See Photos From The Picket Lines As SAG-AFTRA Strike Hits Los Angeles And New York
Members of SAG-AFTRA, the Hollywood actors union, on Friday joined picket lines where members of the Writers Guild of America have been demanding better working conditions for weeks.
Day 1 of the actors strike saw “Ted Lasso” star Jason Sudeikis picketing alongside crowds of other performers and scribes whose names roll by at the end of well-loved TV shows and films.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists represents around 160,000 people — not just major stars but lesser-known working actors who say the streaming era has made it increasingly difficult to make a good living. They share similar concerns about residuals payments, artificial intelligence and other developing technologies with the writers union, which began its strike in early May.
Production in Hollywood has essentially frozen in time as the workers demonstrate outside major studios in Los Angeles and New York City, including Netflix, Paramount, NBCUniversal and others.
The strike could last for weeks or months; studio executives have threatened to drag out negotiations with the unions to inflict maximum economic damage on their members.
Scroll on for scenes from the picket lines.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher speaks on Day 1 of the strike. On Thursday, Drescher gave a rousing speech against the trade group representing the studios, saying at one point: “They plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right, while giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them."
Actor Jason Sudeikis is seen behind a "believe" sign — a reference to "Ted Lasso" — while picketing NBC outside Rockefeller Center on Friday in New York City.
A demonstrator in Los Angeles holds a sign reading, "I will only memorize lines written by a person!"
Writer Dayna Lynne Northe and "Insecure" actor Kendrick Sampson record a video outside Warner Bros.
Striking writers and actors rally outside Sunset Bronson Studios in Los Angeles.
Actor Frances Fisher holds a sign that says "AI is not art" at a rally outside Paramount studios.
Actor Allison Janney joins the picket line outside Warner Bros. Studios. Her sign reads, "Name your favorite movie without actors."
Josh Gad (left), who voiced Olaf in "Frozen," and actor Rory O'Malley join demonstrators outside Fox Studios in Los Angeles.
"Mandalorian" actor Rosario Dawson holds a sign reading "SAG-AFTRA on strike" outside Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, on Friday.
Members of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA picket outside Rockefeller Center.
"Saturday Night Live" player Chloe Fineman and writer-actor Sydney Steinberg picket Warner Bros.
Outside Paramount Studios, a demonstrator holds a sign that reads, "Pay us!"
A demonstrator holds a sign reading "where the fuck is Ben Affleck" alongside striking WGA and SAG-AFTRA members.
