Emmys: SAG-AFTRA Strike Will Prevent Actors From Campaigning for Awards

By Jamie Jirak

The news officially broke today that the actor's guild SAG-AFTRA is on strike. The negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) officially broke down with no deal in place which means productions that aren't already shut down due to the writers' strike will likely follow suit. This also means that actors are not allowed to campaign for awards, which will likely lead to a very different Emmys this year. The nominees were just announced yesterday, but unless both strikes get resolved incredibly quickly, it's unlikely there will be an Emmys ceremony. 

"The strike rules will not allow any form of promotion for television series, streaming series, that have been produced under these contracts. My expectation is that it will bring any actor participation in any campaign to a close." Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, explained.

When Will SAG Picketing Begin? 

The strike will officially begin tonight at midnight, with picketing starting on the morning of Friday, July 14.

"Yesterday our union celebrated the 90th anniversary of the incorporation of Screen Actors Guild," Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator said during a press conference. "During our nearly century long existence we've fought for and achieved countless gains for working actors. Today, we embark on a new important chapter in our unions history. Earlier this morning, the SAG-AFTRA national board convened following four weeks of negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television producers in a meeting, because AMPTP remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on key issues essential to protecting the livelihoods of working actors and performers. SAG AFTRA as national board unanimously voted to issue a strike order against the studios and streamers."

Succession Sets Emmys Record:

Many of the actors who are unable to campaign for Emmys are nominated for their respective shows for the last time. Succession scored 27 nominations for its fourth and final season, including Outstanding Drama Series. The HBO series also set a new Emmys record. Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, and Kieran Culkin are all up for Best Actor in a Drama, which marks the first time ever that three actors from the same show have been nominated for that award. 

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Some of the other big awards Succession is up for include Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (Sarah Snook), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Nicholas Braun, Alan Ruck, and Alexander Skarsgård), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (J. Smith Cameron), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (James Cromwell and Arian Moayed), and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Hiam Abbass, Cherry Jones, and Harriet Walter).

How do you feel about the SAG strike? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

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