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After SAG-AFTRA received backlash for approving 207 indie projects to continue filming during the actors-writers strike, the union announced on Monday that it will no longer give permission to independent projects that fall under the WGA contract.
Jason Bateman, Anne Hathaway, and Matthew McConaughey were among the celebrities tied to films in the interim agreements, according to Variety. After confirming that the indie projects were not affiliated with AMPTP companies, SAG-AFTRA had previously argued that the waivers supported the strike in a letter addressed to its members. The union stated that the interim agreement is a “vital part of our strategic approach to these negotiations and to the strike” and noted that the “Interim Agreement is not a waiver. To be clear, it is a contract that includes all terms and conditions for producers looking to employ our members on their specific independent productions.”
As some union members expressed opposition to the approvals, claiming they undermined the strike’s impact, SAG-AFTRA stated that moving forward it will “exclude from Interim Agreements any WGA-covered project to be produced in the USA. We have been advised by the WGA that this modification will assist them in executing their strike strategy, and we believe it does not undermine the utility and effectiveness of ours.” The union called it “a win-win change.”
The WGA strike, which began on May 2, forced many productions, including late-night talk shows and awards presentations, to cease operations. SAG-AFTRA, which represents actors, entered their own strike on July 14. Writers and actors subsequently formed picket lines side by side — marking the first time writers and actors have stopped working at the same time since 1960. Both the writers’ and the actors’ unions have demanded fair and equitable residuals from streaming services and have called for better safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence.
