Hollywood actors have gone on strike after negotiations with production studios failed to reach a new contract agreement. This strike is the first industry-wide walkout in 63 years and is expected to bring the movie and television business to a halt.
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), representing around 160,000 actors, issued a strike order due to issues such as dwindling pay and concerns about the threat posed by artificial intelligence. The strike prevents actors from promoting major film releases during the summer blockbuster season.
The writers’ union has already been protesting for 11 weeks, demanding better pay and guarantees regarding the use of artificial intelligence, but their demands were not met.
Movie studios have started rearranging their schedules, and if the strikes continue, it may lead to the postponement of major film releases. The actors’ union claims that they were deceived into extending negotiations by studios that wanted to promote their movies.
SAG-AFTRA represents a range of actors, from A-list stars to those in smaller roles on television series. The union states that actors’ pay has been significantly affected by the rise of the streaming industry, and they also see artificial intelligence as a threat to creative professions.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) claims to have offered historic pay raises and a groundbreaking AI proposal, but the union argues that the studios have not adequately addressed the issues affecting lower-paid writers and actors.
The strike has already impacted production, and actors and writers are united in their demands for guarantees regarding the use of AI. The studios’ latest proposal regarding AI, according to the SAG-AFTRA chief negotiator, would allow them to scan the faces of background performers and use their likeness indefinitely without consent or compensation.
The strike is seen as a necessary but painful action by actors, and they hope to address the issues they face in the industry.
