Ryan Reynolds took a shot at the actors union, SAG-AFTRA for its memo on Halloween costumes during the ongoing strike. Last week, SAG-AFTRA issued new guidelines to members asking them not to dress up as characters from struck work during Halloween, as they are still fighting for a new deal with the AMPTP. Reynolds was one of the big stars to clap back at this new rule, hinting that the union should have bigger priorities.
SAG-AFTRA’s Halloween policies seem to have been removed from its website now, but according to a report by Variety the union asked members to “celebrate Halloween this year while also staying in solidarity” by not dressing up as characters from struck work. They recommended choosing “costumes inspired by generalized characters and figures (ghost, zombie, spider, etc.)” or “non-struck content” such as animated projects. Additionally, the union asked members not to post photos of other people’s costumes inspired by struck content on social media. That seemed to be where Reynolds took issue.
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“I look forward to screaming ‘scab’ at my 8-year-old all night. She’s not in the union but she needs to learn,” Reynolds joked in a comment online. Many responded with similar takes, feeling that the union was getting too prescriptive and granular with this kind of rule. Other celebrities fired back as well.
“Is this a joke? Come on @sagaftra. This is what’s important?” wrote Mandy More on her Instagram Story. “We’re asking you to negotiate in good faith on our behalf. So many folks across every aspect of this industry have been sacrificing mightily for months. Get back to the table and get a fair deal so everyone can get back to work. Please and thank you.”
According to a report by Independent News, this is the first time public figures in SAG-AFTRA have expressed disappointment with the union’s leaders during the 2023 strike. However, the Halloween rule was consistent with the union’s rules about promoting struck work. A major part of the union’s bargaining power is refusing to use members’ celebrity status to for marketing, and occasions like Halloween are a perfect opportunity for passive promotion.
SAG-AFTRA defended the Halloween policy in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, which seemed to respond directly to Reynolds when it said that the rules do not apply to members’ children. The statement read: “We are on strike for important reasons, and have been for nearly 100 days. Our number one priority remains getting the studios back to the negotiating table so we can get a fair deal for our members, and finally put our industry back to work.”
