Former SAG president Melissa Gilbert blasts actors' union for Halloween strike rules: 'We look like a joke'

Melissa Gilbert thinks SAG-AFTRA's Halloween guidelines are full of more manure than a prairie house pasture.

The Little House on the Prairie star, who served as president of the actors' union from 2001 to 2005, called out the guild and its leadership Thursday for their "infantile" stance on Halloween costumes in the midst of the actors' strike.

"THIS is what you guys come up with?" Gilbert, 59, wrote on Instagram alongside an image of a Hollywood Reporter story about the guild's Halloween rules. "Literally no one cares what anyone wears for Halloween. I mean, do you really think this kind of infantile stuff is going to end the strike?"

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty;Warner Bros. Pictures Melissa Gilbert; Margot Robbie in 'Barbie'

She continued, "We look like a joke. Please tell me you're going to make this rule go away….and go negotiate! For the love of God, people are suffering mightily and this is what you have to say…c'mon guys…."

Gilbert's post came in response to a post on the SAG-AFTRA website Wednesday sharing "Halloween guidance" from the guild. An infographic advises actors on "dos and don'ts" for spooky season, encouraging union members to dress as "generalized characters and figures (ghost, zombie, spider, etc.)" as opposed to wearing costumes inspired by struck content like the Barbie movie, Oppenheimer, and franchises like Marvel and Star Wars.

The page also encourages members to avoid posting photos of themselves in costumes inspired by struck work on social media, instead advising that they select a costume from non-struck work, such as an animated television show.

"Let's use our collective power to send a loud and clear message to our struck employees that we will not promote their contact without a fair contract," the notice concludes.

It's unclear whether violating the SAG-AFTRA guidelines would result in any formal consequence. When EW reached out to the guild for clarification on the matter, a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson shared the following statement: "SAG-AFTRA issued Halloween guidance in response to questions from content creators and members about how to support the strike during this festive season. This was meant to help them avoid promoting struck work, and it is the latest in a series of guidelines we have issued. It does not apply to anyone's kids. We are on strike for important reasons, and have been for nearly 100 days. Our number one priority remains getting the studios back to the negotiating table so we can get a fair deal for our members, and finally put our industry back to work."

Regardless, Gilbert tagged SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland in her post, chastising them for what a fellow actor Kevin Zegers called a "petty and incompetent" move.

SAG-AFTRA SAG-AFTRA's Halloween strike guidelines

Gilbert and Zegers aren't the only SAG-AFTRA members who seemed to find the guidelines silly. Ryan Reynolds quipped Thursday on social media, "I look forward to screaming 'scab' at my 8 year old all night. She's not in the union but she needs to learn."

In the meantime, the actors' strike is nearing its 100th day, and negotiations with Hollywood studios fell apart again last week. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers walked away from the table and said in a statement, "After meaningful conversations, it is clear that the gap between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA is too great, and conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction."

SAG-AFTRA has called on the studios to return to the bargaining table. "Let's be clear: Our call is simple," the organization said in a statement posted to social media. "AMPTP, it's time to negotiate genuinely, valuing our contributions and solidifying an industry that champions everyone within it. We subsidized the growth of the streaming model with reduced rates and low to non-existent residuals. It's time to share in the success we've helped build."

That statement didn't address backlash to the Halloween guidance, and it remains to be seen if the guild will backtrack in any way. But hey, if you can't wear that Barbie costume you spent a lot of money on, the good news is that Laura Ingalls Wilder is a real person, and thus fair game.

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