SAG strike news: Universal Studios accused of pruning trees to remove shade for picketing actors and writers
Los Angeles picketers are scattered between several studio lots
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Your support makes all the difference.Universal Studios has been accused of trimming the trees that lined its studio lot and provided shade for striking actors and writers.
On Monday (17 July), following the first weekend of the historic Hollywood shutdown, comic Chris Stephens tweeted a photo showing the bare trees.
“Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave our picket line shade right before a 90+ degree week,” Stephens wrote.
SAG-AFTRA negotiators unanimously recommended a strike after talks with the AMPTP broke down last week.
Additionally, the Writers Guild of America has been on strike since early May. Both groups demand increases in base pay and residuals in the streaming TV era, plus assurances that their work will not be replaced by AI.
Fran Drescher, former star of The Nanny and SAG president, said studios’ responses to the actors’ concerns had been “insulting and disrespectful”.
In light of the historic double strike, several actors and writers have shared personal horror stories of Hollywood studio greed.
Meanwhile, Disney CEO Bob Iger condemned the threatened strike action as “very disruptive” at the “worst time” as well as calling the expectations of writers and actors “not realistic”.
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Matilda child star and John Cusack share horror stories on Hollywood studio greed in support of SAG strike
When will the actors’ strike end?
Following the Screen Actors Guild’s (SAG-AFTRA) recent decision to join the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in the strike against studios – which has effectively shut down Hollywood – there’s been a significant question looming overhead: How long will this last?
Read more:
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said actors’ union is ‘looking for the long haul’
These movie and TV stars are sharing ‘appalling’ pay stories to explain the historic Hollywood strike
As actors and screenwriters join in the fight for fair wages and higher streaming residuals, Inga Parkel reports on the stars sharing stories that speak to the importance of the strike.
Hollywood stars are sharing ‘appalling’ pay stories to explain historic strike
As actors and screenwriters join in the fight for fair wages and higher streaming residuals, Inga Parkel reports on the stars sharing stories that speak to the importance of the strike
This isn't the first time Hollywood's been on strike. Here's how past strikes turned out
This isn't the first time Hollywood's been on strike. Here's how past strikes turned out
The common refrain is that there’s nothing Hollywood loves so much as its own history
SAG-AFTRA approves 39 Indie projects to shoot during strike
SAG-AFTRA has granted approval to 39 independent productions to shoot during the strike, after confirming that they are not tied to AMPTP companies.
The list includes two projects from A24, the independent production company: Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, and Death of a Unicorn, starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, which is set to begin shooting soon in Hungary.
The projects also include The Rivals of Amziah King, starring Matthew McConaughey, Flight Risk, starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Mel Gibson, Dust Bunny starring Mads Mikkelsen and Sigourney Weaver, Bride Hard with Rebel Wilson, and The Chosen, a TV series about the life of Jesus.
An LA food bank is feeding striking writers and actors for free
An LA-based food bank named World Harvest is reportedly offering free groceries to striking SAG-AFTRA and WGA members.
The owner of the food bank Glen Curado described the initiative as “all you can eat”, adding that WGA and SAG-AFTRA members who present their membership card to the World Harvest Food Bank get the green light to fill a grocery cart with whatever is on the shelves.
Curado began offering union members free groceries on Saturday last week, the day after SAG-AFTRA officially joined the WGA on the picket lines in the first double strike to hit Hollywood in 63 years.
WATCH: The moment SAG-AFTRA joined writers in strike action, shutting down Hollywood
Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick speak out about their reason for striking
Actors and writers have joined picket lines on both coasts of the United States in protest of working conditions and pay in Hollywood.
In a video captured by Deadline, married actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick speak out against studios while picketing in New York City.
“The studios have been making a lot of free money for a really long time, and the time for that to come to an end is now,” Sedgwick stated.
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