Hollywood Actors Vote To Go On Strike

Hollywood's actors have just joined the writers in striking. From festivals to film premieres to the upcoming Emmys, to the production of upcoming shows and movies, the two strikes will effectively shut Hollywood down. Per The Hollywood Reporter, contract negotiations between the actors guild SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) ended without a deal Wednesday night. Early Thursday morning, SAG-AFTRA’s National Board voted unanimously to strike.

A source told the publication that promotion and press of film and TV projects would no longer be allowed starting midnight tonight. This means actors can't walk the upcoming Venice and Toronto red carpets or participate in Emmy For Your Consideration campaigns. The walkout will not involve SAG-AFTRA members who work in the news business, such as broadcast hosts and announcers. The strike has already had an impact. The red carpet event for Oppenheimer's London premiere was pushed up to allow the cast to do photocalls and interviews.

Though the cast hit the London red carpet, they weren't present for the film in the theater. Oppenheimer Director Christopher Nolan said the cast left the premiere to "go and write their pickets" and join the strike. Thousands of Hollywood actors are expected to hit the picket lines Friday. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said, "What happens here is important because what's happening to us is happening across all fields of labor, by means of when employers make Wall Street and greed their priority, and they forget about the essential contributors that make the machine run."

The announcement comes more than two months after the Writers Guild of America began their strike amid its own dispute with the AMPTP. This halted most television production and delayed the filming of movies. The actor's strike will likely force other sets to go dark until an agreement is reached. It will also likely cause the Emmy Awards to be postponed, according to Variety.