Fran Drescher’s Fiery Speech against Hollywood Studios Goes Viral as Actors Strike

Jul 14, 2023 | The Nanny star blasts Hollywood studios after talks between the actors’ union and studios fail to avert a strike, calling them 'disgusting' for claiming they’re losing money while 'giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs'.

Fran Drescher is president of Hollywood's biggest union, Sag-Aftra. About 160,000 of its members are joining the Writers Guild of America in a strike, marking the biggest shutdown of Hollywood since both unions last went on strike together in 1960.

The unions are fighting for better terms with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents major studios and streamers, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros Discovery


Read the accompanying Guardian article here.

Les acteurs d'Hollywood rejoignent les scénaristes dans un mouvement de grève inédit : Les tournages, déjà ralentis, sont complètement à l’arrêt depuis l’échec des négociations entre syndicat et studios concernant une revalorisation des salaires. »

„Wir sind hier die Opfer. Wir laufen Gefahr, durch Maschinen ersetzt zu werden“: Hollywood im Stillstand: Nach gescheiterten Verhandlungen mit den US-Filmstudios legt die Schauspielergewerkschaft ihre Arbeit nieder. Auch die Drehbuchautoren streiken seit Wochen. Das gab es seit 60 Jahren nicht. »

Kirstie Alley, Cheers and Look Who’s Talking Actor, Dies Aged 71

THE GUARDIAN: Actor’s family confirms she died shortly after being diagnosed with cancer, as her former co-stars including John Travolta pay tribute

The film and TV star Kirstie Alley, pictured in 2019. She has died aged 71. Photograph: Monica Almeida/Reuters
Kirstie Alley, the TV and film star known for her roles in Cheers, Veronica’s Closet and Look Who’s Talking, has died at the age of 71.

Alley’s death was confirmed on Monday night in a statement from her children, William “True” Stevenson and Lillie Price Stevenson, which was posted to her social media account. Her manager also separately confirmed her death.

Alley had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and was being treated at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida, her family revealed. » | Sian Cain | Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Kirstie Alley, Emmy-Winning ‘Cheers’ Actress, Dies at 71: She also starred in the NBC sitcom “Veronica’s Closet,” which aired from 1997 to 2000. »

Sidney Poitier, Black Acting Pioneer, Dies Aged 94

THE GUARDIAN: The first Black person to win a best actor Oscar gave a string of groundbreaking performances on screen that helped combat social prejudice

Sidney Poitier with his honorary Oscar in 2002. Photograph: Doug Mills/AP
Sidney Poitier, whose groundbreaking acting work in the 1950s and 60s paved the way for generations of Black film stars, has died aged 94. His death was announced on Friday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas, Fred Mitchell.

Bahamas Prime Minister Chester Cooper said he was “conflicted with great sadness and a sense of celebration when I learned of the passing of Sir Sidney Poitier.

“Sadness that he would no longer be here to tell him how much he means to us, but celebration that he did so much to show the world that those from the humblest beginnings can change the world and that we gave him his flowers while he was with us.

“We have lost an icon; a hero, a mentor, a fighter, a national treasure.” » | Andrew Pulver | Friday, January 7, 2022

Sidney Poitier, Who Paved the Way for Black Actors in Film, Dies at 94: The first Black performer to win the Academy Award for best actor, for “Lilies of the Field,” he once said he felt “as if I were representing 15, 18 million people with every move I made.” »