Today, SAG-AFTRA officially voted to go on strike after talks with the studios concluded without a deal or an extension following the current deal expiring on July 12.
The SAG-AFTRA union will join the Writers Guild of America on strike starting at midnight tonight, with SAG-AFTRA members joining the picket lines tomorrow. This marks the first time both unions have been on strike at the same time since 1960.
The last time the Screen Actors Guild, which represents 160,000 performers, went on strike was in 1980.
While the strike was officially called this afternoon, one group of actors joined the strike in solidarity earlier today: the cast of Oppenheimer.
Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, and more members of the Oppenheimer cast were attending the London premiere in the midst of the imminent SAG-AFTRA strike.
In fact, the red carpet was moved an hour earlier so the cast could attend before the strike became official.
While on the red carpet, Emily spoke to Deadline, saying that the cast discussed "leaving together as a cast in unity with everyone" if a strike were to be called mid-premiere.
Matt echoed Emily's sentiments in an interview with Variety at the Oppenheimer premiere, saying, "Once the strike is officially called, [we're walking]. That’s why we moved this [red carpet] up because we know the second it's called, we’re going home."
After the cast walked the red carpet, prior to the screening of Oppenheimer starting, director and writer Christopher Nolan announced that the cast had departed the premiere in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA.
"I have to acknowledge the work of our incredible cast, led by Cillian Murphy," Christopher began while speaking on stage at the UK premiere, according to Deadline.
He continued, saying, "The list is enormous: Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, and so many more. And we have to acknowledge, you'd seen them earlier here on the red carpet, unfortunately they are off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG."
Christopher concluded, adding, "Joining my guild, one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of their union."
Oppenheimer has been one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2023. The film tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who helped develop the atomic bomb.
What added to the buzz for Oppenheimer was the film premiering on the same day as Greta Gerwig's Barbie, creating a movie event fans are calling "Barbenheimer."
With the SAG-AFTRA strike officially called, this will likely put a halt to all remaining US union physical productions that have managed to keep going despite the Writers Guild strike, and press for ongoing projects will pause immediately.
Notably, Ryan Murphy productions, Deadpool 3, and a few others were criticized for continuing to film during the Writers Guild strike.