Actors Equity, the union that covers Broadway, has joined the Writers Guild picket line today.
This really spells trouble for the Tony Awards, which were already threatened with having no writers on the show on June 11th.
With Equity on the huskings, this means their sympathies are with the Writers Guild. There is no doubt the WGA will picket the Tonys on the night of the show. Now with this sword hanging over them, I’m told CBS is likely to move the Tonys to the fall when it’s hoped that the strike will be over.
My WGA sources say they’ve never seen such a strong commitment from other unions in this cause. All the other unions are supporting them. More and more people in front of and behind cameras are adamant that streaming services have to pay more to the writers. Soon, the directors’ and actors’ unions will be voting on the same issues.
A source says: “We’re in for a long haul.”
Come on Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Hulu et al. Let’s not let this drag on and on.
New York Members (and allies): Join us on Wednesday, May 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET on the #WGAStrike picket line in Hudson Yards! RSVP at https://t.co/fhC4QgLuUU pic.twitter.com/D5b64hCF1t
— Actors’ Equity (@ActorsEquity) May 9, 2023