It's been nearly 100 days since the SAG-AFTRA strike began.
Unfortunately, strike negotiations for fair wages in an era of streaming and artificial intelligence broke down between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMTMP).
The union released a statement accusing the industry CEOs of using "bully tactics" and refusing to negotiate.
"It is with profound disappointment that we report the industry CEOs have walked away from the bargaining table after refusing to counter our latest offer. We have negotiated with them in good faith, despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began."
Read the fullΒ statementΒ here.
Now, with Halloween approaching, SAG-AFTRA issued some rather strict guidelines telling guild members not to dress up as any popular characters from AMTMP projects like Barbie, Wednesday, Marvel, or Disney and instead "choose costumes inspired by generalized characters and figures β ghost, zombie, spider, etc."
Several notable actors have responded to these strict guidelines:
Little House on the Prairie star and former SAG president Melissa Gilbert responded to the guidelines. "THIS is what you guys come up with? Literally no one cares what anyone wears for Halloween. I mean, do you really think this kind of infantile stuff is going to end the strike? We look like a joke," she said.
This Is Us alum Mandy Moore posted on her IG stories, "Is this a joke? Come on, @sagaftra. This is what's important. 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."
The Rookie: Feds actor Kevin Zegers wrote, "This is the kind of silly bullshit that keeps us on strike. 'Let's enact a policy that makes us look petty and incompetent at the same time.'"
American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy wrote, "I cannot express to you how insane this is. Do these leaders not understand how much our crews are hurting? How so many are losing their homes....their mental health? And they scoff imperiously at George Clooney's generous offer to help AND on the same day publicize this Halloween costume nonsense? It's shameful.
Armchair Expert podcast host Dax Shepard wrote, "Ridiculous. Can this even be true?"
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alum J. August Richards wrote, "Now that's just way too much... wearing a costume in yr private life is not promoting a movie."
Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds responded to a Variety tweet, writing, "I look forward to screaming 'scab' at my 8-year-old all night. She's not in the union, but she needs to learn."
And now, in response to Ryan's tweet, SAG-AFTRA has clarified the Halloween costume rules. In the statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, the union explained, "SAG-AFTRA issued Halloween guidance in response to questions from content creators and members about how to support the strike during this festive season. This was meant to help them avoid promoting struck work, and it is the latest in a series of guidelines we have issued."
