Hollywood actors have now been on strike for almost three weeks. They’ve walked picket strains in broiling warmth, orchestrated noisy rallies and flooded social media with cris de coeur. Harrison Ford’s stunt double lit himself on hearth (safely) at a protest in Georgia. The president of the actors’ union, Fran Drescher, on Tuesday spoke about “greed-driven” studios at a New York Metropolis Council assembly.
However some individuals have been puzzled about one lacking ingredient. As Selection, the leisure commerce journal, put it in a July 24 headline, “Why Haven’t A-Listing Stars Joined the SAG-AFTRA Picket Line?”
Because it seems, some megastars — Meryl Streep and George Clooney, specifically — have contributed differently.
The SAG-AFTRA Basis, a charity that gives monetary help to workaday performers, mentioned on Wednesday that Ms. Streep and Mr. Clooney had helped lead a donation marketing campaign that had raised greater than $15 million over the past three weeks. The pair every gave $1 million after which began to foyer Hollywood’s different top-earning stars for contributions. A Google Doc was created to maintain observe of who was leaning on whom.
Eight extra stars (Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Jackman, Dwayne Johnson, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Oprah Winfrey) gave $1 million or extra, together with two star {couples}: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck and Ryan Reynolds and Blake Energetic.
“I keep in mind my days as a waiter, cleaner, typist, even my time on the unemployment line,” Ms. Streep mentioned in a press release. “On this strike motion, I’m fortunate to have the ability to help those that will wrestle in a protracted motion to maintain in opposition to Goliath.”
Mr. Clooney added, “We’ve stood on the shoulders of the likes of Bette Davis and Jimmy Cagney, and it’s time for our technology to offer one thing again.”
Mr. Johnson’s contribution was disclosed by Courtney B. Vance, president of the SAG-AFTRA Basis, late final month. Nonetheless identified to some followers because the Rock, Mr. Johnson had responded to an attraction by Mr. Vance to high-earning actors at first of the strike. The ensuing publicity was useful in garnering help for the Streep-Clooney marketing campaign, in line with a spokeswoman for the 38-year-old SAG-AFTRA Basis, which is related to the actors’ union however run independently.
Some actors are extremely compensated, however Ms. Drescher advised the New York Metropolis Council that 86 p.c of the union’s 160,000 members make lower than $26,500 a 12 months. Mr. Vance mentioned the muse’s monetary help program “is presently processing greater than 30 instances our ordinary variety of functions for emergency support.”
“We acquired 400 functions within the final week alone,” he mentioned.
Some huge stars have been seen on picket strains, together with Lupita Nyong’o, Colin Farrell, Jane Fonda, Awkwafina and Brendan Fraser, the reigning Oscar winner for greatest actor. However star energy can lower each methods; the strike is about pay minimums, and protests by elite actors may muddy the message. There may be additionally the problem of safety and the likelihood that swarms of followers may descend.
It’s unclear how lengthy the actors’ strike will final — screenwriters are additionally on strike — however most individuals in Hollywood count on it to proceed for a number of extra weeks, at a minimal. SAG-AFTRA final went on strike in 1980.
The actors’ union has mentioned it’s attempting to make sure cheap wages for workaday members, specifically these making films or TV exhibits for streaming providers. Actors additionally fear that synthetic intelligence expertise could possibly be used to create digital replicas of their likenesses (or that performances could possibly be digitally altered) with out cost or approval.
The Alliance of Movement Image and Tv Producers, which bargains on behalf of Hollywood corporations, has mentioned it stays dedicated to reaching a good deal at a tough time for an business upended by the streaming revolution, which the pandemic sped up.
“The union has regrettably chosen a path that can result in monetary hardship for numerous 1000’s of people that depend upon the business,” the alliance mentioned in a information launch when actors walked out.
