Woyem News 
The former cast members of Parks and Recreation have come together to support the ongoing actors’ strike. The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) recently joined striking film and TV writers in demanding fairer pay. This is the first time in 60 years that both screen actors and writers have simultaneously withheld labor, resulting in a shutdown of Hollywood.
Actors Aubrey Plaza, Nick Offerman, Adam Scott, Ben Schwartz, Sam Elliott, Jim O’Heir, Retta, and Allison Becker gathered outside the Amazon offices in Culver City, California to join the picket line on August 11th. Plaza was seen holding a sign that referenced Rashida Jones’ character, Ann Perkins, who works for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the trade organization representing the film studios in negotiations with SAG-AFTRA.
Retta, who played Donna in Parks and Recreation, posted on her Instagram story, stating, “Pawnee is a union town,” referring to the fictional city in which the comedy series is set. Other cast members also showed their support, with Adam Scott posting photos of himself, “boyfriend” Nick Offerman, and Jesse Plemons protesting outside a different studio. Offerman wrote on his Instagram, “If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage, folks.”
The actors’ strike has entered its fourth week after the actors’ union, with its 160,000 members, voted to join the striking Hollywood writers. They are fighting for better compensation, protections against losing work to artificial intelligence (AI), and other demands. In an interview, Pose star Billy Porter revealed that he had to sell his house due to the repercussions of the strikes.
Porter expressed his frustration with Disney CEO Bob Iger, who claimed that the demands for a living wage were unrealistic. Porter said, “To hear Bob Iger say that while he makes $78,000 a day? I don’t have any words for it, but: f*** you.” He also mentioned that he was supposed to be in a new movie and a new television show starting in September, but those projects are no longer happening.
The actors’ strike and writers’ strike are causing major disruptions in the entertainment industry, with many talented individuals unable to work. These strikes highlight the need for fair compensation and protections for all workers in the industry.
