SAG-AFTRA Officially on Strike as Actors Join Writers on Picket Lines

By Megan Behnke

SAG-AFTRA has officially gone on strike, and actors have already joined writers on the picket lines. Two months into the WGA writers' strike, members of SAG-AFTRA are now picketing as well after failing to come to a fair agreement with studios following an extension. According to Deadline, it is the Guild's first walkout since 1980 and the first time both the writers and actors have been on strike at the same time since 1960, back when Ronald Reagan wasn't president of the United States but instead president of the Screen Actors Guild.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that the strike, which is effective at midnight tonight, will impact 160,000 union members. While discussions were reportedly "extremely productive" in late June, both sides failed to come to a deal. The Guild previously voted unanimously to strike in case an agreement wasn't reached, and in recent days, preparations were also made in terms of setting rules. Many members have started to join the picket lines, as the outlet posted on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Deadline was outside of Netflix Studios in Los Angeles, where people were already gathering during SAG-AFTRA's press conference, with bull horns in order to help with the volume, and cars can also be heard honking in the background in support. When word got out that the members would be striking, writers, actors, and supporters alike were cheering.

Many actors have previously taken to the picket lines in order to show support for the writers, including Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay, who took to picket lines in New York to share a speech with the writers. More and more actors will likely take to the picket lines in the following days as they try to advocate for not only the writers but now themselves to earn a fair deal.

Along with the strike, the Guild has set aside some rules for members while the strike is ongoing, as one person pointed out on Twitter. During the strike, actors will not be able to film any movie or television show; they won't be able to participate in any promo for projects, whether it's finished or ongoing, which means no press junkets or premieres; and it has been highly advised for actors to not attend conventions like San Diego Comic-Con, which is where studios do all of their promoting for upcoming projects, and is set to take place July 20-23. What this means for smaller conventions is unknown, though.

How long the strike could last is also unknown, as the previous one lasted for 95 days. Hopefully, studios come to an agreement with SAG-AFTRA and WGA soon because the entertainment industry definitely can't survive much longer.

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