Hollywood actors’ strike to end as SAG-AFTRA reaches deal with studios

The months-long SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike is officially set to come to an end after negotiators confirmed they struck a deal with film and television studios.

SAG-AFTRA’s negotiating committee decided on Wednesday (8 November) by unanimous vote to approve a new deal with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers), which had been put forward as their “last, best and final offer.”

Next, this new agreement will be brought to SAG-AFTRA’s national board for approval this Friday (10 November), which would mark an end to the 188-day strike – the longest actors strike in Hollywood history.

Commenting on the agreement, negotiating committee member Kevin E. West revealed that “tears of exhilaration and joy” were shed as the contract was approved.

Actors and studios had spent the last number of days negotiating the finishing touches of the historic deal and ironing out the final details.

The negotiating committee sat down for 12 hours on Sunday night (5 November) drawing up an official response to the studios’ final offer, before returning on Tuesday for a final 10-hour committee meeting.

Speaking to press outside of the SAG-AFTRA headquarters on Wednesday, West said, per Variety: “The final vote was unanimous. That’s a difficult thing to accomplish. It’s honestly been a really long two weeks.”

It is understood that the deal will see minimum pay increased by an impressive seven per cent, and include protections for actors against artificial intelligence.

With the abilities of artificial intelligence improving at lightning speed, actors wanted a guarantee that it would not pose a threat to their jobs in an ever-changing industry.

Originally, the AMPTP’s “last, best and final offer” had not included one of SAG-AFTRA’s key demands: a share in revenue from each streaming platform – but it did deliver on demands to offer actors an increased bonus when they appear on the most-watched streaming shows.

The finer details of the agreement won’t be made clear until the deal is officially approved by SAG-AFTRA on Friday.

The SAG-AFTRA strike saw production on all major films and TV shows shut down, causing major delays as 160,000 actors stood down.

Major films and TV shows that were put on pause included fan favourites like Stranger Things, The White Lotus, Euphoria, and The Last of Us, and highly-anticipated blockbusters like Wicked, Beetlejuice 2, and Gladiator 2.

Once SAG-AFTRA gives the all-clear this Friday, studios will finally be able to reopen, and deliver on all the best entertainment fans have been patiently waiting for.