US actors’ strike: Why are Hollywood stars walking out and what does it mean for film and TV industry?
Hollywood actors are going on strike after talks with studios broke down, joining film and television writers who have been on picket lines since May.
Fran Drescher, the president of the US actors’ union, says its walkout will impact “thousands if not millions of people”.
The strike, organised by the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), is likely to have far-reaching reverberations beyond the sun-soaked streets of Los Angeles.
It also comes as Hollywood grapples to get to grips with how technology is rapidly changing the way visual entertainment is made – and watched.
Why are the actors striking and what do they want?
Actors are seeking higher pay and safeguards against unauthorised use of their images through artificial intelligence (AI).
Performers see their jobs as especially vulnerable to new technology, with generative AI able to replicate facial expressions, body movement and voice with alarming accuracy.
Many would like to see a guarantee that AI will not be used to replace the duties performed by actors, potentially rendering them obsolete.
Stars including Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves are among the actors who have been the subject of widely viewed unauthorised deepfakes – realistic yet fabricated videos created by AI algorithms.
Tom Cruise at a New York premiere of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
The streaming boom – which provides the bulk of TV actors’ work – is also a big factor in contract negotiations.
Series have become shorter, breaks between seasons longer, and the unions say that although series budgets are rising, that increase is not being reflected in the share of the money coming to performers.
Residuals – payments for the reuse of credited work – are also much smaller on streamers compared to broadcast TV rates.
Actors have also flagged the burden of “self-taped auditions” – when actors are asked to film their own audition and send it in directly for consideration by the casting director.
This cost was previously the responsibility of the casting and production teams, who would set up auditions at a set location themselves and organise the filming of invited actors. But now that’s all changed.
Benefits including health and pension plans have also been the subject of talks.
But SAG-AFTRA says that, after four weeks of intensive talks, film and TV bosses have refused to budge.
What do the studios say?
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) – the association representing major Hollywood studios including Walt Disney and Netflix – disputes the SAG-AFTRA’s version of events.
It says a deal, including better pay and AI safeguards, has been offered, and accused the union of walking away from talks.
In a statement, it said: “We are deeply disappointed that SAG-AFTRA has decided to walk away from negotiations.
“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.”
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‘It’s war’
When is the strike and how long will it last?
The walkout was officially set to begin at midnight on Friday 14 July (Los Angeles time).
SAG-AFTRA said picket lines would start the following morning, with the strike continuing indefinitely.
No date has been set for when it will end.
When asked how long it would last, union president Ms Drescher told reporters at a press conference on 13 July that it was “up to” film studios.
What does the strike mean for movie and TV fans?
A lot depends on how long it goes on for. If the dispute is resolved quickly, disruption may be limited.
But if it drags on, as some fear, many film releases will be delayed and television shows could go off air.
What makes the industrial action so historic is that, for the first time in 63 years, both SAG-AFTRA and WGA (the Writers Guild of America) will be on strike at the same time.
Members of the WGA have been striking for the last two months and that has already had a big impact on productions such as season five of Stranger Things, season two of The Last Of Us, season six of The Handmaid’s Tale and Game Of Thrones spinoff A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.
With actors and performers joining writers, that disruption is only going to get worse.
In short, Hollywood is effectively being shut down and will come to a near-standstill. With no scripts, and no performers to bring them to life, many studios will fall dark.
If both strikes were to continue on for many months, next year’s theatrical release schedules could run into difficulties, causing a big problem for studios who put much time and energy into selecting the release dates for their films.
Numerous film festivals leading into awards season could also be hit, with carefully planned campaigns falling foul due to lack of actors to share the buzz of their films.
The 75th Emmy TV awards is also due to take place in September.
But trade magazine Variety has reported organisers are considering delaying the ceremony to November or even January due to the Hollywood walkouts.
Other upcoming dates which could be hit include the Toronto and Venice film festivals.
Looking beyond the inevitable disappointment of movie and TV lovers, the strike is likely to have a big impact on the financial side of the business too.
The box office has recently begun picking up post-pandemic, with the US nearing $4bn for the year and running 30% ahead of the same January-to-early June period.
It’s a pickup that would inevitably suffer from prolonged actor walkouts.
News and broadcast work would not be directly affected by the strikes.
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The stars of Oppenheimer spoke of their support for the strike, before walking out of its London premiere
Has a US actors’ strike happened before?
The last time Hollywood actors went on strike was in 2000 in a six-month dispute over their commercials contract.
The US actors’ union successfully defended the “pay-for-play” TV advert payment formula, by which actors are paid residuals for the number of times their commercial airs, and reached an agreement over cable and internet advertising.
Prior to that, US stars staged a 95-day strike over terms for paid television and VHS tapes back in 1980, achieving a 32.5% wage increase and a 4.5% of the gross revenues for home media releases.
What does it mean for UK performers?
Still recovering from the COVID pandemic, and now dealing with a cost of living crisis, the UK film industry already has plenty on its plate.
Equity, the British performing arts and entertainment union, has offered its support to the US strike and said in a statement that it “stands full square behind our sister union in their claim, and the action their Board have agreed to take”.
While events in the US will not directly affect those working in the UK, it is thought that British performers who are members of SAG-AFTRA and working in the US will lawfully be allowed to take part.
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Actress Margot Robbie said she supports the actors’ strike
Could an actors’ strike happen in the UK?
As an independent union, Equity, which has 47,000 members, has not called its own strike in solidarity with US actors.
However, Paul W Fleming, the general secretary, said the union was always “strike ready,” describing it as one of the “key objectives” of the union.
The UK’s current Pact-Equity contracts are due to enter negotiations later this year, having not been updated since 2021, when a transitional contract was put in place during the pandemic.
Deals are normally struck every two to four years.
Pact is the UK trade body which represents independent production and distribution companies.
With all the same issues at stake as the US actors, it’s likely that the influence of AI, streamer payment rates and self-taped auditions will also form key parts of the upcoming UK negotiations.
Mr Fleming says a “framework” setting out “exactly what AI is and where it is used” is what now needs to be put in place to protect performers.
Equity is already in talks with ITV over AI clauses in their agreements.
So watch this space.
An earthquake off the Russian peninsula of Kamchatka has triggered tsunami warnings in Japan, China, Hawaii, the US and central and Latin America.
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake occurred 12 miles below the surface of the water and around 80 miles southeast of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, northeastern Russia on Wednesday, according to the US Geological Survey.
First five waves hit Hawaii; Tsunami warnings latest
So far, it’s the most powerful on record since the 9.1 Japanese earthquake of 2011, which left more than 15,000 people dead, and the sixth strongest since records began.
Tsunamis have started to reach land in Japan and Hawaii, with urgent warnings being issued across the Pacific – from Asia to the US and Canada. Here’s what we know so far.
How did it start?
The earthquake struck at shallow depth 80 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – a city of 165,000 people along the coast of Russia’s Avacha Bay, at around midday on Wednesday, local time (1am UK).
A map shows the epicentre of the tsunami off the coast of Kamchatka Peninsula
Waves were recorded of up to 4m (13ft) in Severo-Kurilsk on the Kuril Islands where a state of emergency has been declared.
Russia’s Tass news agency reported people running out into the streets, with balconies shaking, furniture and glass broken inside homes, and cars swaying on the street. Around 2,700 people were evacuated.
Electricity cuts were also reported across the peninsula.
Several people were injured and had to seek medical assistance, according to regional health minister Oleg Melnikov.
“Unfortunately, there are some people injured during the seismic event. Some were hurt while running outside, and one patient jumped out of a window. A woman was also injured inside the new airport terminal,” he said.
Severo-Kurilsk, Russia. Pic: Russian Academy of Sciences/Reuters
Powerful waves engulf coastal buildings in Severo-Kurilsk. Pic: Reuters
Where else have tsunamis hit so far?
Injuries have been reported in several countries, but there are no known deaths so far.
Beyond Russia, waves have started to reach Japan, Hawaii, and the US West Coast.
Tsunami waves off the coast of Japan. Pic: AP
Two million people have been evacuated along the country’s Pacific coast, with evacuation advisories in place in more than 220 municipalities, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Nuclear power plants have also paused activity.
One caused waves of 60cm (2ft) on the island of Hokkaido and another reached 50cm (1.6ft) at Ishinomaki port in the north of the country. In northern Iwate, 40cm (1.3ft) waves were registered at Kuji port.
The tsunami alert has been lowered for south of Fukushima but is still in place in the north.
People evacuated to the rooftop of a fire department building in Mukawa, Hokkaido. Pic: Kyodo/AP
A tsunami warning in Japan. Pic: Yomiuri Shimbun/AP
In Hawaii, people rushed to seek higher ground after waves measured 1.82m (6ft).
Earthquake sirens blared in the streets, with beaches closed and coastal areas evacuated. Maui airport was also closed, Hawaii Governor Josh Green added.
Evacuation orders were later lifted, with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) saying it was safe to return to coastal areas.
In Alaska, 30cm (1ft) waves were observed in the communities of Amchitka and Adak, according to Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator.
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A hotel overlooking Waikiki Beach in Hawaii on Wednesday. Pic: Reuters
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Tsunami warning for Pacific region
Where are the other warnings in place?
In China, the country’s tsunami warning centre has issued alerts for eastern coastal areas – particularly Shanghai and Zhejiang, which was already under alert from Typhoon CoMay, due to land on Wednesday.
States along the US West Coast have issued tsunami advisories, including Oregon, Washington State, and California, where waves have already hit.
Oregon’s Department of Emergency Management cautioned: “This is not a major tsunami, but dangerous currents and strong waves may pose a risk to those near the water.”
President Donald Trump posted on X: “A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way. Please visit tsunami.gov/ for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”
The Mexican Navy said that tsunami waves were due to hit Mexico’s northern coast at Ensenada near California, and could progress to Chiapas.
In New Zealand, the country’s disaster management agency issued warnings for coastal areas, which are likely to see “strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at shore”.
There is currently no need for official evacuation orders, it added, but people are being told to stay away from the coast.
The Pacific Island nations of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Micronesia, and the Solomon Islands have all issued warnings, as their low-lying topography puts them at particular risk.
The Philippines had a tsunami advisory in place but cancelled it after “no significant sea level disturbances or destructive tsunami waves” were reported after 7.25am local time (12.25am UK) on Wednesday.
What happens during a tsunami – and why are they so dangerous?
Tsunamis are a series of very long waves usually caused by an earthquake beneath the ocean’s surface. Although rare, they can also be triggered by landslides, volcanic activity, and sometimes by extreme weather above the ocean.
Unlike normal waves, which are driven by wind, tsunamis move through the entire ocean column – from the sea floor to the surface.
This means they can be incredibly powerful and fast – reaching plane-like speeds of around 500mph in the deepest parts of the ocean.
Their force means they can stretch across an entire ocean basin, impacting multiple countries. The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami caused damage in 17 nations.
Tsunamis become most dangerous when they reach land. The shallowness of the water sees the length of the waves decrease – but their height increase.
Tall waves can be very dangerous. It only requires six inches of water to knock someone off their feet and double that to sweep away a car.
Tsunami waves are also dangerous when they go back out to sea, carrying heavy debris with them.
An enormous 8.8 magnitude earthquake has hit off the far east of Russia – potentially the sixth largest on record.
The quake has triggered waves of up to 4m (13ft) in the Kamchatka Peninsula, where buildings were damaged and several people injured, officials said.
It has also led to tsunami fears across the Pacific, with warnings and alerts in place across Japan, parts of the US including Hawaii, California and Alaska, and the Philippines.
Follow live updates as widespread tsunami warnings issued
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3km (12 miles), and was centred about 125km (80 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000 along the coast of Avacha Bay.
A powerful wave washes past a building located near the shore off the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Pic: Reuters
Here we look at how it compares to some of the highest magnitude quakes recorded by the USGS.
Biobio, Chile (1960)
A 9.5 magnitude earthquake – known as the Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean earthquake – struck in a central region of Chile in 1960.
It is the largest ever recorded earthquake, and resulted in more than 1,600 deaths in the country and beyond, most of which were caused by the resulting large tsunami.
Thousands of others were injured.
Alaska (1964)
A 9.2 magnitude earthquake hit Alaska’s Prince William Sound in 1964, lasting for almost five minutes and becoming the largest recorded earthquake in the US.
There were huge landslides and towering waves which caused severe flooding, and the event was followed by thousands of aftershocks for weeks.
More than 130 people were killed.
Sumatra, Indonesia
An area hit by both the huge earthquake and subsequent tsunamis in Indonesia. Pic: AP
A 9.1 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated Southeast and South Asia and East Africa in 2004.
It was the most disastrous earthquake in terms of fatalities, killing 230,000 people, including 167,000 in Indonesia, where entire communities were wiped out.
Tohoku, Japan
Another 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan in 2011, triggering a towering tsunami that smashed into the Fukushima nuclear plant.
This led to power and cooling systems being knocked out, and triggered meltdowns in three reactors.
More than 18,000 people were killed in the quake and tsunami. Some bodies have never been recovered.
Read more:
Quake and tsunami warnings: What we know so far
Powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake causes tsunami
A tsunami engulfs a coastal region of northeastern Japan on 11 March 2011. Pic: Kyodo/AP
Kamchatka, Russia
A 9.0 magnitude quake resulted in a tsunami with 9.1m (30ft) waves hitting Hawaii in 1952, causing significant damage but no fatalities.
Biobio, Chile (2010)
A man clears rubble after earthquake hits Chile on 27 February 2010. Pic: Reuters
Central Chile was hit by a 8.8 magnitude earthquake in 2010, lasting for 90 seconds and setting off a tsunami.
More than 500 people were killed in the disaster.
Esmeraldas, Ecuador
An 8.8 magnitude earthquake resulted in a tsunami that killed about 1,500 people in Ecuador in 1906.
Its effects were felt for miles along the Central American coast and as far as San Francisco and Japan.
Alaska (1965)
A magnitude 8.7 quake struck Alaska’s Rat Islands in 1965, causing an 11m (35ft) high tsunami. It only resulted in relatively minor damage, including cracks in buildings and an asphalt runway.
Tibet
At least 780 people were killed when a magnitude 8.6 earthquake struck in 1950, destroying dozens of villages, including at least one that slid into a river.
Major landslides jammed the Subansiri River in India, and a deadly 7m (23ft) wave was created when the water eventually broke through.
Sumatra, Indonesia
A guard walks on the ruins of prison wall which collapsed in Indonesian city of Banda Aceh in 2012 quake. Pic: Reuters
An 8.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra in Indonesia in 2012.
The quake caused little damage, but it did increase pressure on a fault that had been the source of the devastating 2004 tsunami.
World
Lesotho: In the country that Trump claims ‘nobody has ever heard of’, his name evokes fear and panic
A blanket of thick fog covers Lesotho’s capital, Maseru.
Winter in the southern African country feels colder than ever.
Thousands of garment workers have lost their jobs as the threat of US tariffs brings the textile industry to the edge.
Hundreds of thousands have been cut off from critical healthcare after the USAID withdrawal. Unemployed women stand outside the locked gates of factories asking for work.
HIV-positive mothers travel long distances to clinics for a limited supply of life-saving medicine, holding their babies wrapped in blankets.
Lives and livelihoods in Lesotho have been devastated by US President Donald Trump – a country he has said “nobody has ever heard of”.
The Basotho have certainly heard of President Trump. His name now evokes fear, worry and panic among many in the small nation his policies have targeted.
“People are scared of him, too much. When he says he will do something then he must do it,” says Maplape Makhele, a 32-year-old garment worker and mother of two.
“I have seen what he has done in South Africa and China. He doesn’t want to work with other countries.”
We spoke to Mpalape at her work station in the Afri-Expo Textiles factory while she sewed denim. This work was steady while Lesotho held the title of the “denim capital of Africa”.
Today, she is terrified of losing her job as the breadwinner of her family. More than 200 of her colleagues have already been laid off from the factory.
“We are close to only half operational,” says her boss Teboho Kobeli, the managing director of Afri-Expo Textiles Factories. He has cut around 500 jobs across three factories.
“We had been doing some US orders but now we have had to re-adjust ourselves,” he says. “There are a lot of job losses and I can see more jobs lost as of next month.”
Lesotho has declared a state of national disaster over high youth unemployment and job losses linked to US tariffs and aid cuts that will last until June 2027.
President Trump is expected to finalise tariffs on several countries including Lesotho and South Africa on August 1. In Lesotho, people are hoping for tariffs on the lower end at 10% but are preparing for a hit as high as 50%.
Any export duties will have an impact on industry here which has benefitted from 25 years of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) duty-free trade agreement with the US.
“That is multilateralism – to trade with one another and leverage on each other’s strengths,” Lesotho’s minister of trade and industry Mokhethi Shelile tells us.
“We did not think an economy so advanced, the pioneer of multilateralism, to renege and turn back on that very principle that has made it so big.
“We are done talking [with the US]. We are waiting for a response, for a final solution from them. We are told it will come soon but we don’t know how soon.”
Mokhethi Shelile says ‘we are done talking’ with the US
We interviewed the minister at a celebration launching a government-sponsored factory expansion in Lesotho’s second city Maputsoe.
The factory is only 5km from the border gate into South Africa, its main export destination. Unemployed garment workers are huddled around the locked gates hoping to appeal to the trade minister for jobs.
Inside the warehouse, women furiously produced clothing for the South African market. Minister Shelile tells us that this regional trade is part of Lesotho’s solution but economists believe it is another dead end.
“I don’t think South Africa is an option for us given the problems that South Africa is going through itself,” says economist and former minister of mining Lebohang Thotanyana.
“South Africa has been hit by tariffs and is going to lose around half a million jobs as a result of the Trump effect.
“Some of those jobs on the citrus farms and automobile industry in South Africa were held by Basotho so it means they will be directly affected there as well.”
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Trade unionists in Lesotho’s capital Maseru have been speaking to laid off workers to explain the context of the devastating job cuts.
“It’s really hard for them because what the people want is the job,” says Ts’epang Nyaka-Nyaka, general secretary of the Economic Freedom Trade Union.
He is expecting his own wife to potentially lose her job at a factory exporting to American denim brand Levis. The two-thousand-member union is rapidly shrinking as more lay-offs are announced.
“They want the job – not the politics,” he says.
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