Canadian Writers Stand Behind WGA Strike as Local Production Suffers

Editor’s Note: The co-creator & showrunner of Mrs. Davis, Tara Hernandez has put artificial intelligence at the core of her creativity in the just completed Peacock limited series. Today, in a guest column on the Writers Guild of American strike, the Young Sheldon writers’ room alumna takes a different POV on AI and the notion of the individual in a greater collective

Billy Ray and Todd Garner are back after the third week of the WGA standoff on Deadline’s Strike Talk podcast.

The last time a writers strike impacted the LA Screenings in 2008, the world was in recession and studios pared back their spend on glitzy marketing and all-singing, all-dancing parties and soirees. We are not quite at that stage, but, in 2023, these conditions have an air of familiarity.

amid the ongoing, contentious Hollywood writers’ strike.The 49-year-old and his showrunners — Brian Boyle, Matt Weitzman, Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin — walked out in support of the ongoing Writers Guild of America work stoppage, Deadline recently reported. MacFarlane — who has voiced “Family Guy” characters including Peter, Brian and Stewie Griffin, and “American Dad!” lead Stan Smith — reportedly has no plans to return until an agreement between the WGA and his studio, 20th Television, is reached.“Family Guy” wrapped up its 21st season on Fox on May 7; however, MacFarlane’s popular “American Dad!” is two months into its 20th season, which premiered Mar. 27 on TBS.The latter has three months of scripts and voiceovers already in the can, according to Deadline, and the studio would need to devise a plan for moving forward with the rest of the season.Neither MacFarlane nor his Fuzzy Door Productions received a suspension letter from NBCUniversal, the publication claimed.The Emmy Award winner participated in the 2007to 2008 writers’ strike that lasted 100 days, so rejoining the movement 15 years later might not come as much of a shock.The Post has reached out to MacFarlane’s representatives for comment.On May.

Family Guy and American Dad until the Writers Guild Of America (WGA) has secured a new deal.As reported by Deadline, MacFarlane, who created both shows, and showrunners Brian Boyle, Matt Weitzman, Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin, told production company 20th Television last week that they will no longer work on their respective series until the strike ends.It’s claimed MacFarlane has been seen on the picket lines in support of the strike, which began on May 2 after unsuccessful negotiations between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).It’s unclear how disruptive the departures will be to each series.

A coalition of eight professional sports unions representing thousands of baseball, football, soccer and hockey players has issued a statement in support of the ongoing Writers Guild strike, which is now in its third week.

This year’s Honorary Palme d’or recipient Michael Douglas received a lengthy standing ovation as he cruised on stage in Buñuel theatre to chair a masterclass session where he broke down his career as an actor and producer.

will not negotiate a waiver or interim deal to allow WGA screenwriters to write a script for the show’s broadcast — leaving theater’s biggest night in limbo. “As has been previously reported, the Writers Guilds of America East and West (WGA) will not negotiate an interim agreement or a waiver for the Tony Awards,” the statement said.

76th Annual Tony Awards will go on without having to cross a picket line.The Writers Guild of America announced on Monday that they will not picket this year's show, which is set for June 11, amid the ongoing writers' strike.«Tony Awards Productions (a joint venture of the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing) has communicated with us that they are altering this year’s show to conform with specific requests from the WGA,» a statement from the guild explained, according to «Therefore the WGA will not be picketing the show.»«As they have stood by us, we stand with our fellow workers on Broadway who are impacted by our strike,» the statement added.The show will proceed, although in an unspecified altered form, as planned.Kate Shindle, president of Actor Equity, took to Twitter to share her thanks with the WGA for their agreement, «Thank you, @WGAWest and @WGAEast. @ActorsEquity members: time to double down on showing up at their pickets.»«Oh, and because it can’t be said enough: this is still #AMPTP’s fault, and the writers should never have been put in this position,» she added. «We can appreciate the grace AND point at the culprits, right?»Oh, and because it can’t be said enough: this is still #AMPTP’s fault, and the writers should never have been put in this position.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The Directors Guild of America is continuing its negotiations with the AMPTP, as companies hope to get a deal that could play a role in ending the two-week-old writers strike. Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America told members Monday that the guild is winning the “PR war” against the studios, as members share their stories in the media. “It seems the whole world is on our side,” wrote Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, a WGA East vice president, in an email to members titled “Our Momentum Grows.” “Members’ individual stories of our broken system — of getting by on ten weeks of work a year, of residual checks amounting to pennies — are resonating with the public. They understand we are losing out on the middle-class American Dream. We are not the elite. We are just like them. We are them.”

No decisions were reached at today’s emergency meeting of the Tony Awards Management Committee, a get-together in which contingency plans were discussed in light of last week’s news that the June 11 ceremony will not be televised on CBS due to the Writers Guild of America strike.

“The Little Mermaid”The Dolby Theatre, HollywoodUnder the sea and back to Hollywood in a whole new way! At the world premiere of Walt Disney’s live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” a crowd of excited fans helped make the atmosphere electric, cheering on the stars and their friends who walked the blue carpet. Adorned with shimmering seashell decorations and with the sounds of Caribbean music filling the air, the joyful feeling immersed everyone in the world of the film.“The Little Mermaid” herself, Halle Bailey, wowed in a shimmery sea-blue gown that evoked Ariel, while Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Art Malik, Awkwafina and director Rob Marshall gathered for the celebration. TheWrap caught up with Melissa McCarthy (who plays the much-loved musical’s iconic octopus villain Ursula), to discuss the backlash that African-American star Bailey experienced when cast as Ariel, who is white in the animated classic.

Rep. Katie Porter joined writers on the picket line at the Culver Studios in Los Angeles on Friday in solidarity with the ongoing WGA strike.

In May 2020, two months into the production shutdown caused by the global pandemic, NBC acquired Canadian medical drama Transplant, which landed on the network’s Covid-impacted fall schedule. In December of that year, NBC picked up Season 2 of the show.

EXCLUSIVE: Password, the game show from Jimmy Fallon and hosted by Keke Palmer, is returning to NBC for a second season.

Netflix, Disney, Apple, Amazon, Paramount, Warner Bros. and others. On the WGA side, writers are seeking better pay, streaming residuals, safeguards against AI technology that threaten to replace their work, among other issues amid the rise of streaming services.Since the strike was announced, a number of films and TV shows have shut down production in solidarity – or because they can’t move forward without the involvement of writers.

EXCLUSIVE: The fledgling Guild of Screenwriters of Ukraine (GSU) has backed its WGA counterparts “unconditionally,” stating that a “screenwriter is a creator of history and this should be evaluated appropriately.”

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos will no longer attend a gala meant to honor him next week in New York. The decision comes as labor issues grab headlines across Hollywood. Sarandos was set to accept the Business Visionary Award at the annual PEN American Spring Literary Gala, alongside fellow honoree Lorne Michaels and a host of literati including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Susan Choi, Jennifer Egan, Min Jin Lee, Jay McInerney and Gay Talese. He’s skipping the event, to be held under the blue whale at the American Museum of Natural History, as many industry celebrations weigh how to address the writers strike. “Given the potential to disrupt this wonderful evening, I thought it was best to pull out so as not to distract from the important work that PEN America does for writers and journalists, as well as the celebration of my friend and personal hero Lorne Michaels. I hope the evening is a great success,” Sarandos told Variety in a statement.

Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds and guitarist Daniel Wayne Sermon surprised the Writers Guild Of America strikers with a mini-performance on the Netflix picket line in Hollywood yesterday (May 9).Performing an acoustic set of hits including ‘Radioactive’ and ‘Whatever It Takes’, the rock band provided entertainment to the writers who were on strike Tuesday outside of the Netflix headquarters.The Writers Guild Of America, also known as WGA, have been on strike since last week as they fight for higher pay and improved working conditions.Reynolds shared his support for the writers, telling TMZ: “We just want fair compensation for people who put in the time and are incredible creators. We have many friends who are writers.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ appearance at an MTV-sponsored town hall has been postponed amid the the Writers Guild of America strike.