The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike has brought the entertainment industry to a standstill, with movie and TV productions on hold until an agreement is reached between the actors’ guild and Hollywood studios and streaming services. However, a select few projects, featuring A-list stars like Anne Hathaway, Matthew McConaughey, Rebel Wilson, and more, have been granted waivers to continue filming.
Forty-Five “Truly Independent” Productions Get Strike Exemptions
Under the “Interim Agreement,” forty-five “truly independent” productions have been granted strike exemptions. This allows members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists to participate in these projects without violating the terms of the ongoing strike.
Notable Exempt Productions
Some of the notable projects that received waivers include:
- Mother Mary: A music drama directed by David Lowery, featuring Anne Hathaway, Hunter Schafer, and Michaela Coel.
- The Rivals of Amziah King: Directed by Andrew Patterson and starring Matthew McConaughey.
- Bride Hard: An action-comedy directed by Simon West, with Rebel Wilson in a leading role.
- Death of a Unicorn: A comedy featuring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega.
- Flight Risk: Mel Gibson’s upcoming thriller starring Mark Wahlberg.
- Dust Bunny: An action-drama directed by Bryan Fuller and starring Mads Mikkelsen and Sigourney Weaver.
- The Killer’s Game: An action-comedy with a star-studded cast, including Sofia Boutella, Scott Adkins, Dave Bautista, Ben Kingsley, and Ice Cube.
- The Watchers: Ishana Shyamalan’s debut fantasy-horror movie starring Dakota Fanning.
- The Yellow Tie: A music biopic featuring John Malkovich and Sean Bean.
- Queen of the Ring: A wrestling drama with Emily Bett Rickards, Walton Goggins, Josh Lucas, and Deborah Ann Woll.
Apart from these films, the faith-based series The Chosen, which revolves around the life of Jesus of Nazareth, also resumed shooting and was the first known production to announce its exemption from the strike.
SAG-AFTRA Strike Background
The strike came into effect due to stalled contractual negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The AMPTP represents Hollywood’s major studios and streaming services, and the strike has led to a complete halt in productions affiliated with these entities. However, the “truly independent” productions granted waivers are not associated with the AMPTP, allowing them to continue filming during the strike.
As the strike continues, the exempt productions offer a glimpse of creative projects still moving forward despite the challenges posed by the industry-wide labor dispute. Fans of Hathaway, McConaughey, Wilson, and the other talented actors involved in these projects can look forward to their work gracing the screens in the near future.