Hollywood Braces for Possible Actors Strike

by Jarrett Martineau | March 4, 2008 at 08:19 pm

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Fresh from resolving the drawn out and costly WGA writers strike, Hollywood is now facing the possibility of an actors strike as early as the end of June. Let's hope some lessons learned from the previous work stoppage can be applied to negotiations with SAG.

The final epilogue to the tumultuous writers strike has been written, but Hollywood is bracing for a possible a sequel to the costly walkout -- this one starring film and television actors.

While the TV industry has rushed to bring derailed shows back on the air since screenwriters returned to work three weeks ago, the threat of renewed labor unrest by actors in the months ahead has put movie studios in a tenuous situation.

Filmmakers are reluctant to launch any production that cannot be completed before the expiration of the Screen Actors Guild's major film and TV contract on June 30 -- a date being treated as the union's de facto strike deadline.

Many in Hollywood believe strike fatigue is running too high for another work stoppage to materialize. But with tens of millions of dollars at stake when a film production is disrupted, movie studios are playing it safe. Some of the industry's biggest names are caught up in the uncertainty.