2023 Writers Guild of America strike
From May 2 to September 27, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters[2]—went on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).[3][4] With a duration of 148 days, the strike is tied with the 1960 strike as the second longest labor stoppage that the WGA has performed, only behind the 1988 strike (153 days).[5][6] Alongside the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, which continued until November, it was part of a series of broader Hollywood labor disputes. Both strikes contributed to the biggest interruption to the American film and television industries since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lack of ongoing film and television productions resulted in some studios having to close doors or reduce staff.[7][8][9] The strike also jeopardized long-term contracts created during the media streaming boom: big studios could terminate production deals with writers through force majeure clauses after 90 days, saving them millions of dollars.[10][11] In addition, numerous other areas within the global entertainment ecosystem were impacted by the strike action,[12] including the VFX industry[13] and prop making studios.[14] Following a tentative agreement,[15] union leadership voted to end the strike on September 27, 2023.[1] On October 9, the WGA membership officially ratified the contract with 99% of WGA members voting in favor of it. Its combined impact with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike resulted in the loss of 45,000 jobs,[16] and "an estimated $6.5 billion" loss to the economy of Southern California.[16]
Response[edit]
Actors during the WGA strike[edit]
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and executive vice president Ben Whitehair picketed with the WGA in May.[91] A significant number of other actors also joined the picket lines or otherwise expressed support for the WGA strike.[92]
Drew Barrymore withdrew from hosting the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards in support of the WGA strike, and Jennifer Coolidge, Joseph Quinn, and Pedro Pascal expressed support for the strike in their pre-recorded speeches during the ceremony.[93] Seth Meyers spoke in support of the strike during the "Corrections" segment on Late Night with Seth Meyers a few days before the strike began.[94] Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik similarly left during the show's last week of filming (for season 39), though production continued with Ken Jennings as host.[95] The strike was also discussed at the Cannes Film Festival press conferences, with Sean Penn, Ethan Hawke, Paul Dano, and Kathleen Kennedy expressing their support.[96] Snoop Dogg spoke in support of the strike during a panel at the Milken Institute and drew parallels with payout conflicts between music artists and music streaming platforms.[97] Talk show hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver began a limited podcast called Strike Force Five to support their out-of-work staff during the strike.[98]
Elected officials[edit]
Several elected officials supported the strike and appeared on their picket lines: