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Robert De Niro will be honored with a SAG life achievement award. The legendary actor, who currently stars in Netflix’s “The Irishman” and Warner Bros.’ “Joker,” will receive the performers’ union’s top accolade at the 26th annual SAG Awards on Jan. 19 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The award is given annually to an actor who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession.” “Robert De Niro is an actor of extraordinary depth and ability,” said SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris. “The characters he creates captivate our imaginations. From the smoldering inferno of young Vito Corleone to the raging...

Hollywood’s unions are “steadfastly” opposing an amendment to a bill pending in Congress that would slash funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities by 15%. The coalition of 12 unions, representing half a million industry workers and artists, includes SAG-AFTRA, the DGA, IATSE, the American Federation of Musicians, Actors’ Equity and the WGA East. The opposition is being spearheaded by the Department of Professional Employees, AFL-CIO, through which many of the unions are affiliated. Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI) offered the amendment to next year’s Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill. “The...

Leaders of SAG-AFTRA expressed optimism Saturday that they will achieve a “seminal deal” with studios, networks and streamers to avert an action like the writers’ strike that has nearly shut down scripted production. “We are having an extremely productive negotiations that are laser-focused on all of the crucial issues you told us are most important to you,” SAG-AFTRA National President Fran Drescher said in a video message to members. “We’re standing strong and we’re going to achieve a seminal deal.” Drescher told members she could not release details because “Frankly, it’s very confidential what’s going on in there.” She and...

EXCLUSIVE: President Trump is resigning from the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists after they threatened to expel his membership from the union after the Capitol riot -- to which he said, "Who cares!" The former president's letter of resignation Wednesday comes after the SAG-AFTRA board voted "overwhelmingly" that Trump violated the union's membership guidelines in the wake of the Capitol riot. Fox News exclusively obtained the letter sent to SAG President Gabrielle Carteris, slamming the union, the media and news organizations. "I write to you today regarding the so-called Disciplinary Committee hearing aimed at...

Liberal Seattle news-talk station KIRO and conservative sister KTTH-AM finally have the word from the National Labor Relations Board: they're no longer working in a union shop. And it all came down to one disputed ballot, cast by syndicated talk show host Michael Medved. After a contentious battle led by overnight KIRO talk host Lou Pate, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) was decertified at KIRO and KTTH. Making the fight especially weird: another one of KIRO's evening talk hosts, left-wing extremist Mike Webb, loudly supported the anti-union campaign. Meanwhile, a few conservatives in the building at...

LOS ANGELES — Leaders of the Screen Actors Guild publicly declared war on a fellow actors’ union at a Monday rally here, increasing the likelihood of new labor strife in an entertainment industry still recovering from a writers’ strike that ended just four months ago. Standing outside the union’s Wilshire Boulevard headquarters, Alan Rosenberg, president of the 120,000-member guild, urged supporters to reject a tentative deal reached last month between the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Hollywood’s production companies. “We are engaged in the battle of our lives,” Mr. Rosenberg told a group that appeared to number...

The group representing Hollywood’s studios has responded to SAG-AFTRA’s strike call today. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers’ statement highlights what it calls “some of the components of the Producers’ offer that SAG-AFTRA has chosen to forgo in favor of a strike.” “A strike is certainly not the outcome we hoped for as studios cannot operate without the performers that bring our TV shows and films to life,” AMPTP said. “The Union has regrettably chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for countless thousands of people who depend on the industry.” The statement was issued as...

A failure to resolve twin strikes of the writers’ and screen actors’ guilds could lead to “devastating effects” if no deal is reached soon, according to billionaire media mogul Barry Diller. snip Mr. Diller, a former Paramount Pictures CEO, said on July 16 that the situation could compound if not resolved quickly. “These conditions will potentially produce an absolute collapse of an entire industry,” he told CBS News. “I would call for a September 1 deadline. There’s a strike deadline. I think there should be a settlement deadline, because unless it happens by September 1 … The truth is, this...

Ron Perlman is furious at the Hollywood executive who made comments about prolonging negotiations with striking writers, and he’s letting everyone know it. In a now-deleted social media rant, which was captured by TMZ, the “Hellboy” actor appeared to threaten some form of retaliation towards the executive, whose identity he claimed to know. “Listen to me, motherf*****, there’s a lot of ways to lose your house. Some of it is financial, some of it is karma, and some of it is just figuring out who the f*** said that — and we know who said that — and where he...

During today’s press conference in which Hollywood actors confirmed that they were going on strike, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s chief negotiator, revealed a proposal from Hollywood studios that sounds ripped right out of a Black Mirror episode. In a statement about the strike, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said that its proposal included “a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses for SAG-AFTRA members.” “If you think that’s a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again.” When asked about the proposal during the press conference, Crabtree-Ireland said that “This ‘groundbreaking’ AI proposal that they gave us...

This is the moment the star-studded cast of Oppenheimer walked out of the film's UK premiere on Thursday as thousands of actors went on the biggest strike to hit Hollywood in 60 years. Footage from the black carpet, which was brought forward by an hour to avoid clashing with the strike's announcement, showed the cast posing for photos together before making their way back to their hotel in London. Stars including Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh were visibly emotional as they exited the premiere early, with the film's director Christopher Nolan later saying the cast had left the event to...

After an independent investigation of sexual harassment allegations against Morgan Freeman, SAG-AFTRA said it will not rescind the Oscar-winning actor's SAG Life Achievement Award – the union's highest honor. The award was presented during this year's SAG Awards... SAG-AFTRA launched the investigation in May following a CNN report that said that eight women had come forward with allegations "they were victims of what some called harassment and others called inappropriate behavior" by Freeman. In the wake of the report, the union said it was considering "corrective action" with regard to the award, which was presented just a month before the...

For 2018, the minimum earnings requirement for Plan I eligibility is $33,660 in covered earnings in your base earnings period. For 2019, the minimum earnings requirement will be $34,330. Download a copy of the 2018 Benefits Summary, effective January 1, 2018 and the 2019 Benefits Summary, effective January 1, 2019. Calendar Year Deductible: In-Network Provider: Hospital: The Industry Health Network ‐ $150/person; $300/family BlueCard PPO/Beacon Health Options ‐ $250/person; $500/family Inpatient (Room and Board and Ancillary Services): 90% after $100 copay Outpatient Surgery: 90% after $100 copay Emergency Room: 90% after $100 copay; emergency room copay is waived if immediately...

Donald Trump is facing possible expulsion from SAG-AFTRA. Deadline has learned that the union’s national board of directors will meet Tuesday morning in a special session regarding disciplinary action against him, which could lead to his expulsion. The former star of The Apprentice – and soon-to-be former president – has been a member of the union and its forerunners, SAG and AFTRA, since 1989. The two unions merged in 2012. Article XIV of the SAG-AFTRA Constitution states that members may be suspended or expelled for “engaging in actions antagonistic to the interests or integrity of the union.” Expulsion requires a...

The full reopening of the film and TV industry probably won’t be possible until a vaccine is developed to combat the coronavirus and testing and tracing of the virus’ spread are in place, according to David White, national executive director of SAG-AFTRA. White shared that view during a media conference call today with the top leaders of the industry’s unions and guilds, including representatives of the DGA, IATSE, Actors’ Equity and the WGA East. “As a general matter, it’s worth noting that a vaccine is right now maybe not a consensus but overwhelmingly viewed as the time when everything can...

SAG-AFTRA has called for a ban on auditions in hotel rooms and residences, where many reported incidents of sexual harassment and assault have occurred. “We are committed to addressing the scenario that has allowed predators to exploit performers behind closed doors under the guise of a professional meeting,” SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said in announcing the movie today. The ban on such meetings – called Guideline No. 1 – is the first expansion of the Code of Conduct the union released in February as part of its Four Pillars of Change initiative to confront sexual harassment in the workplace. The...

Actors strike threatened: SAG-AFTRA outraged at studios failure for fair agreement The leadership of the SAG-AFTRA actors union reported Monday that negotiations with producers so far have yielded no agreement on a new three-year contract, and it said it was asking for a strike authorization vote to strengthen its hand. It said in a statement on the union’s website that it had been hard at work bargaining with the major studios and networks represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers about a new three-year contract covering motion pictures, television and new media. “We had hoped to be...

Actors aren't working right now, so studios will turn to you for content in their place. Don't fall for it.If you're a content creator, the SAG/WGA strike will likely affect you in some way. It might change the way you view Hollywood, affect what opportunities are available to you, or keep your loved ones from finding work. Here's a quick run down of why you should support the strike and how you can show solidarity. What is this strike about? What are SAG and WGA striking over? We've put together a helpful summary at this link but basically, amidst an...

LOS ANGELES, July 10 (UPI) -- A group of Hollywood TV and film producers said the Screen Actors Guild declined to accept its final offer for a new contract Thursday. "Today's meeting demonstrated that SAG's Membership First contingent unreasonably expects to obtain more in these negotiations than directors, writers and other actors obtained during their negotiations," the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said in a statement Thursday.AMPTP said its final offer included more than $250 million in additional compensation, important new media rights and protection for pension and health benefits."The refusal of SAG's Hollywood leadership to accept this...

With the Golden Globes’ collapse, writers have struck a $75-million blow in their labour dispute, and the Oscars might well be the next casualty. The scribes aren’t celebrating, though, because no one expects this to end soon HOLLYWOOD – As symbols go, there probably isn't a more accurate one for the current crisis in show biz. It's a picture of Oscars host Jon Stewart with his fingers crossed, sheepishly hoping all is well, that adorns the new visitor's brochure of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The brochure was likely printed before the Writers' Guild of America (WGA),...