When the result of the Hollywood actors’ strike ballot was announced last Thursday, the big-name stars of Oppenheimer left the film’s London premiere. This show of solidarity by Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh was a demonstration of the far-reaching effects of creatives taking to the picket lines. For our big story, arts reporter Vanessa Thorpe looks at what the historic joint walkout by writers and actors means for all of us as movie-goers and TV viewers as well as the stars, lesser-known actors and technicians struggling to make a living. And we look at what lies behind the dispute with our film editors Catherine Shoard and Andrew Pulver while Los Angeles reporter Lois Beckett hears from actors finding it ever harder to make a living in the age of streaming and the use of AI in the entertainment industry.
As southern Europe, countries in Asia and the southern US swelter in truly frightening temperatures, the awful reality of climate change is inescapable and more than merits the Weekly’s repeated attention. Our correspondents from across Europe, North America and Asia report on how people are enduring record temperatures while columnist George Monbiot sounds a warning on the effect that multiple crop failures will have food supplies across the world.
With the Women’s World Cup kicking off in Australia and New Zealand, there is hope that the promise of women’s football as equal to the men’s game is getting closer to being realised in terms of pay and global attention. Our football writer and long-term champion of the women’s game, Suzanne Wrack, explains why this tournament will be momentous on and off the pitch.
Culture, politics and finance intersect across our features and culture pages as Yasmine El Rashidi revisits Cairo’s 2011 uprising to explore how hip-hop gave a voice to a generation of young dissident Egyptians while in culture Emine Saner interviews Ben McKenzie about how he went from being a heart-throb in The OC to co-writing a book exposing the truth behind cryptocurrency.
I hope you enjoy this week’s edition.
