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Hollywood actors set to join writers' strike for a pay hike amid AI threat

Hollywood actors will join writers' strike over low pay and threat posed by implementation of artificial intelligence, actors will join the protest from Thursday midnight

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The SAG-AFTRA announced in a press conference that the actors will join the strike on Thursday at midnight
Sudeep Singh Rawat New Delhi
3 min read Last Updated : Jul 14 2023 | 11:34 AM IST
Hollywood is witnessing mass shutdown for the first time in the last 63 years as writers went on strike 11 weeks ago over low pay and the potential threat of Artificial Intelligence. Now, actors are also ready to join the protest from Thursday midnight.

As the last-ditch talk failed, the ongoing TV shows and projects are likely to halt.

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), representing 160,000 film and television actors together with the Writers Guild of America (WGA), informed that the negotiation ended without a deal. The writers are demanding a hike in their base pay and assurance that their work wouldn't be replaced by artificial intelligence.

The actors union announced in a press conference that the actors will join the strike on Thursday at midnight after the national board unanimously authorised the walkout.

AMPTP calls it deeply disappointing

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the trade association negotiating on behalf of Netflix Inc (NFLX.O), Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) and other companies, are deeply disappointed with the SAG-AFTRA decision to walk away from the negotiation.

According to the AMPTP association, it has offered the highest percentage of hike in the last 35 years, it also has offered a substantial increase in pension and healthcare contribution caps, and a 76% increase in foreign residual paid from big-budget streaming shows with many other benefits.

Actors are worried about their digital images being used without their permission or adequate compensation. To counter that, AMPTP said, studios will put forward a groundbreaking AI proposal protecting the digital likenesses of actors.

Economic Consequences of the Strike

The dual strike that hit Hollywood for the first time after 1960 will hit the industry economically. There is a high chance that the industry would face lengthy delays, and blockbuster movies will likely be postponed.

The studios asked federal mediators to resolve the deadlock and described SAG-AFTRA as a cynical ploy.

On Wednesday night in London, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer was brought forward by an hour, including actors like Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, so that they can attend the premiere without breaking any rules.

But the strike will surely influence the US premiere of the most awaited movie that will take place on Monday in New York. Not only this, but the strike will also derail the red carpet launch of the Haunted Mansion movie this weekend at Disneyland. 

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Topics :Artificial intelligenceHollywoodwritersStrike

First Published: Jul 14 2023 | 11:34 AM IST

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