Hollywood stars go on strike over pay, Al worries

Around 160,000 Hollywood performers went on strike at midnight Thursday in Los Angeles, halting most US film and television productions.

The leaders of SAG-AFTRA, the union representing television and movie actors, announced the strike after negotiations with studios over a new contract failed.

"This is a moment of history, a moment of truth -- if we don't stand tall right now, we are all going to be in trouble," SAG president Fran Drescher told a press conference, following the union board's unanimous vote to strike.

"We are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines and big business," he said, adding that "what’s happening to us is happening across all fields of labor." 

The union was already calling on the streaming giants to agree to fairer profit sharing and better working conditions, and sought to protect actors from being usurped by artificial intelligence digital copies.

The union is also seeking assurances that artificial intelligence (AI) and computer-generated faces and voices will not be used to replace actors.

Several actors, including Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk, Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon, and Hollywood veteran Jamie Lee Curtis, took to Instagram to support the strike.

While the strike lasts, actors cannot appear in films or even promote movies that they have already produced.

As a result, stars Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt left the premiere of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer in London on Thursday night as the strike was declared.

Meanwhile, in order to address concerns about the use of artificial intelligence, the AMPTP, the group negotiating on behalf of Walt Disney(DIS.N), Netflix(NFLX.O), and other major studios and streaming services have come up with what they call a "groundbreaking AI proposal" that would protect actors' digital likenesses and require their consent when digital copies are used in performances.

However, the union has rejected the offer, which was presented by the Alliance of Film and Television Producers, with SAG national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland saying it was "unacceptable".

"They propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and their company should own that scan of their image, their likeness, and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity," said Crabtree-Ireland. "So if you think that's a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again."

For films in production, the strike means a large portion of work will become impossible. Even in cases in which filming has already been completed, actors will be unavailable for re-shoots and other essential elements of the filmmaking process.

Hollywood writers strike over pay or first time in 15 years as talks with studios collapse

Thousands of Hollywood movie and television writers have gone on strike Tuesday due to unstable working conditions, as US TV and film productions will take a grinding halt after 15 years of labor peace.

TV shows still filming will also largely have to be put on hold, although in some cases side deals may be made between performers and producers to keep things going.

"A strike is certainly not the outcome we hoped for as studios cannot operate without the performers that bring our TV shows and films to life," AMPTP warned in a statement.

“Unfortunately, the union has chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for thousands of people who depend on the industry,” AMPTP added.

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