Drew Barrymore pauses talk show premiere till after Hollywood strikes end
Drew Barrymore has put the premiere of her talk show on hold until the conclusion of the current Hollywood strikes.
The decision to resume production of The Drew Barrymore Show was met with wide backlash, including from the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who picketed outside CBS Broadcast Center as taping resumed this week.
Alyssa Milano told The Associated Press that it was “not a great move” on Barrymore’s part, while Bradley Whitford also spoke out against the decision.
“Drew Barrymore would like you to know that undermining union solidarity at the most crucial moment in Hollywood labor history makes her the victim,” he wrote on Twitter. “This has been, like, a super tough week for her.”
Barrymore initially defended her decision in a widely-shared video, where she insisted the return of the show would comply with the terms of the strike. More specifically, this would mean that the show wouldn’t feature any writing or literary work. The video was taken down a few hours later.
Now, Barrymore has announced she is going back on her decision. In a statement shared on Instagram on Sunday, Barrymore said: “I have listened to everyone and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over.
“I have no words to express my deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who works on the show and has made it what it is today.
“We really tried to find our way forward. And I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry very soon.”
The SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild And American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and the WGA are currently on the picket lines for the first dual Hollywood strike action since 1960. Their current dispute with television networks relates to issues over pay, working conditions and the threat posed to their jobs by unregulated AI.
Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA last week announced its intention to authorise a strike against major game publishers.
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Emma Wilkes
NME
