Aussie actors back Hollywood shutdown - ‘We’re not striking here yet’

Colin From Accounts stars Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer flew home to Australia to attend and win multiple Logie Awards Sunday night. They’ve now lifted the lid on the strikes which have brought Hollywood to its knees.

Some of Australia’s top stars have put their weight behind the Hollywood actor and writer strike that has brought the international film and television industry to a standstill.

“It is not just a US problem, it is a global problem and if Australia industry laws went that way, then we would have to strike as well and I think every actor and artist here (in Australia) would do that because we need to safeguard art as it is, we can’t let it become artificial or derivative,” Last King of the Cross star Lincoln Younes told Confidential.

“They are fighting so that your likeness can’t be artificially created and then used without your permission, which would basically put every actor and artist out of work and it would make art algorithmic, rather than the way it should be, which is flawed, nuanced, it takes time, it would just make everything expedient.

“The other part of it is letting writers, and letting the artists get paid what they should be. It all comes down to corporate greed and you can’t make art without artists.

“It is an important stand that we have to take.”

Claude Jabbour and Lincoln Younes at the 63rd TV WEEK Logie Awards at The Star, Sydney on July 30. Picture: Getty Images

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), which represents more than 150,000 actors, in July moved to join the screenwriting union to strike following lengthy negotiations over work conditions and pay.

One point of contention is the use of artificial general intelligence (AI) and residuals, the amount of money actors are paid in royalties from the number of streams their shows receive.

Kara Cook, Christian Wilkins, Andi Lew, Luke Cook and Jonathon Moran on the SAG Picket Line in LA

It is the first industry-wide shutdown in 63 years.

Luke Arnold carried a SAG/AFTRA Strong card in solidarity as he walked the red carpet at the Logie Awards at The Star on Sunday.

“We’re here in solidarity with everything that’s going on in the States,” the True Colours, Black Sails and Home and Away star said.

“We’re connected to that, we’re part of it, it’s one big industry. We’re not striking here yet ... it is a real worry. A lot of things being asked for by the actors and writers are so reasonable.”

Luke Arnold on the red carpet for the Logies at the Star in Pyrmont. Picture: Damian Shaw

SAG Australian members had to seek permission to attend the Logie Awards so as not to breach strike regulations.

Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer with a Logie that their show won this week. Picture: Damian Shaw

Colin From Accounts stars Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer flew home to Australia from LA to attend and won multiple awards on the night.

“There are so many SAG members who can’t earn enough to afford healthcare,” Brammall said. “We wanted to make sure we were on the right side of the strike rules.”

Dyer added: “Hopefully it is resolved pretty soon though because there are so many crew members affected by this, all the makeup, the props, everyone can’t work, catering, the whole town (of LA) is suffering really badly.”