EXCLUSIVE: In a groundbreaking move, Hollywood’s biggest stars came together on a Tuesday Zoom call to address the ongoing actors strike that has now surpassed 100 days. They presented a proposal to SAG-AFTRA leaders that could potentially revolutionize the industry. The proposal suggests that the highest-earning actors should contribute more by eliminating the cap on membership dues. The additional funds would then be used to strengthen health benefits and other areas that SAG-AFTRA is working to improve. This offer would remove the current $1 million cap on membership dues. Furthermore, the stars have also put forward a formula to ensure that the actors with the least financial stability are the first to receive payment in the residual system for streaming. Last night, SAG-AFTRA leaders presented this offer to their negotiating committee.
FilmmakerFocus recently reported that a group of influential stars, including George Clooney, Emma Stone, Ben Affleck, Tyler Perry, and Scarlett Johansson, met with SAG leaders Fran Drescher and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. Clooney himself confirmed the proposal put forth by the stars. “A lot of the top earners want to be part of the solution,” said the two-time Oscar winner. “We’ve offered to remove the cap on dues, which would bring over $50 million to the union annually, and well over $150 million over the next three years. We believe it’s fair for us to contribute more to the union. Additionally, we suggest implementing a bottom-up residual structure, where the top actors on the call sheet would be the last to receive residuals, not the first. These negotiations are ongoing, but we wanted to demonstrate that we are all in this together and find ways to bridge the gap in actors’ pay.”
There is much more to discuss as SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP negotiators point fingers at each other after the studios walked away from the bargaining table. However, many see this proposal as a positive step forward, especially during a time when the industry is at a standstill and below-the-line workers are struggling. This group’s willingness to contribute such a significant amount of money to bring the negotiations to a close is admirable. Stay tuned for further updates.
