Hollywood Studios Break Off Strike Talks with Actors

The iconic Hollywood sign is pictured on the day members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) approved a new three-year contract with major studios, in Los Angeles, California, US, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
The iconic Hollywood sign is pictured on the day members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) approved a new three-year contract with major studios, in Los Angeles, California, US, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
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Hollywood Studios Break Off Strike Talks with Actors

The iconic Hollywood sign is pictured on the day members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) approved a new three-year contract with major studios, in Los Angeles, California, US, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
The iconic Hollywood sign is pictured on the day members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) approved a new three-year contract with major studios, in Los Angeles, California, US, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Talks bitterly broke off between Hollywood actors and studios late Wednesday, killing any hopes that the three-month strike by performers would come to an end anytime soon.
The studios announced that they had suspended contract negotiations, saying the gap between the two sides was too great to make continuing worth it, despite an offer as good as the one that recently ended the writers strike. The actors union decried their opponents' “bullying tactics” and said they were wildly mischaracterizing their offers, The Associated Press reported.
On Oct. 2, for the first time since the strike began July 14, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists had resumed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios, streaming services and production companies in strike talks.
When negotiations resumed with writers last month, their strike ended five days later, but similar progress was not made with the actors union.
The studios walked away from talks after seeing the actors' most recent proposal on Wednesday.
“It is clear that the gap between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA is too great, and conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction,” the AMPTP said in a statement.
The SAG-AFTRA proposal would cost companies an additional $800 million a year and create “an untenable economic burden,” the statement said.
In a letter to members sent early Thursday, SAG AFTRA said that figure was overestimated by 60%. The union said its negotiators were “profoundly disappointed” the studios had broken off talks.
“We have negotiated with them in good faith,” the letter read, “despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began.”
Actors have been on strike over issues including increases in pay for streaming programming and control of the use of their images generated by artificial intelligence.
The AMPTP insisted its offers had been as generous as the deals that brought an end to the writers strike and brought a new contract to the directors guild earlier this year.
But the union letter to actors said the companies “refuse to protect performers from being replaced by AI, they refuse to increase your wages to keep up with inflation, and they refuse to share a tiny portion of the immense revenue YOUR work generates for them.”
From the start, the actors talks had nothing like the momentum that spurred marathon night-and-weekend sessions in the writers strike and brought that work stoppage to an end. Actors and studios had taken several days off after resuming, and there were no reports of meaningful progress despite direct involvement from the heads of studios including Disney and Netflix as there had been in the writers strike.
The writers did have their own false start in negotiations, however. A month before the successful talks, the initial attempt to restart ended after just a few days.
Members of the Writers Guild of America voted almost unanimously to ratify their new contract on Monday.
Their leaders touted their deal as achieving most of what they had sought when they went on strike nearly five months earlier.
They declared their strike over, and sent writers back to work, on Sept. 26.
Late night talk shows returned to the air within a week, and other shows including “Saturday Night Live” will soon follow.
But with no actors, production on scripted shows and movies will stay on pause indefinitely.



Andrea Bocelli on His New Album, Film and 30 Years of Making Music: 'I Like to Think to The Future'

Tenor Andrea Bocelli. (Reuters)
Tenor Andrea Bocelli. (Reuters)
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Andrea Bocelli on His New Album, Film and 30 Years of Making Music: 'I Like to Think to The Future'

Tenor Andrea Bocelli. (Reuters)
Tenor Andrea Bocelli. (Reuters)

It's one of the most immediately recognizable voices on the planet: Andrea Bocelli's tenor is beloved across generations, cultures and borders, known to induce tears in as few as three simple words: “Con Te Partirò,” or in its English performance, “Time to Say Goodbye.”
This year, he's celebrating the 30th anniversary of his career with a new compilation album, “Duets,” featuring both previously released and brand-new collaborations of his best-known work — as well as a few surprising contemporary covers — and the release of a new concert film, “Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration,” which will arrive in theaters on Friday, The Associated Press said.
So, why duets?
“I've loved voices since when I was a child, and I like very much to share the stage with the best artists and voices. So, this album, there are the best duets that I did in my life,” he told The Associated Press. “From the first, ‘The Prayer’ with Celine Dion, until the last, like ‘Perfect’ with Ed Sheeran and many, many others. And the album has been remastered and remixed. So, I hope the sound can be better."
He says: “The most important thing in voices... is to be recognizable, to give emotion."
Sheeran was an interesting collaboration because when Bocelli first attempted to sing “Perfect," the English singer-songwriter wasn't a fan. “He didn’t like what I did because I sang in a pop style,” he recalls. “He wanted to listen to my voice, like in an operatic style.” So, Sheeran traveled to Bocelli's home in Tuscany, and the song was transformed. “He was right because this song had a huge success.”
When asked if there is anyone he would've loved to add to the “Duets” collection, Bocelli says of course — but “they passed away before I began to sing. For example, I would like very much to sing with Maria Callas or (Renata) Tebaldi or Magda Olivero. Many great, incredible singers. They are not anymore with us, unfortunately.”
Three decades into his career, Bocelli has performed for presidents, popes, and sold-out stadiums across the globe — in addition to having sold nearly 90 million records worldwide, according to a press release. “Reality exceeded my wildest dreams,” he says.
How he reflects on that time should come as no surprise. “I like to sing to the future. Honestly, I don’t like to think with nostalgia to the past," he says. “My first time on stage, for me it is like yesterday. The time is gone so quickly, so fast. And, yeah, now I like to think to the future.”
So, what, then, does he hope becomes his legacy in the next 30 years, 300 years? “In Italy, we have a very famous expression: The people that come after us will judge us,” he says with a translator. “So I can’t force the judge(ment) of the people. But I feel that my audience has a big affection for me, and this is my goal. When somebody in the street comes to me and says (to) me, ‘Thank you for your voice, for your music,’ I think mission is accomplished."
Across “Duets,” Bocelli sings in Italian, English, French and Spanish. “There are many languages, but it’s so difficult. I remember the day I tried to sing in Chinese, only few lines, but it has been so hard for me,” he laughs.
He also performs across genres, working with everyone from Latin superstars like Karol G and Jennifer Lopez to country musicians like Chris Stapleton and Shania Twain. “I would like to try to sing jazz," he says. “But it’s too difficult for me because you must live in an atmosphere, to learn step by step, day by day. I like jazz but it’s too far from the experience of my life.”
There is little he hasn't done across these last three decades, but the ultimate goal now, he says, is steeped in faith. “I have been very lucky and I reached the affection of the people. Now I must try to deserve the affection of the God. It’s more difficult."
But he will continue to perform for those who love him. On Dec. 4, Bocelli's US tour kicks off in San Diego and runs through the month, before commencing again in February and June 2025. The final dates will be held in Napa Valley, California, on June 21 and 22.