Lupita N’yongo, Sarah Silverman, Daniel Dae Kim and more were seen at the picket line in New York City Thursday afternoon.
The union authorized the strike on Friday, over growing concerns of the use of artificial intelligence and streaming residuals.
SAG-AFRTA, which is the union representing over 160,000 actors, is on strike at the same time as WGA, which represents 11,000 writers.
The last time both actors and writers were on strike together was in 1960, when Ronald Regan was the Actors’ Guild president.
WGA has been on strike since May 2.
In support: Lupita N’yongo (pictured), Sarah Silverman, Daniel Dae Kim and more were seen at the picket line in New York City Thursday afternoon
For a good cause: Lupita N’yongo, Sarah Silverman, Daniel Dae Kim and more were seen at the picket line in New York City Thursday afternoon
Strike: SAG-AFRTA, which is the union representing over 160,000 actors, is on strike at the same time as WGA, which represents 11,000 writers; Daniel Dae Kim pictured
Lupita cut a casual figure in a SAG-AFTRA Strong tee, adding a baseball cap and shorts.
Sarah rocked jeans and a shirt and cap, while Daniel opted for a white top.
Actress Vanessa Hudgens also joined the strike. She stayed cool in the hot weather wearing a pair of white shorts, a white t-shirt and a straw hat.
Krysten Ritter and Mike Colter also attended, with the Breaking Bad actress looking chic in a black dress.
Meanwhile Mike looked casual cool in a white T-shirt and grey jeans.
Lily Tomlin looked chic in a straw hat while picketing.
Cinema icon Jane Fonda was also present. Jane wore a blue button up and a sun hat, and shielded her eyes with a pair of sunglasses.
The strike was authorized after SAG-AFTRA failed to reach a deal with some of the biggest studios in Hollywood, per CNN.
Actors on strike are calling for higher wages as well as protections against artificial intelligence.
Joining in! Actress Vanessa Hudgens also joined the strike
Staying cool: She stayed cool in the hot weather wearing a pair of white shorts, a white t-shirt and a straw hat
Doing their part: Krysten Ritter and Mike Colter also attended, with the Breaking Bad actress looking chic in a black dress
Casual: Meanwhile Mike looked casual cool in a white T-shirt and grey jeans
Chic: Lily Tomlin looked chic in a straw hat while picketing
Marching: She marched with a smile on her face
Iconic: Cinema icon Jane Fonda was also present
Feeling blue: Jane wore a blue button up and a sun hat, and shielded her eyes with a pair of sunglasses
Proud: Chris Witaske raised his fist as he joined the picket line
Good cause: Actor Nelson Franklin smiled during the protest
SAG-AFTRA – Screen Actors Guild Federation of Radio and Television Artists – announced Thursday morning that negotiations from studios had ended without a deal.
They were asking for higher pay to counteract inflation, as well as changes to how actors earn residuals – which are earned every time a show they starred in airs on network or cable.
The reason why they are asking for changes to residuals is because streamers like Disney Plus and Netflix do not disclose viewing figures for their shows and offer the same flat rate for everything on their platform.
Another element is Artificial Intelligence – and studios using their digital likeness without their permission or proper compensation.
The union leadership voted for a work stoppage to begin at midnight after their demands were not met.
Under the rules of the strike, members of SAG-AFTRA cannot promote anything, take part in any press to promote a project, or film a movie or TV series.
This also includes this month’s Comic Con in San Diego.
Fan Drescher, who is the current president of SAG-AFTRA announced the strike last Thursday.
‘We demand respect! You cannot exist without us!’ she said.
‘What happens to us is important. What’s happening to us is happening across all fields of labor.’
Interesting: The last time both actors and writers were on strike together was in 1960, when Ronald Regan was the Actors’ Guild president; Ilana Becker seen
Info: The strike was authorized after SAG-AFTRA failed to reach a deal with some of the biggest studios in Hollywood, per CNN. Seen Michael Imperioli, Steve Schirripa and Michael Gaston
Chatting: Actors on strike are calling for higher wages as well as protections against artificial intelligence
Helping out: SAG-AFTRA – Screen Actors Guild Federation of Radio and Television Artists – announced Thursday morning that negotiations from studios had ended without a deal; Michael seen
‘When employers make Wall Street and greed their priority and they forget about the essential contributors who make the machine run, we have a problem.’
‘The jig is up, we demand respect,’ The Nanny actress said.
In a statement following the strike announcement, the Association of Motion Pictures and Television Producers said it was disappointed in the breakdown in negotiations.
‘This is the Union’s choice, not ours. In doing so, it has dismissed our offer of historic pay and residual increases, substantially higher caps on pension and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses, and more,’ the group said in a statement.
It said it had agreed to ‘the highest percentage increase in minimums in 35 years, a ‘substantial increase’ in pension and health contribution caps and an 11 percent increase in one year for background actors, stand-ins and photo doubles and an additional 17 percent increase for background actors required to do extensive self-styling.
In support: Daniel Dae Kim seen
Spotted: Under the rules of the strike, members of SAG-AFTRA cannot promote anything, take part in any press to promote a project, or film a movie or TV series Aasif Mandvi
Good spirits: Picketers were in good spirits outside of Netflix in West Hollywood
Activism and tanning: One protester also used the occasion to work on his tan by going shirtless
Power to the people: Another picketer sported a ‘Power to the people’ shirt
Parks & Recreation star Aubrey Plaza also took to the picket line on Thursday
She was joined by fellow comedian Brett Gelman
The Ingrid Goes West actress posted a black-and-white snap from the picket line to her Instagram account
Mom star Allison Janney kept hydrated with a bottled water while trekking along the sidewalk with fellow striking actors
She chatted with pal and writer Susan McMartin
Kendrick Sampson filmed strikers on his iPhone
Those who are required to deliver lines during a run-through and photo doubles who are required to memorize and deliver lines on camera would get an additional 62 percent increase under the proposal.
But Drescher said the two sides remain ‘far apart’ on ‘so many things,’ citing excessive payouts to top executives as the studios ‘plead poverty.’
Having both high-profile actors on the picket lines along with writers will generate good PR for the strikers, which will in turn incentivize the entertainment companies to come to the table, Paul Hardart, director of the Entertainment, Media and Technology Program at NYU’s Stern School of Business explained.
‘I do think SAG going on strike expedites things,’ he said. ‘I think you’ll see pressure from external forces — whether it’s the governor of California, the president of the United States — moving this along.’
But, he admitted, ‘I could be completely wrong.’
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