The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) officially voted to go on strike today, meaning Hollywood's actors will join the Writers Guild of America on the picket lines as soon as tomorrow morning. The news was announced by SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland in a press conference, in which Drescher launched into a passionate speech - earning the approval of many on social media.
Drescher, who's best known to the general public as the star of '90s sitcom The Nanny, slammed the Hollywood studios for what she called "insulting" responses to their asks in contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
“We are being victimized by a very greedy enterprise,” she said. “At some point you have to say ‘no, we’re not going to take this anymore. You people are crazy. What are you doing? Why are you doing this?’ ”
"Our hearts bleed to make this decision," Drescher later continued. "But we can't not get what these members deserve because it's only going to get worse. This is where we drew the line in the sand, and it's a terrible thing to have to do. But we were forced into it."
Watch part of her speech below.
SAG-AFTRA President @FranDrescher's message to studios: "You share the wealth, because you cannot exist without us."
— ExtraTV (@extratv) July 13, 2023
Full speech here: https://t.co/3CKA4R7ew8#SAGAFTRA #SAGstrike #SAGAFTRAStrike #ActorsStrike #SAGAFTRAstrong @sagaftra pic.twitter.com/KCmTSSvLdD
Much of Hollywood, for its part, has expressed support for the strike as SAG-AFTRA pushes for better working conditions, compensation, and protections in its negotiations with studios. The U.K. premiere of Christopher Nolan's Oppeneheimer was taking place just as the strike was being announced, and Nolan told the audience that the cast left the premiere in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA.
Christopher Nolan says the cast of #Oppenheimer left the premiere to ‘go and write their pickets’ and join the strike pic.twitter.com/rc2SaSxcfk
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) July 13, 2023
Speaking to Indiewire, Jessica Chastain - who might've otherwise been on the Emmy campaign trail for her Showtime limited series George & Tammy - addressed the issues that SAG-AFTRA is concerned about.
"There’s huge innovations in our industry, content has been incredible, streaming and amazing technology have made huge steps, and quickly," she said. "But difficult things like contracts haven’t kept up with the innovations that have been made, resulting in huge inequality, people not able to earn a fair wage and support families. The industry has been so separated in terms of who is able to make a living and who isn’t. This can’t continue anymore. My heart breaks.”
Jessica Chastain on #SAGAFTRAstrike: “The industry has been so separated in terms of who is able to make a living and who isn’t. This can’t continue anymore. My heart breaks.”
— IndieWire (@IndieWire) July 13, 2023
She discusses what the industry faces going into the festival and award season: https://t.co/xenYS53QpC pic.twitter.com/0WDUjaI9QP
Other SAG-AFTRA members and celebrities, too, posted with their intentions to leave the sets and take up pickets.
If we must strike… THEN WE SHALL STRIIIIIIIIKEEEEEEEEE!!!!! #SAGAFTRA
— Jack Quaid (@JackQuaid92) July 13, 2023
It’s official @sagaftra has voted to strike. We will be joining the WGA on the picket lines starting tomorrow. We all got together last week to create our signs. I was on sticks! When you’re out there without a splinter thanks to the duct tape, think of ya girl! #UnionStrong ✊? pic.twitter.com/eQq78go6Ig
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) July 13, 2023
Elsewhere, those online cheered Drescher's speech. While the SAG-AFTRA president was recently derided for photos that showed her with Kim Kardashian in Italy, many were encouraged by her strong words in commitment to fighting for the guild's members. And, it should be noted, they had a little fun with the star of The Nanny being the face of a major labor movement.
Very proud and impressed by @sagaftra and @frandrescher right now at this presser. #sagaftrastrong✊
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) July 13, 2023
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) July 13, 2023
I am now in two unions that are on strike. That press conference was badass. I would not ever want the Nanny on my bad side. #SAGAFTRAstrong
— Chris Gethard (@ChrisGethard) July 13, 2023
Don’t mess with The Nanny #SAGAFTRAstrong pic.twitter.com/tmFz9KAG6T
— Paul Scheer (@paulscheer) July 13, 2023
The AMPTP has radicalized Fran Drescher
— Pat Casey ? (@Pat_Kc) July 13, 2023
Fran Drescher becoming one of the consequential union leaders of our time is an arc I am absolutely delighted by as both a union gal and a '90s kid.
— Emily St. James (@emilystjams) July 13, 2023
Fran Drescher being on the news fighting an artificial intelligence feels like a MadLib. pic.twitter.com/PGGYA3i4eq
— Jim Cummings (@jimmycthatsme) July 13, 2023
Fran Drescher, as The Nanny, on crossing picket lines pic.twitter.com/jajSrlYkNd
— Screen Slate (@ScreenSlate) July 13, 2023
“Eventually the people break down the gates of Versailles! We’re at that point!” Fran Drescher #SAGAFTRA #SagAftraStrike #SAGAFTRAstrong pic.twitter.com/FcNLJL5UDk
— Pia Wilson (@pwilson720) July 13, 2023
Bro they’re at the Netflix headquarters singing Fran Drescher’s Nanny theme song ??? pic.twitter.com/8FXZVItFU8
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod ?? (@big_business_) July 13, 2023
I can't help but feel that the AMPTP may have badly misjudged how it will do in a PR campaign in which it's David Zaslav and Bob Iger on one side and every TV and film star everybody loves standing on the other. #ActorsStrike
— Daniel Fienberg (@TheFienPrint) July 13, 2023
Okay kids I’m gonna need Fran Drescher CGI’d into THE 300 kicking that dude into the hole screaming “THIS! IS! SAG!” ready set go.
— John Rogers (@jonrog1) July 13, 2023
"Fran Drescher got me hyped AF to shut down Hollywood"
— Vinnie Mancuso (@VinnieMancuso1) July 13, 2023
Time traveler: what
Can’t believe the AMPTP told a bunch of actors they’re not special and thought it would go over well
— Brittani Nichols *Double Strike Version* (@BisHilarious) July 13, 2023
The strike announcement today marks the first time SAG-AFTRA and the WGA have been on the picket lines together since 1960. For more on strikes, check out our breakdown of what the 2007-08 WGA strike changed for film and television.
Thumbnail credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
