US actor Jack Black and Mexican-US actor Juan Rodriguez join Sag-Aftra members and their supporters on a picket line outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California, on November 8, 2023. AFP
US actor Jack Black and Mexican-US actor Juan Rodriguez join Sag-Aftra members and their supporters on a picket line outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California, on November 8, 2023. AFP
US actor Jack Black and Mexican-US actor Juan Rodriguez join Sag-Aftra members and their supporters on a picket line outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California, on November 8, 2023. AFP
US actor Jack Black and Mexican-US actor Juan Rodriguez join Sag-Aftra members and their supporters on a picket line outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California, on November 8, 2023. AFP

Arts & Culture

Striking actors reach tentative deal with Hollywood studios to end historic strike

A deal reached between the union and Hollywood could restart production for the first time since May

Reuters

November 09, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

The Sag-Aftra actors' union reached a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios to resolve the second of two strikes that rocked the entertainment industry as workers demanded higher pay in the streaming TV era, the union said on Wednesday.

Members of Sag-Aftra walked off the job in mid-July asking for an increase in minimum salaries, a share of streaming service revenue and protection from being replaced by “digital replicas” generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

The union said negotiators had reached a preliminary deal on a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents Walt Disney, Netflix and other media companies.

The breakthrough means Hollywood can ramp up to full production for the first time since May, once union members vote to ratify the deal in the coming weeks.

Actors had similar concerns to film and television writers, who argued that compensation for working-class cast members had dwindled as streaming took hold, making it hard to earn a living wage in cities such as Los Angeles and New York. TV series on streaming did not offer the same residual payments that actors enjoyed during the heyday of broadcast TV.

Performers also became alarmed by recent advances in artificial intelligence, which they feared could lead to studios manipulating their likenesses without permission or replacing human actors with digital images.

George Clooney and other A-list stars voiced solidarity with lower-level actors and had urged union leadership, including Sag-Aftra President and The Nanny actor Fran Drescher, to reach a resolution.

Many film and TV sets shut down when the Writers Guild of America (WGA) called a strike in the spring. While WGA members returned to writing scripts in late September, the continuing Sag-Aftra work stoppage left many productions dark.

The disruptions cost California more than $6 billion in lost output, according to a Milken Institute estimate.

Actor Jason Sudeikis at a picket line outside NBC Universal in New York City. AFP
Actor Jason Sudeikis at a picket line outside NBC Universal in New York City. AFP
Sag-Aftra president Fran Drescher with national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland at a picket line outside Netflix in Los Angeles. AFP
Sag-Aftra president Fran Drescher with national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland at a picket line outside Netflix in Los Angeles. AFP
Actress Mandy Moore joins Sag-Aftra and WGA strikers in Los Angeles. AFP
Actress Mandy Moore joins Sag-Aftra and WGA strikers in Los Angeles. AFP
Rosario Dawson attends a rally held by striking writers and actors outside Warner Bros studios in Burbank, California. AP
Rosario Dawson attends a rally held by striking writers and actors outside Warner Bros studios in Burbank, California. AP
Tens of thousands of actors have gone on strike, effectively bringing the giant film and television industry to a halt as they join writers in the first industrywide walkout in 63 years. AFP
Tens of thousands of actors have gone on strike, effectively bringing the giant film and television industry to a halt as they join writers in the first industrywide walkout in 63 years. AFP
Writers Guild of America members have been on strike since early May as agreements with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers were not reached on better wages and working conditions. EPA
Writers Guild of America members have been on strike since early May as agreements with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers were not reached on better wages and working conditions. EPA
Sag-Aftra members create signs at a demonstration in front of Warner Bros studios. EPA
Sag-Aftra members create signs at a demonstration in front of Warner Bros studios. EPA
Actress Frances Fisher outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actress Frances Fisher outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actress Greer Grammer outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actress Greer Grammer outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actress Sara Lindsey outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actress Sara Lindsey outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actor Shawn Hatosy, right, at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actor Shawn Hatosy, right, at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actress Lisa Edelstein outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actress Lisa Edelstein outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. AFP
Actor Greg Germann in Los Angeles. AFP
Actor Greg Germann in Los Angeles. AFP
Arturo Del Puerto outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California. AFP
Arturo Del Puerto outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California. AFP
Actor Ben Schwartz on a picket line outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California. AFP
Actor Ben Schwartz on a picket line outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California. AFP

With little work available, many prop masters, costume designers and other crew members struggled to make ends meet. FilmLA, the group that approves filming permits, reported scripted production during the week of October 29 had fallen 77 per cent from the same time a year earlier.

The Hollywood strikes came during a year of other high-profile job actions. The United Auto Workers recently ended six weeks of walkouts at Detroit carmakers. Teachers, nurses and healthcare workers also walked off the job.

Hollywood's work stoppages forced broadcast networks to fill their fall line-ups with re-runs, games shows and reality shows. It also led movie studios to delay big releases such as Dune: Part 2 because striking actors could not promote them.

Other major films, including the latest instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise and Disney's live-action remake of animated classic Snow White, were postponed until 2025.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
While you're here
Europe's top EV producers
  1. Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
  2. Iceland (33%)
  3. Netherlands (20%)
  4. Sweden (19%)
  5. Austria (14%)
  6. Germany (14%)
  7. Denmark (13%)
  8. Switzerland (13%)
  9. United Kingdom (12%)
  10. Luxembourg (10%)

Source: VCOe 

Racecard:

6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres

7.05pm: Meydan Sprint (TB) | Group 2 | $250,000 (Turf) | 1,000m

7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,600m

8.15pm: Meydan Trophy | Conditions (TB) | $100,000 (T) | 1,900m

8.50pm: Balanchine | Group 2 (TB) | $250,000 (T) | 1,800m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (D) | 1,200m

10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m.

RACE RESULTS

1. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1hr 21min 48.527sec
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 0.658sec
3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) 6.012 
4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 7.430
5. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Ferrari) 20.370
6. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) 1:13.160
7. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Force India) 1 lap
8. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Force India) 1 lap
9. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams) 1 lap
10. Lance Stroll (CAN/Williams) 1 lap
11. Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault) 1 lap
12. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL/McLaren) 1 lap
13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) 1 lap
14. Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Sauber) 1 lap
15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber) 2 laps
16. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso) 3 laps

The biog

Fatima Al Darmaki is an Emirati widow with three children

She has received 46 certificates of appreciation and excellence throughout her career

She won the 'ideal mother' category at the Minister of Interior Awards for Excellence

Her favourite food is Harees, a slow-cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled wheat berries mixed with chicken

Results

6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $36,000 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: RB Money To Burn, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Turf) 2,410m, Winner: Star Safari, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

7.40pm: Meydan Trophy – Conditions (TB) $50,000 (T) 1,900m, Winner: Secret Protector, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

8.15pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 - Group 2 (TB) $293,000 (D) 1,900m, Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

8.50pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Zakouski, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (T) 1,000m, Winner: Motafaawit, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson

Updated: November 09, 2023, 12:57 AM`