It’s Day 11 of the SAG-AFTRA strike and Day 84 of the WGA strike. On this exciting Monday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez showed her support by joining the picket lines in front of Warner Bros Discovery in New York. But the real highlight of the day was when a mother and son duo became strike demonstrators at Paramount in Los Angeles. Carol, visiting from Vermont to see her son Graham, who attends USC, had planned to take a guided tour of the studio. However, upon arrival, they were greeted by the picket signs of SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild. Instead of going on the tour, they decided to join the picket line and hold their own signs.
Their story gained recognition from WGA organizers as the picketing came to an end at midday. Notable picketers at Paramount included the talented Jack Black. Over at Fox Studios in Century City, more than 100 demonstrators, including Clark Gregg from Marvel projects, showed their support for both SAG-AFTRA and the WGA. Gregg expressed his concern about companies prioritizing hedge fund institutional shareholders over their audience, and the looming threat of AI. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a partnership with artists and respecting their rights.
Jon Huertas from This Is Us also joined the picket line at Fox Studios. He highlighted the systemic issues with residuals and the lack of economic protections for background performers. Huertas believes that background performers play a crucial role in creating a realistic world on screen and should be compensated fairly. Showrunner Shawn Ryan, known for The Shield and Timeless, shared his perspective on the negative impact of so-called “efficiencies” in the writers’ room and how he has fought to maintain traditional ways of doing business.
Meanwhile, at Netflix in Los Angeles, Jennifer Robertson, Patrick Fischler, and Jo Bustamante from Schitt’s Creek joined the strike lines. Bustamante, who has worked on multiple productions, expressed her concerns about AI and shared her challenging living situation. The cast and crew of Netflix’s drama Queen of the South, including Yancey Arias, also showed their support at the L.A. location.
In New York, Sandra Bernhard joined the lines and discussed how the strike action is part of a larger tipping point in the world, both environmentally and politically. It’s inspiring to see so many individuals coming together to fight for their rights and make a difference in the entertainment industry.
