Amidst the ongoing actors’ strike and the cancellation of Hollywood productions and events, Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” premiere managed to proceed as scheduled, although without the presence of its stars.
Traditionally, red carpet events filled with celebrities and enthusiastic fans are synonymous with Hollywood premieres. However, due to the ongoing strike by approximately 65,000 actors represented by SAG-AFTRA, they are prohibited from working on camera and participating in festivals, premieres, and interviews to promote their work.
SAG-AFTRA announced the work stoppage after failed negotiations with studios. This strike follows the ongoing strike by over 11,000 TV and script writers represented by the Writers Guild of America since early May. It is the first time since 1960 that two major Hollywood unions have been on strike simultaneously. These dual strikes pose a significant threat to the industry, especially if negotiations continue through the summer.
A unique premiere
Consequently, the “Haunted House” premiere, the first Hollywood event since SAG-AFTRA initiated picket lines, had a distinct atmosphere compared to standard red carpet events.
The lead actors, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, and Rosario Dawson, among others, were noticeably absent from the event held at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, which inspired the film. Instead, Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Maleficent, and Cruella de Vil graced the red carpet, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Influencers, who are not affiliated with the actors guild, also made appearances.
“I felt like I had to be here”
The film’s director, Justin Simien, attended the premiere to show support for the striking actors and to promote their work on the film. He expressed his ambivalence about the situation, but also his pride in the cast and the script’s writer, Katie Dippold. Simien acknowledged the absence of the actors and their reasons for not attending, while also emphasizing the importance of promoting their work.
The primary points of contention in the negotiations between the actors and studios revolve around the impact of streaming on their compensation and concerns about artificial intelligence potentially replacing them.
Simien also highlighted the significance of the actors’ concerns about AI, stating that it is crucial to address and find a solution for them.
No premiere for “Oppenheimer”
In contrast to the “Haunted Mansion” premiere, highly anticipated summer titles like Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” canceled premieres altogether after the strike began. Actors attending the film’s UK premiere walked out as soon as SAG-AFTRA initiated the strike.
Barry Diller, former chairman and CEO of Fox, Inc., suggested on “Face the Nation” that both Hollywood executives and the highest-paid actors should consider taking a 25% pay cut to address the disparity between highly paid individuals and those earning less.
“Everybody’s probably overpaid at the top end,” said Diller, who is currently the chairman and senior executive of IAC and Expedia.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
