Striking screen actors will begin picketing alongside writers in New York and Los Angeles on Friday in what has become the biggest Hollywood labor fight in decades.
CORRECTION Hollywood Strikes CORRECTS YEAR TO 2023, NOT 2003 - Writers and actors join forces as they walk the picket line during a strike, Friday, July 14, 2023, at NBC Universal Studios in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
CORRECTION Hollywood Strikes CORRECTS YEAR TO 2023, NOT 2003 - Writers and actors join forces as they walk the picket line during a strike, Friday, July 14, 2023, at NBC Universal Studios in New York. The picketing comes a day after the main actors’ union voted to join screenwriters in a double-barreled strike for the first time in more than six decades. The dispute immediately shut down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
Hollywood Strikes Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Striking writers and actors take part in a "Bastille Day: Let Them Eat Croissants" rally outside Sony Pictures studio in Culver City, Calif. on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Hollywood Strikes Striking writers and actors take part in a "Bastille Day: Let Them Eat Croissants" rally outside Sony Pictures studio in Culver City, Calif. on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
CORRECTION Hollywood Strikes CAPTION CORRECTION: CORRECTS DATE: Writers and actors walk the picket line during a strike, Friday, July 14, 2023, at NBC Universal Studios in New York. The picketing comes a day after the main actors’ union voted to join screenwriters in a double-barreled strike for the first time in more than six decades. The dispute immediately shut down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
Hollywood Strikes Writers and actors join forces as they walk the picket line during a strike, Friday, July 14, 2023, at NBC Universal Studios in New York. The picketing comes a day after the main actors’ union voted to join screenwriters in a double-barreled strike for the first time in more than six decades. The dispute immediately shut down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
Hollywood Strikes striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Sunset Bronson studios in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Actor Dermot Mulroney takes part in a rally by striking writers and actors outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, left, speaks with members of the media as she takes part in a rally by striking writers and actors outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, left, takes part in a rally by striking writers and actors outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Striking writers and actors take part in a "Bastille Day: Let Them Eat Croissants" rally outside Sony Pictures studio in Culver City, Calif. on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Hollywood Strikes Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Actor Jason Sudeikis, center, walks a picket line with striking writers and actors, Friday, July 14, 2023, at NBC Universal Studios in New York. The picketing comes a day after the main actors’ union voted to join screenwriters in a double-barreled strike for the first time in more than six decades. The dispute immediately shut down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
Hollywood Strikes SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher from left, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator, and actor Frances Fisher, right, take part in a rally by striking writers and actors outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes This combination of photos show actors, from left, Sharon Lawrence and Frances Fisher at Paramount studios in Los Angeles, Rosario Dawson at Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, Calif. and Jason Sudeikis at NBC Universal Studios in New York, taking part in rallies by striking writers and actors on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
Hollywood Strikes Actor Joely Fisher, from left, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator, take part in a rally by striking writers and actors outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Actor Joely Fisher, from left, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator, take part in a rally by striking writers and actors outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes SAG-AFTRA member Chris Paseka takes part in a rally by striking writers and actors outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Striking writers and actors take part in a "Bastille Day: Let Them Eat Croissants" rally outside Sony Pictures studio in Culver City, Calif. on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Hollywood Strikes Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, center, Ben Whitehair, left, and Joely Fisher attend a press conference announcing a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Thursday, July, 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Joely Fisher, from left, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, and SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland attend a press conference announcing a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Thursday, July, 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Justine Bateman, right, speaks outside Netflix during a Writers Guild rally as a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is announced on Thursday, July 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Hollywood Strikes Picketers celebrate outside Netflix during a Writers Guild rally as a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is announced on Thursday, July 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Hollywood Strikes Justine Bateman, center, and Oneika Barrett, left, celebrate outside Netflix during a Writers Guild rally as a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is announced on Thursday, July 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Hollywood Strikes SAG-AFTRA member Frances Fisher attends a press conference announcing a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Thursday, July, 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, center, and SAG-AFTRA members appear during a press conference announcing a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Thursday, July, 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes SAG-AFTRA federal credit union signage is visible in a window following a press conference announcing a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Thursday, July, 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Hollywood Strikes Actor Rosario Dawson attends a rally by striking writers and actors outside Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, Calif. on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions.(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Hollywood Strikes Actor Rosario Dawson attends a rally by striking writers and actors outside Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, Calif. on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions.(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, center, Ben Whitehair, left, and Joely Fisher attend a press conference announcing a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Thursday, July, 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, center, Ben Whitehair, left, and Joely Fisher attend a press conference announcing a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Thursday, July, 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Ted Lasso” star Jason Sudeikis, Rosario Dawson and other top movie and TV actors joined picket lines alongside screenwriters Friday on the first full day of a walkout that has become Hollywood’s biggest labor fight in decades.
A day after the dispute brought production to a standstill across the entertainment industry, Sudeikis was among the picketers outside NBC in New York pressing for progress following the breakdown of contract talks with studios and streaming services. Dawson, star of the film “Rent” and the “Star Wars” TV series “Ahsoka,” joined picketers outside Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California.
“Lord of the Rings” star Sean Astin marched with chanting protesters outside Netflix’s offices in Hollywood. Also present at Netflix were “Titanic” and “Unforgiven” actor Frances Fisher and “The Nanny” star Fran Drescher, who is president of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
The actors’ arrival energized the picket lines outside Netflix, where music blared and the sidewalks were packed with demonstrators.
Elsewhere, “Once Upon a Time” actor Ginnifer Goodwin stood with protesters at Paramount Pictures.
The famous faces of Oscar and Emmy winners will likely be seen with some regularity on picket lines in New York and Los Angeles, adding star power to the demonstrations outside studios and corporate offices.
The walkout is the first double-barreled strike by actors and screenwriters in more than six decades.
In recent weeks, many actors made a show of solidarity with the 11,500 writers, who walked out in May. On Thursday, 65,000 members of the actors’ union formally joined them on strike.
The two guilds have similar issues with studios and streaming services. They are concerned about contracts keeping up with inflation and about residual payments, which compensate creators and actors for use of their material beyond the original airing, such as in reruns or on streaming services. The unions also want to put up guardrails against the use of artificial intelligence mimicking their work on film and television.
Many on the picket lines took aim at Disney chief executive Bob Iger, who said Wednesday that the damage the strikes will do to the entertainment economy is “a shame.”
“I think that when Bob Iger talks about what a shame it is, he needs to remember that in 1980, CEOs like him made 30 times what their lowest worker was making,” actor Sean Gunn, who starred in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” said outside Netflix.
Now Iger “makes 400 times what his lowest worker is. And I think that’s a shame, Bob. And maybe you should take a look in the mirror and ask yourself, ‘Why is that?’”
No talks are planned, and no end is in sight for the work stoppage. It is the first time both guilds have walked off sets since 1960, when then-actor Ronald Reagan was SAG’s leader.
“What we won in 1960 was our health and pension plans and the existence of residuals. That was the most important strike in LA union history, and now we’re on strike together again, and honestly, this strike is even bigger,” Adam Conover, host of the TV series “Adam Ruins Everything” and member of the Writers Guild negotiating committee, said outside Netflix. “We’re going to win. If you are gaining momentum like we are, 70-odd days into a strike, you are going to win.”
Conover was one of many picketers, including Sudeikis, who are members of both unions.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents employers including Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others, has lamented the walkout, saying it will hurt thousands of workers in industries that support film and television production.
The actors’ strike will affect more than filming. Stars will no longer be allowed to promote their work through red carpet premieres or personal appearances. They cannot campaign for Emmy awards or take part in auditions or rehearsals.
The strike triggered cancellations of red carpet events scheduled for next week for “Special Ops: Lioness,” starring Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman, and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
A “Haunted Mansion” premiere event at Disneyland on Saturday was set to go on as planned, but with no actors in attendance to promote the film.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said it was clear that the entertainment industry “is at a historic inflection point.” She urged all parties to work around the clock until an agreement is reached.
“This affects all of us and is essential to our overall economy,” Bass said in a statement.
The writers’ strike had already stopped much of television production, and the actors joining them immediately led to a shooting shutdown for many major films, including “Deadpool 3,” “Gladiator 2” and the eighth installment of Tom Cruise’s “Mission Impossible” series. All are scheduled for release next year.
The writers’ strike also shut down late-night talk shows and “Saturday Night Live,” as well as several scripted shows that have either had their writers’ rooms or production paused, including “Stranger Things” on Netflix, “Hacks” on Max and “Family Guy” on Fox. Many more are sure to follow them now that performers also have been pulled.
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This story has been corrected to fix the misspelling of Jason Sudeikis’ last name and Ginnifer Goodwin’s first name.
