Will Smith Supports SAG-AFTRA Strike: “It’s A Pivotal Moment”
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Will Smith voiced his support for the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. On Friday (July 28), the West Philadelphia native hit Instagram to show love to his acting coach, Aaron Speiser, while supporting his fellow actors. Will referred to the strikes throughout the entertainment industry as a crucial point in their profession’s history.
“I wanna talk for a second about ACTING. As some of yall mighta heard, my guild, @SAGAFTRA are on strike along with our writer colleagues in the WGA. It’s a pivotal moment for our profession,” he began. “33 years into my career as an actor, and there are still some days when I feel like I’m that kid from Philly who’s on borrowed time, even though I know I’ve been extraordinarily blessed and lucky to have worked as an actor all this time.”
He continued, “Thanks to my friend, my teacher, and my mentor @aaronspeiser, whom I fondly refer to as ‘coach,’ those days when I feel like I don’t belong are fewer and further between. Coach invited me to an acting class the other day, and I met a group of our talented next generation of actors, and they amazed and inspired me! I’m grateful to coach for continuing to support these talented hopefuls in this art-form that I love and have been lucky enough to work in for three decades of my life! Thanks COACH!”
Smith, 54, joins Mo’Nique in support of the SAG/WGA strikes, with the actress recently declaring her backing for the walkouts. On Wednesday (July 19), Mo stated that she has been attempting to call out Hollywood’s inequalities throughout the years. The comedian claimed that her efforts were “[struck] down” by her “brothers and sisters.”
“Hey, my sweet babies,” her IG post read. “Folks keep asking me how I feel about the strike! As you can see from above, I’ve been verbally striking for years, but some of my brothers and sisters, as the video shows, have been striking me down for years.”
She then revealed that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are striking for similar reasons that her and her The Parkers co-star, Countess D. Vaughn, decided to sue CBS and Paramount. “But, yes, I support the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. That’s why Countess D. Vaughn and I filed a lawsuit to get our money from The Parkers! [Vaughn], we are The Parkers! I love us [for] real,” she said.
The Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists began their strike on Friday (July 14) after negotiations with Hollywood studios collapsed, the Washington Post reports. SAG and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers disagreed on a new contract for improved wages and working conditions.
Actors also sought improved health benefits while creating precautions that would protect them from having their likeness replicated by artificial intelligence in future projects.
Additionally, SAG seeks transparency from streaming platforms regarding royalties and viewership data to make business similar to its network television counterpart.
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