Article updated on 09/11/23: The actors' union SAG-AFTRA has announced that it has agreed on a tentative deal with Hollywoods studios to end its four month-long strike on Thursday.
The BBC reports the union reached an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and TV Producers (AMPTP) in a unanimous vote, which has ended the 118-day pause on creating projects for the entertainment industry and resulted in the delay of numerous TV show and film productions.
'We did it!!!!' shared the union's president Fran Drescher on Instagram, noting that 'new ground was broke everywhere', before thanking individuals 'for hanging in and holding out for this historic deal!'
Chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland told Reuters that the agreement - which is a three-year contract - would 'make a long-term difference for the future of our members in this industry'.
The union says the deal is valued at more than £814m ($1bn) and includes an increase in minimum salaries, a new 'streaming participation' bonus, and more safeguarding against their images and voices being replicated by artificial intelligence (AI).
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 members, with several notable actors including Florence Pugh and Margot Robbie going on strike from July 14. The decision has resulted in a major disruption to the film and TV industry across the world, not only in the US. For example, the release of films including Dune: Part Two and Fantastic Four have all been delayed.
Not only did the strike stop production, but also meant that stars would not attend industry-related events, such as film premieres, and be forbidden from promoting or providing publicity for projects.
Several actors have since come out in celebration following the union's announcement.
Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer wrote on social media: 'Who else is dancing right now??? Ready to work now that the strike is over! Congratulations and thank you to our @sagaftra negotiating committee!'
Meanwhile actor Jamie Lee Curtis posted on Instagram that 'perseverance pays off'.
Of course, this isn't the only strike to have affected Hollywood in recent months.
In September, the Writers Guild of America reached a tentative deal on a new contract with entertainment companies, which marked an end to the 146-day strike.
In an email to members, the WGA, which represents more than 11,000 screenwriters, said: ‘We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional — with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.’
Thousands of screenwriters started picketing on May 2 after the WGA failed to reach a deal on a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the association that negotiates on behalf of studios and streaming services such as Disney and Netflix.
As picketing for members of WGA was suspended in September, SAG-AFTRA congratulated the writers for coming to an agreement. In a statement, the organisation said: ‘We remain on strike in our TV/Theatrical contract and continue to urge the studio and streamer CEOs and the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair deal.’
The writers and actors shared similar demands, including higher base compensation, a bigger cut of project royalties and stricter protections against the use of artificial intelligence.
Naomi May is a freelance writer and editor with an emphasis on popular culture, lifestyle and politics. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard as its Fashion and Beauty Writer, working across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Acting News Editor at ELLE UK and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others.
