SAG-AFTRA Expands “Quick Photo Op” Strike Events To Orlando, Atlanta & Honolulu

As the SAG-AFTRA strike enters its second month with no end in sight, joining the WGA strike that began in May, some of Hollywood’s biggest stars have been taking to picket lines to support the unions.

The New York City Council’s Committee on Civil Service and Labor passed a resolution today in support of a fair contract for striking actors and writers.  

Kerry Washington is reconnecting with some former co-stars on the picket line.

Will Smith put a high-profile spotlight today on his fellow actors and scribes out on strike.

Mike Massa, a veteran Hollywood stuntman who’s credits include “Star Trek”, “The Italian Job” and doubling for Harrison Ford in the last two “Indiana Jones” movie, made a big impression during an Atlanta protest in support of the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Snoop Dogg is choosing to take a stand for the writers and actors on strike in Hollywood by canceling some of his upcoming shows.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Prince Royal, an actor in Los Angeles, was working as an extra on “The Flash” when he was directed to a tractor trailer to “take pictures.” Inside were hundreds of cameras. He stood with his arms up as the operators took a 3-D scan, which he was told would be used for continuity and special effects. “We were told if we didn’t do it, we’d be sent home without pay,” he said.

SAG-AFTRA will hold a mass rally in Times Square on Tuesday morning. It’s expected to be the biggest rally in NYC since the strike began on July 14. Celebs scheduled to attend the “Rock the City for a Fair Contract” rally include Bryan Cranston, Steve Buscemi, Christian Slater, Lauren Ambrose, Christine Baranski, Matt Bomer, Tituss Burgess, Liza Colón-Zayas, Gregory Diaz, Jennifer Ehle, Nancy Giles, Danai Gurrira, Jill Hennessy, Marin Hinkle, Stephen Lang, Arian Moayed, Wendell Pierce, Corey Stoll and Merritt Wever.

Actors and writers of Us‘ favorite shows and movies have been reuniting on the picket lines amid the historic WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike.

Daniel Radcliffe is joining the fellow picketers.

Jordyn Palos Not many publicists will talk about the strikes – especially not publicly. It is our job to stay in the background and navigate the public-facing and oftentimes private worlds of the talent we represent. It’s a career that I have loved for nearly two decades. Publicists are paid a fee to deliver impactful campaigns that can move the needle for our clients’ careers, but my journey is much deeper than media placement, making sure that photo approvals are completed, or ensuring that a plane arrives on time for an overseas premiere. Representation is a responsibility, and not one that I take lightly.  In 2010, I launched Persona PR out of my apartment with no larger agency experience and have worked to build my business from the ground up. As my company has expanded over the years, I have grown into more than a talent representative, and am now a full-fledged business owner, taking on employees and their livelihoods and wellbeing. I work to be a great partner for the companies we share business with, aspire to be a mentor to publicists coming up-the-ranks and became a wife and a mother to two children, as Persona PR has grown.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone will not be attending the closing night of this year’s Outfest LA, where they were set to receive the James Schamus Ally Award. The couple was expected to be on hand for the July 23 event at The Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood, but their rep tells Variety that will not make an appearance due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. “We understand that Melissa and Ben are unable to join us for our closing night due to the strike,” Outfest executive director Damien S. Navarro said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “We will miss them, as our closing night will be a wonderful celebration of our community.”

As the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the American Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) fight for better wages and contracts, they’re also requesting better picketing conditions.

Ellise Shafer Both the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA filed labor complaints against NBCUniversal on Tuesday, alleging that the company is disrupting their strike efforts. According to the Los Angeles Times, the complaints allege that NBCUniversal has “interfered with, coerced and restrained employees in the exercise of their rights” during the dual strike. Grievances include allegedly designating picket locations that were obstructed by construction fencing, resulting in marching in busy streets on which they say two picketers have been struck by cars, and not providing barriers to establish pedestrian walkways. In a statement to the L.A. Times, NBCUniversal said: “We strongly believe that the company has fulfilled our legal obligations under the National Labor Relations Act and we will cooperate with respect to any inquiries by the National Labor Relations Board on this issue. While we understand the timing of our multi-year construction project has created challenges for demonstrators, we continue to work with public agencies to increase access.”

Kevin McKidd and Danielle Savre are supporting the fight for a fair contract at the SAG-AFTRA strike amid their budding romance.

Mandy Moore and her former This Is Us costars will always be family — and are sticking together no matter what.

It’s Day 1 of the SAG-AFTRA strike and Day 75 of the WGA strike.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the SAG-AFTRA strike a “historic inflection point” that will have an impact on the overall economy, while suggesting that she would be working on a resolution.

William Earl The SAG-AFTRA strike has shut down scores of film and TV productions as actors picket. While many sets had already shut down as a result of the WGA writers strike, this will effectively slow Hollywood down to a crawl as negotiations continue. Read Variety‘s list of newly-halted productions below, which will be updated throughout the strike. Beetlejuice 2 The Tim Burton production, with Michael Keaton reprising his role as the crude ghost, is almost done with shooting in London, but was still expected to film one more sequence in Vermont when the strike took place.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Universal Pictures has canceled the upcoming red carpet at the U.S premiere of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” amid the SAG-AFTRA strike. The movie will still be screened, however. The premiere is set to take place on Monday, July 17 at 7pm ET in New York City at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square theater. SAG-AFTRA called a union strike on July 13, with the first day of picketing beginning July 14. “In support of the ongoing SAG strike, the filmmakers of ‘Oppenheimer’ will not be proceeding with the NY premiere as originally planned, and will instead screen the movie to celebrate the crew and craftspeople who contributed to making this landmark film,” a statement from Universal Pictures read.