Lupita Nyong’o joins other actors in support of SAG-AFTRA strike
Lupita N’yongo was among the top Hollywood actors who are supporting the ongoing (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike.
The Kenyan-born actress was among some big stars who met on Monday to discuss the actors’ strike as their union warned that without “transformative change” the entire profession is under threat.
The actors are asking studios for higher pay and tightening regulations on artificial intelligence use in creative projects.
“We didn’t want to strike, but now is the time to take action. Inspired, fired up and united on the picket line with my fellow actors and writers this week. I know we stand on the right side of history for a more fair, secure and dignified livelihood for the many. #SAGAFTRAStrong #WGAStrong,” Lupita shared on her Instagram page.
Also read: Lupita Nyong’o begins filming ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’
During the strike, Lupita wore a casual figure in a SAG-AFTRA Strong tee, adding a baseball cap and shorts.
The actors also want strong protections against their likenesses being used to train artificial intelligence and reassurance that AI won’t replace them.
The union authorized the strike on Friday, over growing concerns of the use of artificial intelligence and streaming residuals.
The last time both actors and writers were on strike together was in 1960, while WGA has been on strike since May 2.
SAG-AFRTA, which is the union representing over 160,000 actors, is on strike at the same time as WGA, which represents 11,000 writers.
Also read: Lupita Nyong’o beats Beyoncé’s sister, Whitney Houston in female American entertainers richlist
They are asking for increases in base pay and residuals as film and TV shows have increasingly moved to online streaming platforms.
The onset of the strike in May forced late-night shows into hiatus and put other productions on pause and had the entire industry slowing its roll.
The strike has halted production of several television and film projects including season 2 of Severance, the final season of Netflix’s Stranger Things, and Marvel’s Blade.
The strike began following the breakdown of negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and Hollywood studios after the contract that was in force ran out.
The union had been negotiating with Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount, Sony, Netflix, Amazon, Apple and Disney, all represented under the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) umbrella.
Writers’ walkouts have often been lengthy. In 1988, a WGA strike lasted 153 days. The last WGA strike went for 100 days, beginning in 2007 and ending in 2008.
Also read: Lupita Nyong’o comes clean on her relationship with Janelle Monáe