Strike two

The 11,000+ writers in the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have been on strike for 73 days.

And, as of this morning, they’re joined by the more than 160,000 performers of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

🔝 From the top…SAG-AFTRA’s three-year contract with Hollywood’s studios, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), was set to expire on July 1. However, in a surprising twist that mirrored a classic Hollywood narrative, the parties agreed to a two-week extension just one day before the deadline.

On July 10, with just two days remaining until the extended deadline, a federal mediator was brought in to help. But a happily-ever-after resolution was not in the cards, as SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP ultimately failed to come to an agreement.

• Most shows still in production will now have to shut down as actors are mandated to walk off the job. Actors will also be discouraged from attending premieres and events like ComicCon.

🤔 The asks: Actors are going on strike to demand better pay and fair residuals that consider streaming revenue (current residuals are based on how often content is re-aired, a concept that doesn’t map onto streaming TV). They’re also concerned about the unregulated use of AI in reproducing their likeness or performances.

🏆 Zoom out: While the vibe in Hollywood is anything but celebratory, the 75th annual Emmy Awards did announce their nominations yesterday. Succession led the pack with 27 noms, followed by The Last of Us (24) and The White Lotus (23). All three shows are made by HBO.