LOUISIANA, USA — Hollywood South is one step closer to lights, camera, action. The months-long actors’ strike is officially over.
It’s been a rough year for Louisiana’s billion-dollar film industry.
Writers went on strike in May and actors took to the picket lines in July, bringing production to a screeching halt.
With both strikes now settled, Jim Gleason a working actor, teacher and the local SAG-AFTRA president says it’s time to get back to work.
“I think what happened was the producers were like we don’t have any content for the shows, for the season to come up,” Gleason said. “I think that really forced them to come to the table and work with us.”
Actor Wendell Pierce is happy the union and major studios reached a tentative deal.
“It showed all the energy that went into the negotiations were well worth wild,” Pierce said. “It was very important and it’s really meaningful.”
Actor Kevin McLin, Jr. is anxious to return to a job he loves.
“I feel great,” McLin said. “It’s like a Christmas gift in a way. Waiting for this to happen was, while the strike was happening, was heartache and pain, like a breakup.”
The new three-year deal boosts actor pay and provides new protections against the use of an actor’s digital likeness through AI.
Pierce says the agreement also gives actors a larger share of streaming revenue.
“Perfect example was a show I was on "Suits", which is kind of number one on Netflix right now, but we received no residuals because the residual structure was not in place for streaming.”
Louisiana Entertainment head, Chris Stelly says we could see major production return to the state before the end of the year.
“We’re excited,” Stelly said. “It’s looking really good. Louisiana is posed to resume all production activity and to welcome more productions into our state.”
Gleason expects members to vote on the new deal next week.
“It’s been a tough year,” Gleason said. “It’s been a tough year. But we came though. We’re resilient.”
Pierce says from what he’s hearing, he expects to be back in front of the camera next month.
“That’s the one thing about Hollywood, we work fast. It’s just a matter of kind of turning on the lights, getting it going. Everyone I know, by December 1, they’re back into action.”
Pierce is co-starring in “Elsbeth,” a new series on CBS.
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