In a passionate speech, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher has announced that the Screen Actors Guild will join the WGA on the picket line against the AMPTP. The Actors Strike has begun.
The entertainment world was shaken when the Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced they were going on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). This has caused multiple movies and television shows, including highly-anticipated Marvel and Star Wars projects, to stop production altogether.
While the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) has stood in solidarity with the WGA, there were still those that hoped they’d be able to reach an agreement with the AMPTP. But after SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher’s speech, it’s clear that things are about to get worse for the studios.
Fran Drescher: “The Jig is Up, AMPTP!”
Appearing in front of the press on July 13, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, known for her performance as Fran Fine in The Nanny (1993-1999), gave a fiery speech announcing that SAG-AFTRA will be joining the WGA on the picket line in over 60 years. In her speech, Drescher condemned the AMPTP and their shocking amount of corporate greed.
“I went in earnest thinking that we would be able to avert a strike… And so it came with great sadness that we came to this crossroads. But we had no choice. We are the victims here. We are being victimized by a very greedy entity. I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us,” said Drescher. “I cannot believe it, quite frankly: How far apart we are on so many things. How they plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them.”
President of SAG-AFTRA Fran Drescher's speech against the AMPTP was fantastic. A historical day. pic.twitter.com/iTzQY7xxtB
— Todd Spence (@Todd_Spence) July 13, 2023
President Drescher then stated that every actor stands with their union and their sister unions to fight against a contract that doesn’t match an industry that has been completely changed by digital media, streaming, and AI. “You cannot change the business model as much as it has changed and not expect the contract to change too,” she said, “We’re not going to keep doing incremental changes on a contract that no longer honors what is happening right now with this business model that was foisted upon us. What are we doing… moving around furniture on the Titanic? It’s crazy.”
Drescher ended her speech with an ultimatum to the AMPTP: “So the jig is up, AMPTP. We stand tall. You have to wake up and smell the coffee. We are labor, and we stand tall, and we demand respect and to be honored for our contribution. You share the wealth because you cannot exist without us. Thank you.”
The strike has been ordered to officially begin on July 14 at 12:01 a.m. You can watch the whole speech here.
Related: Op-Ed: The Studios Aren’t Ready For Social Media Activists in This Strike
All of this comes shortly after an anonymous producer admitted that the current game plan was to “allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses,” with one admitting it was a “cruel but necessary evil.” Disney CEO Bob Iger echoed the sentiment this morning, stating in an interview, “There’s a level of expectation that they have that is just not realistic.”
Apparently, expecting more than just a day’s pay for a company to use your likeness forever is not a realistic expectation.
Which side of the strike do you stand on? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below.