Hollywood actors’ union agrees tentative deal to end four-month strike

US actors’ union Sag-Aftra says it has agreed a tentative deal with Hollywood studios to end a months-long strike.

Sag-Aftra reached agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and TV Producers (AMPTP) in a unanimous vote, ending the 118-day shutdown.

The impasse – combined with a separate writers’ strike – had paralysed the entertainment industry and delayed work on numerous major TV shows and films.

Actors have been calling for better pay and safeguards on the use of AI.

Sag-Aftra president Fran Drescher posted: “We did it!!!!” She thanked members “for hanging in and holding out for this historic deal!”

Chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland told Reuters there were “definitely some tears, a lot of big smiles, a lot of hugs” when the agreement was reached.

The three-year contract would “make a long-term difference for the future of our members in this industry”, he said.

The union said the deal was valued at more than $1bn (£814m) and included increases in minimum salaries, a new “streaming participation” bonus, and more protections against their images and voices being replicated by artificial intelligence.

Sag-Aftra said the strike would officially end on Thursday, with more details released following a meeting on Friday.

AMPTP said it was pleased to have reached the tentative agreement and “looks forward to the industry resuming the work of telling great stories.”

It said the deal gave Sag-Aftra “the biggest contract-on-contract gains in the history of the union.”

 

 

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