A massive strike has been launched in Hollywood by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
The BBC reports that Oppenheimer stars Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt, along with other cast members, have walked out of the movie’s premiere in London due to the strike.
SAG-AFTRA is the US’s largest labour union for people who work in media, fashion, and the internet. It represents nearly 160,000 members.
The union has been fighting for better pay and working conditions. On Thursday afternoon, it held a press conference on YouTube.
> We will be going live soon with a press conference from SAG-AFTRA Plaza regarding a TV/Theatrical/Streaming strike. #SAGAFTRAstrong https://t.co/pw0SJDzjpU
>
> — SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) July 13, 2023
“What is your message to the fans and consumers who weren’t interested in the nuance we’re discussing here today?” a reporter asked veteran actor Fran Drescher, who spoke at the press conference front and centre. “They just want their favourite TV shows where they want to go to the movies,” he added.
“Well, what makes you think they’re not interested in what’s happening here? I think that they have an allegiance to all of us because we bring joy to their lives, we bring entertainment to their lives, and during COVID, they turned to us for everything,” an impassioned Drescher replied.
“So I don’t think that your assumption is the bottom line when the people that give so much to them and enrich their lives in so many ways are saying, ‘We are being taken advantage of in a terrible way.’ If we let this happen to us, dollars for donuts, it’s going to happen to you and your family, your children, and everybody you work with,” she added. “That’s how threatening this moment is in our nation’s history.”
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