US actors union Sag-Aftra has agreed a “tentative deal” with Hollywood studio bosses to end a historic 118-day strike.
In an announcement on Wednesday, the union said the longest walkout in it’s history will end at 12.01am US Pacific time on Thursday following a “unanimous vote”.
The union, which represents around 160,000 members of the industry, has been on strike since July 14 causing major disruption to Hollywood productions.
A huge shoutout to our LA members who joined the picket lines today. Thank you for your dedication during this fight. We are #SagAftraStrong TOGETHER. 💪🌟 #SagAftraStrong pic.twitter.com/ZROdcgmAKz
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) November 9, 2023
The deal comes after the union’s negotiating committee spent days deliberating over several items it deemed “essential”, including artificial intelligence.
It followed a “last, best and final” offer from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) – the group representing studios, streaming services and producers in negotiations.
The tentative deal will go to the Sag-Aftra national board on Friday “for review and consideration”, the union announced.
It comes weeks after the union confirmed industry chief executives had “walked away from the bargaining table” after refusing to counter its latest offer, sparking “profound disappointment”.
Hollywood has been at a near-standstill for months following both the actors and writers strikes.
In September the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which represents more than 11,000 members, agreed to a deal with studio bosses after 146 days on the picket line over issues of pay and the threat of artificial intelligence.
Throughout the strikes, Hollywood stars including Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis, US director Olivia Wilde, and Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis have been keen to show their solidarity on the picket line.
On Instagram, Curtis wrote: “Perseverance pays off!” following news that a deal had been made.
Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer led a host of other famous faces celebrating the news, writing on Instagram: "Who else is dancing right now? Ready to work now that the strike is over!"
