The best way to scare the studios this Halloween? Avoid dressing up as characters from struck shows and movies.
As striking actors enter the spooky season, SAG-AFTRA has issued guidelines for members who want to “celebrate Halloween this year while remaining in solidarity” with the strike. That means union members can hang up their “Oppenheimer” porkpie hats and put away their “Barbie” pink.
“Choose costumes inspired by generic characters and figures (ghost, zombie, spider, etc.),” the actors’ union recommended in a website post on Wednesday.
The guild also suggests that actors “do not post photos of costumes inspired by struck content on social media” to avoid giving the studios additional publicity. As SAG-AFTRA fights for a better contract with the AMPTP, striking actors are banned from doing press for struck shows and films.
The post encourages members to “dress up as characters from non-struck content, such as a cartoon TV show”.
Projects under a tentative agreement with SAG-AFTRA are also likely to be restricted, meaning members can safely dress up as Jacob Elordi’s Elvis (from A24’s strike-proof Priscilla) but not Austin Butler’s King of Rock n’ Roll from Warner Bros.’ The Bear. Carmy from The Bear is out, but don’t worry – there’s still time to bulk up and go trick-or-treating as Jeremy Allen White from A24’s upcoming wrestling picture The Iron Claw.
After talks between guild negotiators and studio bosses broke down last week, SAG-AFTRA closed its post with a motivational message: “Let’s use our collective power to send a loud and clear message to our beleaguered employers that we will not promote their content without a fair contract!”
