SAG strike: All we know as Fran Drescher’s fiery speech on Hollywood goes viral

The actors’ strike will have huge ramifications for movies and TV shows far beyond what goes on during filming.

The US union Sag-Aftra confirmed its first major member strike in more than 40 years last night as the cast of Oppenheimer walked out of the movie’s London premiere to show their support.

The union has directed all its members to immediately stop work on all scripted film and TV around the world.

The union and Hollywood studios couldn’t reach an agreement after more than a month of talks, with actors calling for better pay and safeguarding around artificial intelligence (AI) rights along with other demands.

According to guidelines laid out by the the Screen Actors Guild, members cannot attend premieres, award shows or film festivals during the strike.

They are banned from doing interviews for completed projects or even promoting them on social media.

Furthermore, they cannot go to conventions like Comic-Con to promote any past or present work that was made under a contract with Sag-Aftra.

In terms of on and off camera work, everything is covered from acting, singing dancing, stunt work and puppeteering through to motion capture work, trailers, voice acting, narration and more.

Background and stand-in work is also banned, only with body doubles, makeup tests, fittings, rehearsals and auditions.

The strike rules even prohibit negotiating, entering into or consenting to ‘an agreement to perform covered services in the future’, as well as deals ‘related to merchandising connected to a covered project’.

During a press conference on Thursday, the union’s president Fran Drescher said: ‘We are being victimized by a very greedy enterprise. At some point you have to say, “No, we’re not going to take this anymore.” ‘

This marks only the second time ever in history that actors and writers have taken strike action at the same time, with the Writers Guild of America striking since May 2.

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MORE : Margot Robbie, Jamie Lee Curtis and Matt Damon among celebrities voicing support for Sag-Aftra strike

MORE : Oppenheimer cast walks out of UK premiere in support of actors’ strike: ‘They’re off to write their picket signs’