Sorry, Barbie
“It does not apply to anyone’s kids,” the guild sent in a follow-up statement late Friday
Earlier this week, SAG-AFTRA released guidelines for members looking to “celebrate Halloween this year while also staying in solidarity” with the strike. Actors were advised to avoid costumes inspired by struck content — Barbie, Wednesday Addams, Marvel superheroes, etc. — and opt instead for generic characters like a ghost or zombie.
The response from guild members was swift, with many criticizing the restrictions. In response, SAG-AFTRA released a clarification late Friday, stating that they had “issued Halloween guidance in response to questions from content creators and members about how to support the strike during this festive season.” The guild added, “It does not apply to anyone’s kids. We are on strike for important reasons, and have been for nearly 100 days. Our number one priority remains getting the studios back to the negotiating table so we can get a fair deal for our members, and finally put our industry back to work.”
The explanation follows some celebrity backlash over the rules. On Thursday, Ryan Reynolds mocked the suggested guidelines and tweeted, “I look forward to screaming ‘scab’ at my 8 year old all night. She’s not in the union but she needs to learn.”
Elsewhere, Mandy Moore posted to her Instagram Stories: “Is this a joke? Come on @sagaftra. This is what’s important? We’re asking you to negotiate in good faith on our behalf. So many folks across every aspect of this industry have been sacrificing mightily for months. Get back to the table and get a fair deal so everyone can get back to work.”
As actors near the 100-day mark of the SAG-AFTRA strike, members previously told Rolling Stone this is the longest the union has ever struck the TV and theatrical agreement, and it’s also the second-longest strike in the union’s history (the longest being the 2000 SAG strike that lasted six months).
Brendan Bradley, a strike captain at Paramount, called the moment “historic,” adding, “This is an existential moment. We are not leaving without fighting for some sort of victory in every category of worker.”