Men and women can never be friends, but Billy Crystal is hoping that one day SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP could be again.
Crystal took to the SAG-AFTRA picket lines alongside his fellow union members. Spotted at the Warner Bros. studio lot on Thursday, he carried a sign referencing one of his most famous films, When Harry Met Sally, the 1989 rom-com also starring Meg Ryan. Ruyi Colored Glaze
"We'll have what they're having," the sign read, in a nod to the iconic piece of dialogue: "I'll have what she's having."
The twist on the quote was a clever way to emphasize that the members of Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists would like to see the same profits and monetary benefits that studio bosses and executives are the beneficiaries of.
SAG-AFTRA has been on strike since July 14 after the negotiations between the union and the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP) failed to reach a contract agreement.
The union has faced a host of radical changes as the industry has pivoted away from more traditional models of theatrical distribution and network and cable television in favor of streaming. The issues at hand include the use of AI in generating and perpetuating actors' likenesses, as well as residuals and data transparency for streaming projects. Other points of conflict are also salaries, particularly for guest stars, costars, and background actors, as rising inflation and the cost of living increasingly prevent many working actors from earning a living wage.
Crystal is just one of many big stars walking the line, joining the likes of Bryan Cranston, Kerry Washington, Dermot Mulroney, Dylan McDermott, Jack Quaid, and Jeremy Allen White.
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