Highlights
Mr. Beast promoted the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie as part of a pre-strike influencer contract, which is allowed according to the strike rules.
Mr. Beast faced criticism from certain fans who accused him of promoting the movie amidst the ongoing actors' strike, labeling him as a scab. In response, Mr. Beast expressed his solidarity with the actors by declaring his intention to contribute to the strike fund as a gesture of support.
Mr. Beast faced criticism from fans who labeled him a scab after he crossed the picket line and endorsed the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem during the ongoing actors' strike.
After failing to come to an agreement with the studios regarding a new contract, the Screen Actors Guild initiated a strike on July 14th. Consequently, nearly all film and TV productions have halted as actors are unable to provide their services to the studios during this period. As a part of the strike, actors are prohibited from promoting any past, present, or upcoming projects associated with a studio, which includes the forthcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film. In light of this restriction, studios are turning to influencers for assistance in promoting their movies.
Mr. Beast, a popular figure, made a brief appearance in the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which may have gone unnoticed by some fans. He took to his Instagram story to share a movie poster and casually mentioned, "Hey, I'm in a movie, you should check it out lol." As an actor in the film, he usually wouldn't be allowed to promote it. However, since this is his first film, he is eligible for a SAG-AFTRA membership, which allows him to contribute to union productions for a limited period of 30 days before officially joining. If he chooses to promote the film, even though he is not yet a union member, it would be considered scabbing, rendering him ineligible for future membership.
Mr. Beast clarified that he promoted the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film as part of an influencer contract that was signed before the strike. The official SAG-AFTRA strike website states that if an influencer is already contracted to promote projects affected by the strike, they should fulfill their contractual obligations. However, if the contract had been signed during the strike, it would be seen as scabbing. In addition, Mr. Beast expressed his support for the strike by mentioning that he plans to make a donation to the strike fund later tonight.
Not only Mr. Beast received criticism for the strike, but Arrow star Stephen Amell also expressed his opposition to it at a fan event. However, he later clarified his stance on the labor dispute through an Instagram post.
If it is indeed true that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles promotion was part of an Influencer contract signed before the actors' strike commenced on July 14th, it implies that Mr. Beast was not scabbing and was adhering to the strike's rules and regulations. Regardless of the amount he chooses to donate, it will be immensely beneficial to the actors who require financial support during the strike. This contribution will assist them in persisting with their fight until an agreement can be reached with the studios.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is currently in theaters.
Source: MrBeast/Twitter
