Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence are among 160 000 actors who have voted to strike.
In a move that will leave Hollywood on a near shutdown, acting union bosses confirmed the action on Thursday night, which prompted the stars of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ to leave the premiere of his wartime drama after the move was announced.
‘The Dark Knight’ filmmaker, 52, said on stage as stars including Cillian Murphy, 47, left the screening in London: “I have to acknowledge the work of our incredible cast, led by Cillian Murphy.
“The list (of strikers) is enormous – Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek and so many more. You’ve seen them here earlier on the red carpet.
“Unfortunately, they are off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike.”
Blunt, 40, had said she would leave the premiere if the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) approved a strike – saying: “If they call a strike, we’ll be leaving together as cast in unity with everyone.”
The action comes after a breakdown in talks between SAG-AFTRA and representatives of streaming giants, with them failing to reach agreement on streaming profit splits and the potential impacts of the use of artificial intelligence to replace actors.
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said: “The companies have refused to engage on some topics meaningfully and on others completely stonewalled us.”
It is feared the strike will delay production on most of Hollywood’s film and TV projects.
Writers have already on strike over pay and conditions, and it is the first time since 1960 they and actors have together gone on strike.