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BRYAN Cranston has taken a fierce stand supporting the Screen Actors Guild union strike while at the Rock the City for a Fair Wage rally at Times Square.
The Breaking Bad and Malcolm in the Middle alum furiously stated on Tuesday Morning: “Actors will not lose their jobs to robots,” and stood in solidarity with the striking film talent.”
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A massive crowd of actors, writers, producers, and industry allies gathered in Times Square in New York City wearing black and yellow to show their support for the 12th day of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
The star-studded lineup showing up to support included Steve Buscemi, Wendell Pierce, Christine Baranski, Stephen Lang, and Titus Burgess.
They were joined onstage by fellow actors Michael Shannon, BD Wong, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Chastain, Matt Bomer, Chloë Grace Moretz, Corey Stoll, and more.
However, Bryan, 67, stirred a particularly strong reaction from the strikers with his moving speech.
Wearing a black and yellow t-shirt reading “SAG-AFTRA On Strike!” he began: “We are not in the same business model we were in even 10 years ago.”
He demanded: “Asking for negotiations is not unreasonable and not unfair,” which was greeted by cheers from the crowds.”
Bryan noted: “I find it ironic that we’re all gathered here today by a building run by Disney” – a production company SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America are striking against.
The strike was taking place outdoors directly in front of Times Square Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company.
Disney is in the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers which represents over 350 American television and film production companies.
Other companies in AMPTP SAG-AFTRA and WGA workers are striking against include major picture studios Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros. as well as principal broadcasting networks including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC.
The strikes are also rallying against streaming services including Netflix, Apple TV+, and Amazon, which are a part of AMPTP.
Calling Disney out, Bryan continued: “We have a message for you, Mr. Iger: I know, sir, that you look at things through a different lens; we don’t expect you to understand who we are.”
Bob Iger, 72, is the CEO of Disney and has an estimated net worth of $350 million – whereas the estimated yearly salary of a Background Actor with SAG-AFTRA is $46,000.
‘WE WILL WIN’
The Emmy-award-winning star addressed Iger: “[We] ask you to hear us, and beyond that, listen to us when we tell you we will not be having our jobs taken away and given to robots.”
The crowd cheered in response Bryan’s call to action.
He continued: “We will not have you take away our right to work and earn a decent living.
“We will not allow you to take away our dignity: we are union through and through, all the way to the end.”
Bryan urged the crowd: “Stay together and we will win this!”
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CHRIS SPEAKS OUT
Hollywood actor and producer Christian Slater, 53, also spoke at the NYC rally, speaking about his humble beginnings in the city.
He shared: “I’ve been a member of this union since 1974. I was a 5 year-old working actor living with my single mother in subsidized housing right down the block in Hell’s Kitchen.
“A lot of people gave up on me, but unions never did.”
Natasja Naarendorp, who joined SAG in 2022 as an actor, exclusively told The U.S. Sun: “It seems so bifurcated that you have people who have achieved fame, achieved success, and it feels like they are on a different planet than we are.
“The truth is they were once us: everybody started from the background, hustling their side job at a restaurant – that’s how this industry works, it’s a community.”
The SAG union member concluded: “It’s people bringing up behind them, with them – not shutting the doors behind all of the people who have already made it.”
Natasja pointed to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson donating an unprecedented seven figures to help support striking union actors.
‘AS LONG AS IT TAKES’
The SAG-AFTRA strike began on July 14, 2023, demanding increased pay, better residuals from streaming services revenues, protection from Artificial Intelligence using a person’s likeness to produce copies, and more.
The news comes after SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP failed to close contract negotiations.
National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator of SAG-AFTRA, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, said the studios “left us with no alternative” than to strike.
SAG President Fran Drescher said the “entire business model has been changed by streaming, digital, A.I.”
She added: “This is a very big deal and it weighed heavy on us.
“At some point, you have to say no, we’re not going to take it anymore.
“The jig is up…. We demand respect; you share the wealth, because you cannot exist without us.”
Leading up to the decision to strike, Drescher released a statement on June 5, 2023, vowing to protect the union and its benefits.
“Together we lock elbows and in unity we build a new contract that honors our contributions in this remarkable industry, reflects the new digital and streaming business model and brings all our concerns for protections and benefits into the now!”
Meanwhile, WGA began their labor strike on May 2, 2023, with Hollywood writers demanding to improve similar aspects of their working conditions.
As for how long the strikes may last, SAG member Natasja told The U.S. Sun that actors are willing to be out of work “as long as it takes.”
“We will win – we have to win,” Natasja confidently stated.
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