Exclusive: Sean Gunn Reveals Shocking Loss of Residuals from One of Netflix's Most Beloved Shows

Sean Gunn Lisa O'Connor/Shutterstock

Sean Gunn, a beloved character on the TV series Gilmore Girls, has recently expressed his frustrations with Netflix during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Gunn, who played a significant role on the show for many years, believes that Netflix has made substantial profits from Gilmore Girls, which remains one of their most popular shows. Despite its continued success and constant streaming, Gunn claims to receive a minimal portion of the revenue generated by the series.

He emphasized the need for a reevaluation of business practices and the equitable distribution of wealth, warning that failure to do so would result in a catastrophic collapse. Gun, known for portraying the eccentric Kirk in all seven seasons of The WB's Gilmore Girls, is showing support for his fellow members of SAG-AFTRA. The union, representing over 160,000 performers, recently approved a strike following the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers' failure to address their concerns pertaining to fair wages and the implementation of artificial intelligence in contract talks.

As part of the strike agreement, union actors are prohibited from participating in any television or film projects and are not allowed to promote them through scheduled interviews or on social media platforms. Gunn, along with other prominent figures such as Mandy Moore, Jason Sudeikis, Logan Lerman, Dustin Milligan from Schitt's Creek, and the cast of Grey's Anatomy, have been seen showing their support on the picket lines in recent days.

Netflix, a film studio under the AMPTP's jurisdiction, has not made any statements regarding the strike or Gunn's allegations regarding residual checks. Traditionally, actors receive residual checks when previous TV episodes air on linear television. However, there is no existing precedent for receiving payment based on syndication rights from streaming platforms. "Gilmore Girls," created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, is currently available for streaming on Netflix, which approved the 2016 revival, "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life."

"I have a strong appreciation for physical comedy and precise old school comedy, and it seems that Amy [Sherman-Palladino] shares the same taste. She writes exceptionally well for those styles," Gunn shared with Entertainment Weekly in November 2016 when discussing his experience reading the show's early scripts. "There was a natural rhythm between us as writer and actor that just clicked. As for the eccentricity of Kirk, it developed organically and I can't quite pinpoint its origin. But it just made sense to me."

Although Gunn has positive memories of working with the Palladinos on set, he expresses frustration with studio CEOs who do not ensure equal pay for their employees. Gunn even had a cameo in the most recent season of Sherman-Palladino's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Bob Iger needs to be reminded that CEOs like him in 1980 earned 30 times the salary of their lowest workers, whereas he now makes 400 times more. This disparity is truly regrettable. Perhaps Bob should reflect on why this is the case and question the ethical implications. And if his response is simply that it's the norm in today's corporate world, then that is both unfortunate and indicative of his character.

Gunn has also worked for Disney’s Marvel Studios, starring in all three of his brother James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy films.