Display screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Tv and Radio Artists on Friday elected “The Lord of the Rings” actor Sean Astin to be its nationwide president as certainly one of Hollywood’s strongest labor unions faces new challenges in a altering movie and TV trade.
Astin, recognized for portraying Frodo’s loyal hobbit pal, Samwise Gamgee, within the Peter Jackson-directed fantasy trilogy, now finds himself headed to a unique form of stage.
The 54-year-old actor will change into chief of the 160,000-person performers union because it prepares to enter negotiations subsequent 12 months for a brand new contract with the foremost studios at a time when the leisure trade faces consolidation, productions transferring abroad and synthetic intelligence.
“I really feel proud and I really feel decided,” Astin stated in an interview. “Individuals preserve saying to me, ‘I hope you might have time to rejoice’ and celebrating seems like a international thought. This doesn’t really feel like a second for celebration. It seems like a second to say thanks and get to work.”
Astin garnered 79% of the votes forged within the election, in accordance with the actors guild’s knowledge. Voting closed on Friday. Astin beat his opponent Chuck Slavin, a background actor and performer in impartial films.
Slavin on Friday stated in an announcement that “whereas the result is disappointing, my dedication to advocating for transparency and member rights stays unshaken.”
Astin succeeds outgoing president Fran Drescher, who led the union via a 118-day strike over the past contract negotiations in summer time 2023. Below that contract, the union secured AI protections and streaming bonuses based mostly on viewership numbers. Some actors felt the contract didn’t go far sufficient and hope for extra features throughout subsequent 12 months’s talks.
Astin advised The Occasions in an interview earlier this month that he’s hopeful about securing a good take care of the studios.
“I’ve an excellent feeling about going into this subsequent negotiation, as a result of it’s clear to me that it’s in each events’ curiosity to realize an excellent deal,” Astin stated.
Typically, “the reality is that no union and no administration ought to ever desire a strike — that’s the software of final resort,” Astin stated.
Astin’s technique for negotiations was extra reasonable than that of Slavin. Slavin stated that, if elected, he would name a strike authorization vote earlier than assembly with the studios as a manner to assist increase the union’s leverage throughout negotiations.
Astin’s operating mate, Michelle Hurd, was elected as secretary-treasurer of the union, receiving round 65% of the vote. Hurd has acted in reveals equivalent to “Star Trek: Picard” and films together with the romantic comedy “Anybody However You.”
Astin stated he would push for extra AI protections within the subsequent contract and work with authorities leaders to maintain productions within the U.S.
Astin ran underneath a bunch referred to as “The Coalition,” which featured candidates from Membership First and Unite For Energy, two political teams inside SAG-AFTRA. Slavin ran as an impartial.
Voter turnout for this 12 months’s nationwide election was decrease than in 2023, when Drescher was re-elected president. In 2023, roughly 23% of the ballots have been returned, in comparison with this 12 months’s 17%, in accordance with SAG-AFTRA knowledge. In 2021, when Drescher was first elected nationwide president, 26% of the ballots have been returned, in accordance with the union.
Astin obtained a key endorsement from outgoing president Drescher, who he says has been a “fixed supply of assist and steerage” and stated he was “keen to assist shield her legacy.” Astin’s mom, Academy Award-winning supporting actor Patty Duke, was a previous president of the actors’ union.
Astin stated that he’ll start his time period poring over data, assembly with SAG-AFTRA workers and doing outreach to members, together with visiting the varied locals.
“Now could be the time for the optimism,” Astin stated on Friday. “Once you elect a brand new president, it’s a brand new chapter and a brand new web page is turned. There is no such thing as a cause to not cost ahead as a union with our members.”
