SAG-AFTRA Teams With ATA To Pay Actors’ Unclaimed Residuals
EXCLUSIVE: SAG-AFTRA and the Association of Talent Agents have worked out a deal that should make it easier for thousands of actors to collect their unclaimed residuals. The union is holding nearly $50 million in unclaimed SAG residuals for more than 100,000 performers it can’t locate.
“With the help and support of the Association of Talent Agents, SAG-AFTRA has introduced an additional process to help performers collect unclaimed residuals,” the union said in a statement. “ATA has volunteered to provide its member agencies with instructions on how their clients can determine whether they are owed unclaimed residuals and, if so, how they can get this money released. By partnering with the ATA in this way, SAG-AFTRA will be able to ensure that even tough-to-find members are able to collect the residuals to which they’re entitled.”
ATA executive director Karen Stuart sent an email today to the more than 100 talent agencies informing them of the new push to get their clients paid the money they’re owed.
“SAG-AFTRA may be holding residual funds in trust for your clients,” she told the agents via email. “ATA has reached out to SAG-AFTRA to help facilitate payment of TV/film residuals to actors whose current address may not be on file.”
“You can help by going to the website or suggest your client check the website below and search their name or loan-out corporation: https://www.sagaftra.org/search-unclaimed-residuals.
“A client with money in trust should fill out the attached form and email it to trustoutreach@sagaftra.org or call (323) 549-6535 for questions.
“This is a voluntary program for ATA members, but we encourage your participation. For privacy purposes, the amount of money being held does not appear on the website and can only be disclosed once the client’s identity is confirmed.”
Stuart credited a series of Deadline articles for helping to get the ball rolling. “It was Deadline’s articles that prompted me to reach out to my board and members and ultimately to SAG-AFTRA to aid in the collection of these unclaimed residuals,” she told Deadline. Here is a sampling of those articles:
RelatedDozens of SAG Awards Nominees Owed Unclaimed SAG Residuals
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