Actors’ strike ends as SAG-AFTRA and studios agree to deal, Hollywood reacts

9 November, 2023

Today (November 9), the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has called an end to the actors’ strike that first began in July.

SAG-AFTRA took to social media to announce the end of the strike, writing: “Our TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee voted unanimously to approve a tentative agreement with the AMPTP [Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers]. As of 12:01 a.m. PT on Nov. 9, our strike is officially suspended & all picket locations are closed.”

SAG-AFTRA also notes that the agreement with the AMPTP comes with a three-year contract “valued at over one billion dollars” that includes “above-pattern” minimum compensation increases, “unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI”, a streaming participation bonus and more.

However, SAG-AFTRA has also noted that the “full details of the agreement will not be provided until the tentative agreement is reviewed by the SAG-AFTRA National Board,” which would take days.

Following the news of SAG-AFTRA’s strike coming to an end, actors in Hollywood have begun celebrating their return to work. Some actors – including the cast of The Iron Claw – found out about the strike’s conclusion from members of the press while attending premieres.

“It makes me feel incredible, I don’t know the details of the deal but I’m sure that [SAG-AFTRA] got what we wanted, what they wanted. And I’m so happy for our crews,” said The Iron Claw and The Bear star Jeremy Allen White.

White’s Iron Claw co-stars Zac Efron and Harris Dickinson similarly found out about the end of the strike while at the premiere. “Let’s go!,” exclaimed Efron, while Dickinson quipped about getting back to work.

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher wrote on Instagram: “We did it!!!! The Billion+ $ Deal! 3X the last contract! New ground was broke everywhere! [Thank you SAG-AFTRA] members for hanging in and holding out for this historic deal!”

Alec Baldwin took to Instagram to share a video message and wrote: “The SAG-AFTRA strike has ended. Congratulations to each and every person, on both sides, who are responsible for this great occasion.”

Daniel Dae Kim, who will star in Netflix‘s upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender series, wrote: “Let’s hope the deal is fair and we can get back to work!”.

The SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike began on July 13 following a break down in negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the SAG-AFTRA over the union’s demands for protection against the threat of AI, fair compensation and more.

The July strike coincided with the Writers Guild of America’s (WGA) writers strike that began in May and ended in late September. It marked the first time in 60 years that both unions were on strike at the same time.

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