For the first time in 60 years, the union that represents Hollywood writers and the union that represents Hollywood actors are both on strike at the same time. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike back in May after it failed to reach a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Now, the actors' union SAG-AFTRA is following suit—its strike was announced on Thursday, July 13 and went into affect on Friday. As with the WGA, SAG-AFTRA is fighting for fair wages for members—particularly when it comes to residual payments for content shown on streaming services—and protections against the use of artificial intelligence to replace performers, as reported by Forbes.
Same as the WGA strike, this strike also has some immediate implications. In addition to all SAG-AFTRA actors ceasing work on any AMPTP films or TV shows that are in production—including those that were already written and could continue during the WGA strike—they can't make appearances to promote their current projects or make deals to appear in future ones. As reported by CBS News, stars of the upcoming movie Oppenheimer walked out of last night's premiere amid news that the strike was going into effect.
The strike has fast and far-reaching effects, especially when it comes to a few months from now, when TV shows that otherwise would have been streaming or on the air will have no new episodes to premiere. However, some series will not be affected at all, either due to union rules or the fact that the actors involved in them are not part of SAG-AFTRA. Read on to find out what productions can continue uninterrupted.
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Soap fans don't have to worry about their shows going off the air. SAG members who are actors on soap operas operate under a different code—the SAG-AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting—that allows them to keep working during the strike, according to Deadline.
"It is different than the film and TV collective bargaining agreement that SAG-AFTRA is currently negotiating with the AMPTP," Deadline reports. "[T]he National Code covers soaps as well as morning news shows, talk shows, variety, reality, game shows, sports and promotional announcements." That said, many nightly talk shows already had to go off the air thanks to the WGA strike. Soap operas could continue being written by non-WGA writers.
One of the four soaps that will remain in production is The Bold and the Beautiful, which has aired on CBS since 1987.
Another CBS soap, The Young and the Restless, will also not be affected. This one has been on the air since 1973.
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If you prefer Days of Our Lives, you're also in luck. The show, which moved from NBC to NBC's streaming service Peacock in 2022, remains in production after 58 years on air.
Lastly, the ABC soap General Hospital will keep putting out new episodes, just like it has since 1963. However, as reported by Soaps.com, even some soap opera actors, including General Hospital's Nancy Lee Grahn, were unsure leading up to the strike whether or not it would impact their work.
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SAG-AFTRA is an American union, so shows that are made in other countries with non-American actors aren't affected. But what about a production like House of the Dragon, which is an American show filmed in the UK with mostly British actors?
As reported by Variety, these UK actors are members of a British union called Equity. Due to Equity rules, members are not legally allowed to join the SAG-AFTRA strike. "Equity U.K. will support SAG-AFTRA and its members by all lawful means," Equity said in a statement, according to Variety.
As noted by Deadline, the National Code doesn't only apply to soaps. It also means that SAG-AFTRA members working on some talk shows, game shows, and reality shows won't be crossing the picket line by working during the strike. However, the WGA strike has already put many late night talk shows on hiatus. And now, daytime talk shows that continued airing after that strike was called won't be able to have actors on as guests to promote their projects.
Reuters reported that some major networks already announced fall lineups that are heavy on reality TV—such as ABC's recently announced new Bachelor spinoff, The Golden Bachelor, perhaps in anticipation of a strike. That network's lineup also currently includes Dancing with the Stars, The Golden Bachelor, Celebrity Jeopardy!, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, and reruns of the sitcom Abbott Elementary. Fox's fall lineup features reality and reality competition shows, including Name That Tune, Kitchen Nightmares, The Masked Singer, Hell's Kitchen, and Lego Masters. Though, those schedules could still see some changes depending on how the strike plays out.
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