SAG-AFTRA Strike Ends After 118 Days; Kevin Bacon Celebrates with 'Footloose' Dance

New Contract Addresses Concerns Over Streaming Residuals, Wages, and AI Use in Entertainment Industry

The SAG-AFTRA strike, which lasted 118 days, ended after a tentative agreement was reached with Hollywood studios. The strike was due to concerns about a flawed streaming residuals system, unfair wages, and the encroachment of artificial intelligence into the entertainment industry.
Actor Kevin Bacon celebrated the end of the strike by recreating his iconic dance from the 1984 film 'Footloose' in a video that garnered millions of views on social media platforms.
The new contract, approved unanimously by the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Committee and ratified by SAG-AFTRA’s national board of directors, addresses the guild’s concerns by boosting actors’ minimum pay and residual payments, and establishing new rules regulating the use of AI.
The strike, which began in July, was the longest work stoppage in the history of the union. Actors fought for health benefits, better pay for background actors, and protections against studios using AI to use their likeness without permission.
The end of the strike does not mean that all delayed TV shows and movies will immediately return to production. Some industry insiders predict that production may not fully resume until early next year.