The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) negotiators have secured a tentative agreement that would mark an end to the historic 118-day strike that has significantly impacted the entertainment industry. As per Variety, the 118-day strike would end at 12:01 am on Thursday.
The actors’ union, which has been advocating for better compensation and groundbreaking safeguards against the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in performance since July, reached a unanimous decision with the Alliance of Motion Picture and TV Producers (AMPTP) to lift the strike.
The standstill caused by this and a concurrent writers strike had delayed the production of many major TV shows and films.
Fran Drescher, president of SAG-AFTRA, heralded the tentative deal as a historic victory for the union members. On Instagram, she captioned her victory post with, “We did it!!!!” She also thanked members “for hanging in and holding out for this historic deal!”
The agreement, which is awaiting final approval by the SAG-AFTRA national board, was met with enthusiasm and relief from all involved parties. This deal promises significant pay raises, improved health care provisions, and, notably, the first-ever protections against the unauthorised use of AI to replicate actors’ likenesses.
According to the New York Times, this is the “first time since 1960, when Ronald Reagan was the head of the actors’ union and Marilyn Monroe was still starring in films, that actors and writers were both on strike.”
Hollywood is now set to resume a rapid pace of production to make up for lost time, with actors expected to return to work immediately following the strike’s official conclusion.
The details of the new agreement will be fully disclosed following the national board’s review and subsequent member vote, with anticipation high for the positive changes it heralds for the industry’s workforce.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing Honkai: Star Rail, cosplaying, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
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