Hollywood star Will Smith is the latest addition to the list of A-list stars supporting the ongoing Hollywood strike. The actor, who is also a member of SAG-AFTRA, took to his Instagram account and wrote, “I wanna talk for a second about ACTING,” Smith wrote. “As some of y’all might have heard, my guild, @SAGAFTRA, are on strike along with our writer colleagues in the WGA. It’s a pivotal moment for our profession.”
He further writes, “33 years into my career as an actor and there are still some days when I feel like I’m that kid from Philly who’s on borrowed time, even though I know I’ve been extraordinarily blessed and lucky to have worked as an actor all this time. It’s thanks to my friend, my teacher, and my mentor @aaronspeiser whom I fondly refer to as ‘coach’ that those days when I feel like I don’t belong are fewer and further between.”
He added, ‘Coach invited me to an acting class the other day, and I met a group of our talented next generation of actors, and they amazed and inspired me!’
Smith, 54, even expressed gratitude to the coach for supporting the actors.”I’m grateful to coach for continuing to support these talented hopefuls in this art-form that I love and have been lucky enough to work in for three decades of my life! Thanks COACH,” he ended the lengthy statement.
Earlier, Fran Drescher, President of SAG-AFTRA, stressed the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the need for unity and the importance of adapting contracts to address the significant changes in the industry’s business model. Drescher stated, “This is a moment of history, a moment of truth – if we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in trouble.”
In summary, the ongoing strike in Hollywood involving writers and actors is driven by concerns related to AI, fair wages, and equitable profit-sharing in the digital era. The collective effort aims to address these issues and ensure the industry evolves and adapts to the changing landscape.