The US Actors' Guild has announced a strike for the first time since 1960.
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The protesters are demanding higher wages and a renegotiation of contract terms in light of the streaming industry's growth, as reported by Sarbaz.kz with reference to American media.
The Actors' Guild is joining the Writers Guild of America, which initiated protests in May. The last simultaneous strike by American actors and writers took place in 1960 and lasted for 95 days.
What happened? The Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which includes major US studios like Amazon, Apple, Disney, NBC Universal, and Netflix, failed to reach an agreement on a new three-year labor contract. Over 160,000 union members are demanding new contract terms.
What are the consequences of the protest? In addition to the protest action, actors are refusing to participate in film or television projects. They are also abstaining from any promotional events for the films or series in which they have already appeared, including press conferences, film premieres, and festivals. Promoting any projects on social media is also prohibited.
Who has shown support? The strike has already affected the premiere of the film "Oppenheimer" in London on the evening of July 13th. Actors such as Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., and Kenneth Branagh left the screening. Actress Margot Robbie has also expressed support for the strike.