There is a lot to talk about with the dual strikes happening right now in the entertainment industry. Both the Writers Guild and the Screen Actors Guild are fighting for competitive wages, better protections against rampant AI use, and streaming residuals and payouts… plus about a million other things. And it would appear that there is a gulf of disagreement between both guilds and the combined negotiating powers of the studios. All that to say, there are two massive strikes happening in Hollywood with no end in sight, which is on the brink of causing real chaos when it comes to content output in the next year. And while it would appear (publicly, at least) that most writers and actors stand on the side of the strike and their guild’s drastic call to action, there are some who don’t like what is happening. And that “some,” at least right now, is Stephen Amell.
Speaking at Raleigh’s GalaxyCon (actors are still able to show up at conventions, as long as they don’t promote “struck” content), Stephen Amell, best known for his role as Oliver Queen on “Arrow,” openly discussed his displeasure with SAG striking. While he claims that he still supports the union, Amell believes that going on strike is not the right course of action for the business.
“I feel like I’m insulated in Hollywood because that’s where I live. I feel like a lot of people in this room aren’t aware of the strike,” Amell said (via THR). “I support my union, I do, and I stand with them but I do not support striking. I don’t.”
He continued, “I think that it is a reductive negotiating tactic, and I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating. I think that the thinking as it pertains to shows — like this show that I’m on that premiered last night — I think it is myopic, and I stand with my union.”
“This show” that he is referring to is “Heels,” which is about to begin its second season on Starz. And you can understand just how frustrating it would be to have a new season of a series debut and there is absolutely no marketing that contains the actors involved. For a show like “Heels,” which isn’t a massive, “Game of Thrones”-level success story, promoting the show with the use of actors is a huge benefit for viewership. Now, if the show doesn’t do well and subsequently gets canceled, there is a what-if question about how things could have been different if Amell is out there showing up wherever he can to promote.
That said, every new season of a TV series or new film getting released in theaters is in a similar situation. “Haunted Mansion” has a star-studded, A-list cast, but there was no promotion featuring those people to be seen, for example. In that sense, Amell has every right to be frustrated, but he’s not the only one feeling this. And this is what happens when a union takes the drastic step of striking. It’s not just uncomfortable for those who are on the other side of the strike, but it also affects the ones striking. But the end result, hopefully, is that all of this hardship will lead to a much better outcome in the long run.
All that to say, “Heels” might not get the most viewers and Amell can be frustrated all day long about it, but SAG feels as if striking right now is a much more important measure than making sure some series or films get promoted.
