House of the Dragon and Industry to remain filming despite SAG strike
The shows can continue production because the actors are under Equity contracts rather than SAG-AFTRA ones.
HBO shows House of the Dragon and Industry will continue production despite the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike – which is set to cause major disruption to the industry after Hollywood studios failed to offer an acceptable deal to the union.
The two shows are unaffected because the actors in each production are working under Equity contracts – the UK union – rather than SAG-AFTRA ones.
According to a report in Deadline, they will both be moving ahead as previously planned after Equity issued guidance to its members that strike action should not be taken in solidarity with their US counterparts owing to the UK's "draconian" legislation.
"The convoluted and pernicious hurdles faced by all unions in the United Kingdom are a national disgrace and need urgent reform," the Equity statement read.
"The regrettable consequence of this framework is that what artists working in the United Kingdom – whether SAG-AFTRA and/or Equity members (or both) – can do, may be different from their comrades in the United States and other parts of the world."
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
The statement went on to say that Equity "stands in unwavering solidarity" with SAG-AFTRA and pointed out that actors in both countries were facing many of the same issues, including AI and the rise in virtual auditions as well as pay and residual payments.
The vast majority of US productions for both the small and big screens have been paused as of today after the strike came into effect last night, with SAG-AFTRA's national board of directors having unanimously voted for the action.
Read more:
- Gladiator 2, Mortal Kombat 2 and more to pause filming due to SAG strike
- Oppenheimer first reactions - it's "fearsome" with "flawless" Cillian Murphy
The onset of the actor's strike comes two months after the WGA (Writers Guild of America) strike began on 2nd May, with studios and the union still unable to come to an agreement.
Last month, the DGA (Directors Guild of America) voted to approve a contract with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers), meaning they did not go on strike.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
