Surprising Turn of Events: Fran Drescher Faces Backlash & Controversy Amid Union Negotiations and Racy Kim Kardashian Pic

Fran Drescher and Kim Kardashian Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock; Abaca Press/INSTARimages

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher faced criticism for attending Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Moda fashion show alongside Kim Kardashian before the union's negotiations with major studios. The 65-year-old Drescher was captured in photos at the glamorous event in Puglia, Italy on July 9th, just days before the union's deadline for contract talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Following Kardashian's sharing of a photo featuring herself and Drescher, some individuals raised concerns about Drescher's dedication to the negotiations.

"Having a personal life is not the issue here," tweeted actress Briana Cap on Monday, July 10. "Nor is taking a vacation. However, we are currently in the midst of the most crucial negotiation in decades, and our fellow WGA members have been fighting for their livelihoods for 70 days. The perception created by this situation is truly terrible. We should strive for improvement."

In a tweet, Narcos: Mexico actor Lenny Jacobson chimed in, saying: "Negotiating the possibility of a strike while in Italy seems like a strange strategy, @frandrescher @sagaftra."

A spokesperson for SAG-AFTRA stated that Drescher was representing Dolce & Gabbana as a "brand ambassador" while in Italy. The negotiating committee was fully aware of this commitment. Despite her busy schedule across multiple time zones, Drescher has been actively participating in negotiations either in person or via videoconference. In addition, she has been managing her parents' needs in Florida. Drescher will be returning to Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 11, to continue chairing the negotiations.

SAG-AFTRA has been in discussions with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers since last month. Negotiations have hit a roadblock on various important matters, including the incorporation of artificial intelligence in film and TV projects and the increase in residual payments for streaming services. The deadline for reaching a new contract is Wednesday, July 12, at midnight PT. In the event that an agreement is not reached, SAG-AFTRA has expressed the possibility of calling for a strike. This would be the first time the actors union has gone on strike since 1980.

Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May 2, addressing many of the same issues. If SAG-AFTRA proceeds with a strike, it would be the first instance in 60 years where both unions are concurrently on strike.

Hollywood has mostly come to a halt due to the WGA strike, except for the ongoing production of Ryan Murphy's show American Horror Story. Kardashian, who will be featured in the twelfth season of the FX series, disregarded the strike in May and proceeded to film for the show.

Despite contributing to a $1.7 million relief fund for striking writers, Murphy, 57, has faced criticism for continuing production on AHS while other projects have been shut down. Writer Josh Gondelman explained during a protest outside the filming studio, "We're not protesting against Ryan Murphy as an individual, but against production taking place without writers during a strike," as reported by The New York Times earlier this month.