Amidst the current strike by SAG-AFTRA actors, a total of 39 independent movies and TV shows have been granted permission to continue their filming endeavors.
Variety reports that the list of approved productions includes two highly anticipated projects from A24: Mother Mary, directed by David Lowery and featuring acclaimed actors Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, and Death of a Unicorn, starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega.
Interestingly, A24 is not affiliated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the organization with whom SAG-AFTRA has been negotiating on behalf of movie studios.
Among the other projects granted filming permits are Dust Bunny, featuring Mads Mikkelsen and Sigourney Weaver, The Rivals of Amziah King with Matthew McConaughey, Bride Hard starring Rebel Wilson, the TV show The Chosen, and Flight Risk, directed by Mel Gibson and starring Mark Wahlberg.
Variety adds that while some of the 39 projects have already completed filming, they still require a waiver from the union to allow actors to participate in promotional activities. Under strike rules, actors are prohibited from engaging in any form of promotion, including red carpet events, interviews, and even social media activity.
House of the Dragon Season 2 Continues
The filming of House of the Dragon Season 2 is also ongoing, largely due to the fact that the majority of the cast consists of actors from the United Kingdom. As their contracts are with the union Equity, UK law prevents Equity members from striking in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA.
This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers have gone on strike simultaneously, as the ongoing WGA writers’ strike shows no signs of resolution. The future and resolution of these strikes remain uncertain, leaving Hollywood largely at a standstill.
As the industry grapples with the effects of the strikes, these approved indie projects provide a glimmer of activity amidst the wider disruption, allowing filmmakers to continue their creative pursuits while awaiting progress and a potential resolution to the strikes.
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