The strike by American actors is already one of the largest strikes in the United States in at least thirty years. The 160,000 striking members of the actors’ union Sag-Aftra have brought Hollywood to a standstill for 39 days – totaling nearly 4.5 million workdays lost due to the strike. Since 1993, there have been only two strikes with more non-working days in the US.
The largest strike, in 2000 (over 17 million non-working days), was also an actors’ strike, involving actors in the advertising industry. The actors joined the already striking group of over 11,000 screenwriters in July, who have not been writing scripts since May.
Key points of contention for both actors and screenwriters include compensation for streaming successes, the use of artificial intelligence, and higher wages. Three-quarters of all American actors earn less than $29.60 per hour.
The schedules of many major productions have been disrupted by the strikes. For example, Disney has announced a one-year delay for the sequel to Avatar and Avatar 2 – two of the most profitable films ever. Avatar 4 and 5 will now only be released in 2029 and 2031.
The release of films and series that are already in the pipeline has also been delayed due to the strike. Actors are no longer allowed to appear on red carpets, give interviews, or engage in other promotional activities. Because of the writers’ strike, scripted award shows and late-night shows like Jimmy Kimmel’s have been absent from American television for months.
About the author: John Campbell
John Campbell is the godfather of Polimedia and the oldest author from the whole team. His occasional guidance is crucial for everyone he advises.
