JERSEY CITY, NJ – Movie studios and sets across New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania remain quiet as the Screen Actors Guild strike continues on.
Striking Hollywood writers and studio executives concluded their third consecutive day of talks on Friday, agreeing to continue discussions on Saturday. The strike has reached its 144th day, impacting both film and TV production.
High-profile executives including Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav, and Donna Langley, chairman of Comcast’s NBCUniversal Studio Group, were part of the negotiations with the Writers Guild of America (WGA). Representatives for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the body representing the studios, have not issued a statement.
Union members responded to an appeal from WGA negotiators, turning out in large numbers to picket outside studios like Netflix. Among the picketers was “Mad Men” creator and writer Matthew Weiner, who expressed optimism about the recent talks.
Approximately 11,500 WGA members went on strike in May, demanding increased pay, better residuals from streaming TV, and restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence in the industry.
Producer and WGA member Al Septien, who was also on the picket lines, emphasized the importance of reaching a fair agreement. “We’ve been out here a long time. We don’t want to fold for a less-than-fair and good contract for the writers,” he said.
The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is also currently on strike, having walked off the job in July.