Why are Hollywood actors and writers on strike and what are their demands?

Striking WGA workers picket outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles.

In the biggest shutdown Hollywood has seen in over 60 years, actors have joined screenwriters in a strike that has brought most US film and TV productions to a standstill. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) initiated the strike, demanding a fairer distribution of profits and improved working conditions from streaming giants.

The union also aims to protect actors from being replaced by digital replicas using artificial intelligence (AI) and computer-generated faces and voices.

At midnight in Los Angeles, approximately 1,60,000 performers ceased work, rendering actors unable to appear in films or even promote movies they have already completed. The strike has already caused notable effects, with stars like Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt leaving the premiere of Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" in London as the strike was declared.

The strike has garnered significant attention, with numerous actors taking to Instagram to voice their support, including Bob Odenkirk from "Better Call Saul," Cynthia Nixon from "Sex and the City," and Hollywood veteran and Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis.

The picketing is scheduled to commence on Friday morning outside the California headquarters of Netflix, and subsequently move on to Paramount, Warner Bros, and Disney.

To address concerns regarding the use of AI, the major studios offered a "ground-breaking proposal" that aimed to protect actors' digital likenesses and required their consent when digital replicas were used or alterations made. However, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers' (AMPTP) offer was rejected by the SAG, deeming it unacceptable.

The strike's impact extends beyond halting ongoing productions; it affects the ability to conduct re-shoots and other essential elements of the filmmaking process, even for projects that have already been filmed. TV shows that are still in production will largely come to a halt, though some side deals might be reached between performers and producers to allow work to continue.

The strike also hampers the participation of top Hollywood stars in events meant to promote new and upcoming releases. Consequently, events such as the Emmy Awards and Comic-Con may be rescheduled or scaled back.

Among the demands made by the union is a request for streaming services to provide actors with higher base pay and residuals, which are payments made to actors from repeats of films and shows they have appeared in. Currently, actors in minor roles receive significantly lower compensation than A-list actors, but the union seeks to rectify this imbalance.

The Writers Guild of America, representing 11,500 members, has been engaged in a separate strike since May 2, demanding improved pay and working conditions. Some writers have taken on projects not covered by the guild's contract with the AMPTP.

This "double strike" by both unions marks the first such occurrence since 1960, when actor Ronald Reagan led the SAG, long before his political career and presidency. The last strike by actors took place in 1980.