Hollywood Reaches Agreement with Writers but Faces Difficult Negotiations with Actors' Union

Interest in Actor Returns Despite Partial Resumption of Filming Like Talk Shows
Negotiation Schedule Not Set Yet... "Likely to Follow Writer's Union Approach"

As the writers' labor union in Hollywood, known as the "home of movies," has reached a tentative agreement with major production companies, public attention is now shifting to negotiations between the actors' union and the producers. For film and TV production to resume, it is crucial for actors to return to the front lines, but with no progress in negotiations over the past two months, it is expected to take more time for the Hollywood production system to normalize.

[Image source=Getty Images Yonhap News]

On the 25th (local time), The New York Times (NYT) and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the Writers Guild of America (WGA), representing about 11,500 Hollywood writers, reached a preliminary agreement for a three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents major studios such as Netflix and Walt Disney. They noted, "With the writers reaching a tentative agreement, the focus in Hollywood is now shifting to the actors."

The WGA began striking on May 2 and reached an agreement with the AMPTP on the 146th day of the strike. The WGA described the agreement as "an unprecedented deal that includes protections and benefits for writers." Although the details have not been fully disclosed, it is reported that the studios agreed to employ a certain number of writers when producing TV shows, established a system where writers receive bonuses if their programs become popular on streaming services, and put in place copyright protections against artificial intelligence (AI).

The WGA and AMPTP agreement is currently undergoing a full membership approval process. Accordingly, Hollywood writers affiliated with the WGA are gradually preparing to return to work. The talk show "The Drew Barrymore Show" is expected to resume filming next month, and ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" is also anticipated to air its first episode as scheduled.

However, the Hollywood strike is not over yet. The key issue lies in the negotiations between the actors' and broadcasters' union, SAG-AFTRA, which represents about 160,000 Hollywood actors and performers who began striking on July 14, and the AMPTP. While SAG-AFTRA congratulated the WGA and AMPTP on their agreement, they announced their intention to continue the strike.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The problem is that negotiations between the actors and the producers have been stalled for over two months, with no future negotiation schedule set. Although SAG-AFTRA leadership has expressed willingness to negotiate, discussions have not progressed since early last month when major studios adopted a strategy to reach an agreement with the writers first. The NYT reported that this was influenced by SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher’s attack on major studio executives as "medieval landlords" shortly after the strike began.

However, considering that the actors' demands, such as increases in base pay and streaming residuals, are similar to those of the writers, U.S. media have reported that the possibility of an agreement between the actors' union and the producers has increased. Accordingly, it is expected that, as with the WGA and AMPTP negotiations, the most difficult issues will be quietly coordinated first, followed by confirmation of willingness to negotiate and resumption of talks.

Such agreements between Hollywood’s two major unions and the major production companies are ultimately expected to lead to increased costs for consumers. CNN analyzed, "The biggest question now is whether streaming services can generate enough advertising revenue to offset slowing growth," adding, "In the end, no matter where or how we watch content, we will all end up paying more."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.