Hollywood is currently facing a lockdown after SAG-AFTRA joined the Hollywood Writers Guild strike. Actors have shown their support for the strike. Most notably when the ‘Oppenheimer’ cast walked out of their London premiere when the strike began. Superstar Tom Cruise apparently tried to negotiate between the studios and SAG-AFTRA. But it did not work out.
So let’s take a look at what happened. And why the ‘Mission Impossible‘ star’s negotiations failed.
Did Tom Cruise Negotiate For SAG-AFTRA?
SAG-AFTRA joining the Writers Guild strike has put a complete pause on Hollywood. Actors are not only not appearing at premieres and red-carpet events, but they are also prohibited from promoting past works.
Amidst this extremely serious condition, Tom Cruise tried his best to negotiate with the Hollywood studios. SAG-AFTRA union enlisted Cruise’s help to talk to the studios. The ‘Top Gun’ actor joined a negotiating session to discuss concerns about the use of artificial intelligence.
Cruise talked on behalf of the stunt performers who are at risk of being replaced by AI. However, neither SAG-AFTRA nor Tom Cruise has revealed any details or confirmed this negotiation. It is also reported that Cruise urged SAG-AFTRA to allow actors to promote their work since the theaters already suffered a lot during the pandemic.
In Case You Missed: “Death Of The Pen”: Hollywood Studios Are Experimenting With AI Scriptwriters Amid Writers’ Strike
Why Did The Negotiation Not Work Out?
The strike is about a number of concerns which include issues of fair pay. However, the most concerning and important issue is the use of AI in movies and series.
Fran Drescher, president of SAG-AFTRA, addressed the pressing issue of the use of AI. She pointed out how actors would be “in trouble” if AI policies were not made stricter. “We are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines,” Fran said.
And this fear is a big reality since Cruise himself was portrayed in a series of deep fakes created by a TikTok user. However, it seems that neither of the parties did not agree to the negotiation terms.
You Might Also Like To Read: How Will The Writers’ Strike Affect Content Across Platforms?
