Emmy-nominated actor Bob Odenkirk (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) was recently on the picket lines outside Paramount earlier this week and was asked to share his thoughts on actors that want an exemption from the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) to keep promoting their films while the strike remains ongoing.
"Don’t. It’s a strike. Be on strike. You lose. We lose. Everybody loses. That’s tough s–t.”
Currently, SAG-AFTRA is only granting exemptions to indie film projects that have no ties to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
The news comes amid reports that Tom Cruise requested an exemption from SAG-AFTRA to continue promoting Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. His argument was that movie theaters are in dire financial straits and actors need to help theaters sell tickets. His argument was reportedly, not well-received.
Actor Ike Barinholtz (Suicide Squad, The Mindy Project) also added, “Yeah, we all are in this together and if some of us are starting new projects and promoting others, that’s gonna cause dissension. We need the opposite. We need solidarity.”
“Sometimes you have to do the hard thing,” Odenkirk concluded.
Under current SAG-AFTRA strike guidelines, actors are not allowed to attend conventions, conduct interviews, or promote any AMPTP project on social media.