt production and bring the entertainment industry to a standstill, which has already been impacted by the months-long writer's strike.

While strikes in the entertainment industry are not uncommon, it is rare for both major unions to strike simultaneously. The last time this happened was in 1960 when SAG, led by Ronald Reagan, went on strike while writers were already on strike for months. The upcoming situation is increasingly resembling the events of 1960, and the full impact on the entertainment industry remains to be seen.

Source: Variety