According to The Hollywood Reporter, as the 2023 actors strike enters its 110th day, SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios have concluded their latest negotiation session, signaling that a deal may be within reach.
This development came after both parties dedicated a full day addressing AI-related matters. While they will resume talks on Wednesday, a source from the studio side mentioned it might still take several days to finalize remaining issues.
Nonetheless, two other studio insiders noted the negotiations are making meaningful progress, hinting that an agreement could be imminent. Several esteemed actors have also indicated they've been informed a deal might be forthcoming.
Contrastingly, just a day prior, SAG-AFTRA's negotiating committee communicated to its members that an immediate resolution might not be on the horizon. They expressed, "While talks over the past week have been productive, we remain far apart on key issues." Notably, the parties had not yet settled on definitive contract terms concerning AI and the actors' aspirations to participate in the revenue from streaming projects.
In a video statement on Tuesday, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union's national executive director and primary negotiator, emphasized the union's determination to persist until their conditions are met. He remarked, "While I’ve said I’m cautiously optimistic, that means we’ve got to keep the pressure on. We’ve got to keep on pushing because there are really important pieces of this agreement that are not there yet and they have to come across. AI, for example, has to be right. This deal cannot be done without a fair deal on AI.”
The urgency for both parties to ink a new three-year deal is palpable. Studios have relayed their concerns to the union, warning that their 2024 film schedules might be at risk if they fail to secure an agreement this week. In a bid to accelerate discussions, top-tier actors engaged with representatives from both the union and the studios earlier in October. Adding to the momentum, a letter dated Oct. 26 and endorsed by thousands of SAG-AFTRA members urged their negotiation heads to stand firm, stating, “We have not come all this way to cave now.”
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