Striking actors agree deal with Hollywood studios

 
Hollywood actors and studios reached a tentative deal Wednesday to end a months-long strike that has crippled the entertainment industry, delayed hundreds of popular shows and films, and cost billions to the US economy.

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) called off its 118-day strike from midnight (0800 GMT Thursday) after finally reaching an agreement with the likes of Disney and Netflix for a new contract including higher pay, and protections against the use of artificial intelligence, AFP reports.

The announcement paves the way for actors to head back to movie sets, an end to picket lines outside studios, and a return to employment for thousands of other jobs linked to the entertainment industry.

"In a unanimous vote this afternoon, the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Committee approved a tentative agreement... bringing an end to the 118 day strike," a spokeswoman said in a statement to AFP.

The deal still needs to be ratified by the union's board, and members. That process could take weeks, but the agreement is widely expected to pass.
Talks between the two sides had taken place almost daily for the past two weeks, with CEOs of studios including Disney, Netflix, Warner and Universal often attending personally, as the clamor for a deal grew.

Given the duration of the strike, studios already face gaping holes in their release schedules for next year and beyond, while many out-of-work actors have struggled to make ends meet, been forced to find second jobs, or quit the business altogether.