SAG-AFTRA voted to go on strike against film and television studios and streamers for fair contracts and fair pay—meaning actors in Hollywood will start picketing as of tomorrow. The strike will shut down films and television shows worldwide—but one show that appears to be exempt is HBO’s House of the Dragon.
According to Deadline’s reporting, House of the Dragon has a “largely British cast” who are working under “Equity contracts” instead of SAG-AFTRA contracts. This means that technically they are exempt from the strike, and production sources say filming will continue as planned.
Apparently SAG-AFTRA members who are working under Equity contracts have been told should “continue to report to work,” but whether they actually do so remains to be seen.
“Industrial relations legislation in the United Kingdom is draconian, and often viewed as the most restrictive in the Western world,” the Equity guidance reads, per Deadline. “The convoluted and pernicious hurdles faced by all unions in the United Kingdom are a national disgrace and need urgent reform. 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.”
That said, the Equity union “stands in unwavering solidarity” with SAG-AFTRA, saying in part, “Equity stands full square behind our sister union in their claim, and the action their Board have agreed to take. Equity too is experiencing bullish engagers attempting to undermine its collectively bargained agreements. SAG-AFTRA has our total solidarity in this fight. We say clearly to the AMPTP and their members that they need to move significantly and swiftly to meet the reasonable aspirations of SAG-AFTRA’s members. The members of our unions, and all entertainment unions across the globe, create the vast wealth within our industry – it is right and just that they have decent, modern pay and conditions.”
Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm, She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.