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SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher engaged in a powerful and impassioned livestream interview with Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday evening, addressing the ongoing dual strikes that have brought the heart of Hollywood to a standstill.
In the interview, Drescher did not hold back, directing her criticism towards the studios' executives and their negotiating body, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
The union chief also took aim at Disney CEO Bob Iger, who had recently dismissed the actors' demands as "not realistic" during an exclusive media mogul gathering in Sun Valley hosted by an investment bank on July 13.
"He stuck his foot in it so bad that you notice none of the other CEOs are opening their mouths," Drescher asserted before she expressed her frustration with Iger's comments and his apparent lack of understanding of the actors' perspective.
You can hear what Drescher said in the video below.
@bkrewind Fran Drescher on Disney CEO Bob Iger lmaooooo…shes not perfect but you cant deny the effect her energy has on the strikes #sagaftra #sagstrike #frandrescher #berniesanders #disney
She said:
There he is, sitting in his designer clothes and just got on his private jet at the billionaire’s camp, telling us we’re unrealistic when he’s making $78,000 a day."
"How do you deal with someone like that who’s so tone-deaf? Are you an ignoramus? I don’t understand."
"We need someone with character and courage to go into those boardrooms and say, ‘Listen, we’re doing this all wrong. Why are we doing this anyway? We’re in business with these people. They are who we are building our business off of.'”
Drescher once again addressed massive studio executive salaries in relation to those of the actors and writers currently striking when Sanders cited a number that was far too low:
"You'd have to add a few zeroes to that. Some of them make $78,000 a day. They get massive multi-multi-multi-million dollar eight-figure bonuses and it's completely connected to their success with the stock market."
You can hear what Drescher said in the video below.
Many praised Drescher's remarks and expressed their support for the striking creatives.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) initiated their strike on May 2, and SAG-AFTRA followed suit on July 13, marking the first double strike of actors and writers since 1960.
Both unions have united in their fight for higher wages, fair compensation from streaming platforms, and protection against the encroachment of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry.
The impact of these strikes is far-reaching, and they have the potential to significantly affect California's economy. The last writers' strike in 2007-08 cost an estimated $2.1 billion, and with both unions now halting work, a much higher toll is anticipated.
As the strikes continue, the demands of the actors and writers stand firm, representing a united front against the studios' negotiation tactics and a determined effort to secure better working conditions and fair treatment in the rapidly evolving landscape of the entertainment industry.