IATSE Joins Chorus Of Hollywood Unions Supporting WGA As Contract Talks Enter Final Week

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher has told her members that as the union prepares for its upcoming contract negotiations, which start June 7: “We must focus on modernizing our outdated and conservative contract. It is essential that we reshape our agreement to better reflect the new digital and streaming business model that is rapidly changing our industry.”

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher took some heat for comments she made on the picket line May 8, including how she doesn’t think what is “very important to writers … is the kind of the stuff that we’re [the actors] going after.” But while guesting on SiriusXM’s The Julie Mason Show, the former star of The Nanny said both her union and the WGA were “all cogs in the same wheel” and that “it’s important that we sit by our sister unions in solidarity.”

EXCLUSIVE: The AMPTP has called the Writers Guild’s minimum staffing demands for episodic TV shows “a hiring quota that is incompatible with the creative nature of our industry.” But if the WGA prevails in its ongoing strike, it wouldn’t be the first guild to require minimum staffing in its contract.

Princess Kate and Prince William were in great company Sunday for King Charles III coronation concert at Windsor Castle. Their two eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, appeared to be having a blast while sitting in the royal box to watch the show with 20,000 revelers. The family cheered along as Nicole Scherzinger took the stage to sing before Katy Perry and Lionel Richie performed for the new king and queen.

Ed Sheeran has claimed he never received an invite to perform at this evening's Coronation Concert this evening, as fans begin to flood to central London for the special music event. Speaking earlier this month, the Thinking Out Loud singer, 32, expressed his desire to "set the record straight" after reports began circulating that he'd rejected the opportunity to perform before the newly crowned King and Queen.

Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales surprised Coronation Concert-goers with a walkabout at Windsor's Long Walk, where William briefly opened up about his family. During the walkabout, William was asked by one young royal fan where Princess Charlotte was, to which he replied: "She’s very tired after yesterday. She’s having a quiet day at home.

A young fan appeared overwhelmed as she met Kate Middleton on Sunday, bursting into tears as she was comforted by the understanding royal. The sweet moment took place in the middle of the crowds surrounding King Charles' Coronation Concert on Sunday, with the Prince and Princess Of Wales making a surprise appearance to greet the public.

Over 67,000 Big Lunch events will take place around the country this weekend in honour of the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla. And getting into the spirit of the joyous weekend, some members of the royal family have stepped out today to attend some of the events. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh headed to Cranleigh in Surrey for a 'Big Lunch' and greeted the crowds, many of whom were waving Union Jack flags.

SAG-AFTRA, which starts its contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on June 7, is in “the same boat” with the Writers Guild as it strikes for a fair contract, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland told a cheering crowd Wednesday night at the WGA strike rally at the Shrine Auditorium.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The Writers Guild of America West held a rally Wednesday night to demonstrate solidarity with the other Hollywood unions in their collective contract battles against Hollywood’s major employers. About 1,800 guild members attended the meeting at the Shrine Auditorium, and heard from WGA leaders about the reasons behind the two-day old strike. One of the stars of the show, however, was Lindsay Dougherty, the 39-year-old leader of Teamsters Local 399. “We’re all sticking together,” Dougherty told Variety outside the event. “We have an opportunity to change things in this industry, and the only way we’re going to do that is if we’re together.”

Check back for updates… On the second day of the Writers Guild of America’s first strike in 15 years, the guild is holding big meetings on both coasts with members to detail how they got here, what going on and what’s next.

statement posted to Twitter Tuesday. “We believe that everyone working in the film and television industry deserves to be fairly compensated for their work and receive essential benefits.”The statement comes hours after the WGA officially commenced the entertainment industry’s first strike in 15 years after the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) failed to reach a deal by Monday at midnight, when the most recent contract expired.“The decision was made following six weeks of negotiations with Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount and Sony under the umbrella of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP),” the WGA said in a statement Monday evening.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer With half a day to go until the clock strikes midnight on WGA talks, Hollywood is trying to operate as if it were any other day in town, despite the fact TV and film writers could be on strike Tuesday if the negotiations don’t go their way. While high and low-budget shows alike shoot in Los Angeles, New York City, Georgia and across the pond Monday, everyone from writers on sets to executives in office buildings knows Tuesday might bring a situation they haven’t dealt with since 2007. “As expected, it is eerily quiet — it is overcast in LA and that matches the mood of the town,” one comms exec said. “Lots of discussion about what news to announce and how news will play with both sides of the table, so to speak. Definitely feels like the calm before the storm.”

King Krule has announced an extensive tour in support of his upcoming album ‘Space Heavy’.The artist’s new album is due out on June 9 and is set to explore “the space between” two locations he considers home, London and Liverpool.To support the album, King Krule will be playing shows in the UK, Europe and North America. The artist – real name Archy Marshall – has already announced a string of release shows in London, Bristol, Liverpool and Kingston.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Here we are at the precipice of an uncertain yet familiar place. The question of whether the TV and film industry will be shut down by labor action will be answered one way or another by the time Monday ends on the West Coast. In broad strokes, the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers face one of three basic outcomes as the WGA contract expires at midnight PST. Behind Door No. 1 – the sides reach a tentative agreement. Door No. 2 — they agree on a short-term extension, which is unlikely but could be anything from 12 hours to 12 days, or more. Door No. 3 – the talks are called off by one side or the other — or both — and picketing ensues in Los Angeles and New York on May 2.

The 2023 Met Gala is just days away and is going to be one of the most star-studded events of the year, and the Tiffany & Co. event just gave us a sneak peek at what’s to come!

The American Federation of Musicians is the latest union to pledge solidarity with the WGA in its ongoing negotiations for a new film and scripted TV contract. Earlier this week, SAG-AFTRA, the DGA, IATSE and the Teamsters all expressed support for the WGA in its contract talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Negotiations on a new Writers Guild of America contract could go through the weekend, as the sides continue to trade proposals ahead of the Monday deadline. The WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and may hold a session on Saturday, according to a source close to the situation. Given the looming deadline and prospect of a strike grinding Hollywood production activity to a halt, it’s no surprise that the guild and AMPTP representatives would look to work through the weekend in the hopes of avoiding industry-wide disruption. Another source close to the situation emphasized that nothing has been formally scheduled, and may not be until Friday.