Sean Penn issues vaccination ultimatum to staff on latest production

Sean Penn’s has issued a vaccine ultimatum to production staff on his new television series Gaslit.

The Watergate-themed drama, which is inspired by Slate’s podcast Slow Burn, will see Penn star as Attorney General John Mitchell. Julia Roberts will play John’s wife, Martha.

Now, as Covid-19 cases rise in California where filming is currently underway, Penn has reportedly told producers that he won’t return to set until everyone on the production has been vaccinated.

As reported in Entertainment Weekly , the studio behind the Starz series, NBCUniversal, said vaccinations were mandatory in ‘Zone A’ productions where cast and crew work in close proximity. Gaslit is being shot mostly indoors and would therefore come under NBCUniversal’s ‘Zone A’ mandate.

Penn’s organisation Core has offered to facilitate the vaccination effort for free, but reports suggest Penn won’t return to set until all have been vaccinated, meaning production will be delayed by several weeks.

Sourced told the publication that , hwile the studio is adhering to all Covid-19 safety protocols, NBCUniversal may not have any legal ground to enforce mandatory vaccinations for those on set.

The Independent has Penn’s representatives for comment.

It comes as several high-profile productions including Westworld, Game of Thrones spin-off House of Dragon, American Horror Story and Bridgerton have all been forced to temporarily halt production due to positive Covid-19 tests on set.