Talk about a strike by the Screen Actors Guild has been going on for a while now. The two parties – the SAG and the studios have met a couple of times for negotiations but it seems that neither wants to back down. The potential result is a strike carried out by the SAG. As you may know, Hollywood was practically crippled by a strike carried out by writers sometime around last year. The result of that strike was catastrophic to the industry. Can you just imagine what a strike by the SAG will do?
There is a big difference between the writers’ strike and the looming SAG strike, however. While the former pulled together everyone involved, the SAG is divided as to what course of action to take. Some high profile Hollywood celebrities have spoken out in full support of the strike while others, who are just as popular, oppose the strike.
The Guardian is running a story today:
On one side stand Hollywood liberals such as George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Helen Mirren and Kevin Spacey, who are opposed to staging a strike over royalties during the current economic downturn. Opposing them stand another group of well-known Hollywood liberals, including Martin Sheen, Holly Hunter, Mel Gibson and Ed Harris.
In a letter to the union’s membership, the group including Clooney and Hanks urged their fellow thespians to “take the high road”, saying: “We feel very strongly that SAG [Screen Actors Guild]members should not vote to authorise a strike at this time.”
With such strong-willed and powerful people on both sides of one camp, who knows what will happen in the next few weeks?