The SAG-AFTRA strike continues. And with indications that the two sides aren’t really talking, it seems unlikely that it will be ending anytime soon. But the actors on strike are making their voices heard, and during a rally in New York yesterday acclaimed actor Bryan Cranston took aim directly at Disney CEO Bob Iger on the issues of fair pay, as well as the use of Artificial Intelligence in films.
Actors took to Times Square in New York for the “Rock the City for a Fair Contract” rally where several prominent names spoke in support of the union’s demands. Among the speeches, Bryan Cranston took specific aim at the CEO of Disney, who recently made headlines for saying that the union’s demands were “not realistic.” Cranston said (via Variety) that while he understood why Iger would have a different perspective on the strike than the actors, he hoped the CEO would listen to what was being said and understand why they were asking for it. Cranston addressed the rally saying…
We’ve got a message for Mr. Iger. I know, sir, that you look [at] things through a different lens. We don’t expect you to understand who we are. But we ask you to hear us, and beyond that to listen to us when we tell you we will not be having our jobs taken away and given to robots. We will not have you take away our right to work and earn a decent living. And lastly, and most importantly, we will not allow you to take away our dignity! We are union through and through, all the way to the end!
The union has asked for many changes to the existing contract between itself and the studios. Most notably, the actors are looking for better residual payments for streaming productions, as most of the current deals only extend to films or broadcast television. They’re also looking for assurances that the currently progressing AI technology isn’t used to supplant them in any way. The WGA union, covering Hollywood writers, is also on strike for many of the same reasons.
It’s certainly true that Bob Iger is going to have a different perspective on things than SAG. Iger is responsible to shareholders, who are seemingly looking at Disney’s profitability above all else. Disney specifically has been under fire for its profits, leading to significant layoffs throughout Disney this year. Certainly, any concessions that pay actors more will impact that profitability. It doesn’t mean Disney or other studios won’t be profitable, but Wall Street likes to see growth, and spending more on movie and TV projects due to a new contract would slow that growth at best.
Actors, on the other hand, want what they see as their fair share of the money being made by these projects. While Hollywood has pivoted hard to streaming, actors and writers have been seeing less money because of it. Thus far it appears that both sides are holding firm, which only means that the strike will continue.