The Hollywood actors’ strike has just got the support of one in every of its most famous A-listers: Tom Cruise.
The “Top Gun: Maverick” star backed SAG-AFTRA during a surprise appearance at a negotiating session between the actors’ union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) via Zoom, in keeping with The Hollywood Reporter.
The 61-year-old reportedly rallied against the takeover of artificial intelligence in an announcement now echoed by 1000’s of actors and entertainers in Hollywood, who’re striking with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) for the primary time in over six a long time.
Cruise hopped on the decision in a desperate bid to get the AMPTP to re-evaluate its stance on AI within the TV and film streaming era.
The actor’s latest “Mission: Inconceivable” movie has ground to a halt consequently of the strike motion, as have dozens of other high-profile projects, including the “Avatar” sequel, “Gladiator 2” and “Deadpool 3.”
Throughout the Zoom call, Cruise also addressed the guild’s stance on stunt actors, in keeping with the outlet.
The actor asked the AMPTP to permit performers to proceed on with their press tours following the strike, because of the “fragile state of movie theaters” following the pandemic.
He said promoting movies is just as “essential” to the actors because it is to the studio, the outlet adds.
The union protecting Hollywood’s biggest A-listers on Thursday joined forces with screenwriters on the picket line after voting to shut down production across the entertainment industry, which can lead to a drought of shows and films within the near future.
The SAG-AFTRA unanimously voted to stop working after their contract expired and talks broke off with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents streaming giants like Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others.
The strike marks the primary time the 160,000-member-strong SAG-AFTRA has walked off film and TV jobs since 1980.
The actor-screenwriter strike is the primary joint walkout in greater than six a long time.
Each SAG-AFTRA and the WGA are demanding an increase in pay and residuals within the streaming era.
