SAG-AFTRA held its largest and most star-studded rally yet Tuesday in Times Square in a picket sign-waving show of solidarity 12 days into
A day after a Variety report that have hit picket lines thus far, the rally Tuesday boasted more star wattage than perhaps any single strike action yet. Among those joining throngs of demonstrators were Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston, Brendan Fraser, Ellen Burstyn, Wendell Pierce, Steve Buscemi, Rachel Zegler, Michael Shannon, Jane Curtin, Christian Slater and Chloe Grace Moretz.
Taking up a full city block, actors and representatives from the actors union took turns giving fiery speeches on a stage in the heart of Times Square while tourists gawked and passing trucks honked in support. At times, the actors took aim at the corporate lights and billboards around them, including the Walt Disney-owned ESPN and ABC studios that sat alongside the rally.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e got a message to Mr. Iger,害羞草研究所� said Cranston, directing his comments at Disney CEO Bob Iger. 害羞草研究所淚 know, sir, that you look through things from a different lens. We don害羞草研究所檛 expect you to understand who we are but we ask you to hear us, and beyond that, to listen to us when we tell you we will not be having our jobs taken away and given to robots. We will not have you take away our right to work and earn a decent living.害羞草研究所�
The rally took place a stone害羞草研究所檚 throw from Broadway theaters and, given the talent involved, featured a higher degree of show business than your usual labor rally. 害羞草研究所淎vatar害羞草研究所� actor Stephen Lang quoted Frederick Douglass. Wendell Pierce recited Samuel Beckett. Tituss Burgess didn害羞草研究所檛 speak; he sang Stephen Sondheim.
Arian Moayed, who played the investor Stewy Hosseini in 害羞草研究所淪uccession,害羞草研究所� compared the characters of the HBO series to the studio executives the actors are negotiating with.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like these people haven害羞草研究所檛 seen (expletive) 害羞草研究所楽uccession,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Moayed exclaimed. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 about you!害羞草研究所�
Christine Baranski of 害羞草研究所淭he Good Wife害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淭he Good Fight害羞草研究所� likewise drew from her own credits.
害羞草研究所淲e will not live under corporate feudalism. It is time, it is just simply time to make things right. Our contribution will not be undervalued, and we will not be robbed,害羞草研究所� said Baranski before concluding: 害羞草研究所淟et害羞草研究所檚 fight the good fight!害羞草研究所�
Earlier this month, who walked out in May. It害羞草研究所檚 the first time both unions have been on strike at the same time since 1960. The stoppage has shuttered nearly all film and television production. Actors say the streaming revolution has altered pay in entertainment, and remaking working conditions. They are also seeking guardrails against the use of artificial intelligence, along with increases to the union害羞草研究所檚 health care and pension programs.
害羞草研究所淥ur industry has changed exponentially,害羞草研究所� said Cranston. 害羞草研究所淲e are not in the same business model that we were in even 10 years ago. And yet, even though they admit that that害羞草研究所檚 the truth in today害羞草研究所檚 economy, they are fighting us tooth and nail to stick to the same economic system that is outmoded, outdated. They want us to step back in time.害羞草研究所�
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which is negotiating on behalf of studios, has said it presented actors with a generous deal that included the biggest bump in minimum pay in 35 years among other benefits. Since talks broke off and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists commenced the strike, the sides have not negotiated and no talks are scheduled.
害羞草研究所淲e may be on strike but I said to them on July 12 we are ready to continue talking tomorrow and every day after until we reach a deal,害羞草研究所� said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA. 害羞草研究所淎nd I害羞草研究所檝e said that every day since to the media, to them, to anyone who would listen. SAG-AFTRA is ready, willing and able to return to the bargaining table.
害羞草研究所淭he only reason we aren害羞草研究所檛 there now is because those companies said that they didn害羞草研究所檛 want to deal with people who were uncivilized and because those companies said they wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be ready to talk for quite some time,害羞草研究所� added Crabtree-Ireland.
Many actors Tuesday cast the strike in personal terms. Slater said the union害羞草研究所檚 health care helped sustain his father害羞草研究所檚 life. Slater害羞草研究所檚 father, the actor Michael Hawkins, died last November. Liza Col贸n-Zayas, the 51-year-old Bronx-born actor of the Hulu hit series 害羞草研究所淭he Bear,害羞草研究所� said her lifetime of hard work isn害羞草研究所檛 paying off.
害羞草研究所淚 have struggled 35 years to get here only to find residuals have dwindled exponentially,害羞草研究所� said Col贸n-Zayas. 害羞草研究所淚f you can announce the highest-viewed this and the highest profits in that, then you can track our residuals. So we need to come to the table but we need to come to the table in good faith that there will be transparency in how we are being paid by streaming. We need you to open the books.害羞草研究所�
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