Hollywood’s actors and writers will unite on the picket line starting from Friday, as the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) failed to reach a deal this week with the studios.
This marks the first simultaneous strike of the two unions since 1960, when Ronald Reagan, an actor who would later become the US president, led the protests.
Many of the world’s biggest stars, including Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, and Johnny Depp, are card-carrying union members within SAG-AFTRA’s 160,000-strong ranks.
Meryl Streep, Ben Stiller, and Colin Farrell are among the stars who have publicly expressed their support for the strike.
The industry-wide shutdown is a result of a dispute over pay and the impact of artificial intelligence on film studios and streaming services.
The two unions were unable to reach an agreement on a fairer distribution of profits and increased protection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) rights.
Post from www.aljazeera.com