Will Smith Calls WGA & SAG-AFTRA Strikes a ‘Pivotal Moment’ in Hollywood

Forum 1 year ago

Will Smith Calls WGA & SAG-AFTRA Strikes a ‘Pivotal Moment’ in Hollywood

As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes continue on, acting legend Will Smith has taken to social media to explain why the strike is so important.

Smith reflects on the ongoing strikes

In a rare move for Smith, the actor shared a lengthy statement on the strike. In a caption accompanying a photo of himself at LA’s Screen Acting Studio, Smith spoke up about the strikes. The veteran performer called them “a pivotal moment” in their profession. Smith also had some praise for actor and teacher Aaron Speiser, who Smith called his “mentor.”

“I wanna talk for a second about acting,” said Smith in his post. “As some of yall mighta heard, my guild, [SAG-AFTRA] are on strike along with our writer colleagues in the WGA. It’s a pivotal moment for our profession. 33 years into my career as an actor and there are still some days when I feel like I’m that kid from Philly who’s on borrowed time, even though I know I’ve been extraordinarily blessed and lucky to have worked as an actor all this time.”

Smith’s comments come as more and more actors use their profile to rally support for the ongoing strikes. Recently, Bryan Cranston took to the streets of New York to call out Disney CEO Bob Iger. Dwayne Johnson has also made his voice heard in the form of a large donation to SAG-AFTRA’s relief foundation, while other actors like Tom Cruise tried to lobby the AMPTP (the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) prior to the strike.

As the strikes continue, production of movies and television shows has halted across Hollywood. This has resulted in a number of films being delayed, including Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, Gran Turismo, and Kraven the Hunter. The 2023 Emmy Awards have also been delayed, with the strikes rumored to hold strong up to — and maybe beyond — the end of the year.