The union representing Hollywood’s actors declared a strike Thursday, hours after negotiations broke down between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that represents the major studios.

What You Need To Know

  • SAG-AFTRA, the union representing Hollywood’s actors, is set to go on strike Thursday for the first time in more than 40 years

  • The strike will begin at midnight Thursday, with actors starting picket lines Friday morning

  • Wednesday was the final day for AMPTP to reach a deal with SAG-AFTRA, whose members voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike last month if the current contract expired and new terms were not agreed upon

  • The Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May 2 after the union representing Hollywood writers failed to reach a deal with AMPTP

“The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on key issues,” SAG-AFTRA negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said at a press conference from the SAG-AFTRA offices in Los Angeles. 

“Actors deserve a contract that reflects the changes that have taken place in the industry,” he said. “Unfortunately, the current streaming model has undercut performance residual income, and high inflation has further reduced our members’ ability to make ends meet.”

The strike will begin at midnight Thursday, with actors starting picket lines Friday morning.

“I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us,” SAG President Fran Drescher said. “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.”

Drescher said the union was open to speak with the AMPTP Thursday night before the strike begins.

“They know what it will take to make a deal,” Crabree-Ireland said, adding that he and Drescher met with several studio executives Wednesday.

Wednesday was the final day for AMPTP to reach a deal with SAG-AFTRA, whose members voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike last month if the current contract expired and new terms were not agreed upon. SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP had been negotiating since June 7. Negotiations ended at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday without a deal.

SAG-AFTRA, which represents more than 160,000 actors and other entertainment professionals, is demanding higher residual payments from streaming companies that are based on a show’s success.

SAG representatives said AMTP offered a 60% increase in residuals and a 58% increase in salaries for major roles. It also proposed that background performers whose images are scanned using artificial intelligence be paid for one day’s work, after which the studios would be able to use their image without additional pay to the actor.

"This is the union's choice,” the AMPTP said in a statement, “not ours. Rather than continuing to negotiate, SAG-AFTRA has put us on a course that will deepen the financial hardship for thousands who depend on the industry for their livelihoods."

The last time SAG-AFTRA members walked out on the job was 1980. This week’s strike effectively shuts down all scripted TV series and movie shoots and also prevents actors from promoting their films while the strike is happening.

The Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May 2 after the union representing Hollywood writers failed to reach a deal with AMPTP, which declined to meet their demands for higher pay from streaming services as well as mandatory staffing and employment duration minimums.

Note: Multimedia journalist Rae Williams spoke with an actor and film historian about the current writers’ strike and looming actors’ strike. Watch the video in the player above.