Dozens of A-list stars including Meryl Streep, Joaquin Phoenix, and Charlize Theron signed a letter last month signaling their willingness to strike for a fair contract, but so far only a handful of recognizable names have actually been spotted marching in the sweltering heat.
What gives?
Deadline columnist Ted Johnson told KNX News’ Pete Demetriou the lack of star power on the picket lines could be a strategic move.
“Maybe perhaps there's a sense of ‘hold your fire’ a little bit, and make sure that people remember that there are picket lines, that this is an ongoing strike,” he said. “Especially if you get into the fifth or sixth week, the public interest can start to wane.”
Johnson also feels that there’s a reason behind the low-key support by political leaders like Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom.
“There’s also a risk of them getting involved and it not panning out to anything, there being no upside, of mucking up the waters and actually making things a little worse and being blamed for extending the length of a work stoppage like this,” he speculated.
Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto advised city officials in a confidential July 3 memo that showing up on picket lines could force them to recuse themselves from votes on labor-related issues – advice that Unite Here Local 11 co-president Kurt Petersen called “an extreme and unsupported mischaracterization of federal labor law.”
But not every elected official is willing to play coy. California State Treasurer Fiona Ma told KNX News Monday that she supports taking away film tax credits if the studios don’t make progress toward ending the strikes.
On the producers’ side, Johnson said the prevailing attitude in management is to hold firm on their positions.
“They do believe that the actors are being unreasonable, they do believe that the writers are being unreasonable. Because they are answering to shareholders, and what shareholders are saying is, spend less,” he said.
Without any intervention from political figures or influential stars in the immediate future, this walkout may turn into a marathon.
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