Hollywood actors go on strike as SAG-AFTRA contract talks collapse

Hollywood is going on hiatus.

The union protecting Hollywood’s biggest A-listers will join screenwriters on the picket line after voting Thursday to shut down production across the entertainment industry — meaning there could be a drought of upcoming shows and movies in the near future.

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (SAG-AFTRA) unanimously voted to stop working after their contract expired and talks broke off with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents streamers Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others.

“I cannot believe it, quite frankly, how far apart we are on so many things, how they plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said during an impassioned speech.

“It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history,” the former star of “The Nanny” added.

The strike — which kicks off at midnight — marks the first time the 160,000-member-strong SAG-AFTRA has walked out from film and television since 1980.

The actor-screenwriter strike is the first joint walkout in more than six decades — and has the potential to block dozens of upcoming projects until a new contract with studios and streaming services is reached.

Both SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) are demanding increases in base pay and residuals in the streaming-TV era, plus assurances that their work will not be replaced by artificial intelligence.

“The entire business model has been changed by streaming, digital, AI. This is a moment of history that is a moment of truth. If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in trouble. We are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines and big business,” Drescher said.

“At a moment when streaming and AI and digital was so prevalent, it has disemboweled the industry that we once knew. When I did ‘The Nanny,’ everybody was part of the gravy train. Now it’s a vacuum.”

The actor’s union’s contract with the AMPTP had been extended nearly two weeks before negotiations, with Drescher claiming the extension made the union feel “duped, like maybe it was just to let studios promote their summer movies for another 12 days.”

Thousands of A-list actors had signed a June letter alerting leaders of their willingness to strike — including megastars with highly anticipated projects slated for the summer and those who received Emmy nominations earlier this week.

“Colfax gate 2 day – runnin’ hot! WGA and SAG 4-ever! Stay strong- just getting started!” Bob Odenkirk tweeted with an image of himself on the screenwriter’s picket line.

He was announced as an “Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series” Emmy nominee Wednesday for his role in “Better Call Saul.”

The cast of “Oppenheimer,” including stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh, ditched their UK premiere Thursday to “go and write their pickets” in order to join the strike, director Christopher Nolan said.

Meanwhile, “Barbie” star Margot Robbie said at its London premiere that she would “absolutely stand by” her guild in the event of a strike.

“The @sagaftra symbol used to be the masks of the actors face. 🎭REPRESENTING the EXPRESSIONS. The EMOTIONS. The FEELINGS generated by the WORDS of their UNION MEMBERS!” Jamie Lee Curtis posted on Instagram.

“Union contracts PROTECT our SAFETY and EXPLOITATION! We are UNION STRONG!”

Though celebrity support over the strike has been strong, streaming service heads warned that the movement could be disastrous.

“This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption,” Disney chief Bob Iger told CNBC, adding that the walkout could have a “very damaging effect on the whole industry.”

“There’s a level of expectation that (SAG-AFTRA and the WGA) have that is just not realistic”

The AMPTP blamed negotiations breakdowns on SAG-AFTRA, claiming that the union walked away from the table first.

“This is the Union’s choice, not ours. In doing so, it has dismissed our offer of historic pay and residual increases, substantially higher caps on pension and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses, and more,” the group said in a statement.

It added that instead of continuing to negotiate, “SAG-AFTRA has put us on a course that will deepen the financial hardship for thousands who depend on the industry for their livelihoods.”

SAG-AFTRA strike rules

The actors’ strike doesn’t just mean a halt in film and television production — it also means a pause in any work relating to the industry.

That means promotions for blockbuster movies — including “Barbie” and “No Hard Feelings,” which have taken the world by storm — will be indefinitely suspended.

Union members will also be prohibited from attending award shows and film festivals, as well as participating in interviews for completed work or doing personal appearances, according to a memo obtained by Vanity Fair.

Hollywood stars will also be blocked from submitting self-tapes for future work or entering into “an agreement to perform covered services in the future.”

With Post wires