Barack Obama Praises SAG-AFTRA, WGA Agreements, Pays Tribute To “Rustin” Civil Rights Pioneer At D.C. Screening

deadline.com:

Former President Barack Obama made mention of the end of Hollywood’s labor strife at a special screening on Friday of Rustin, the Netflix biopic of civil rights Bayard Rustin made by he and former First Lady Michelle Obama‘s Higher Ground Prioductions.

Introducing the movie at the HBCU First Look Film Festival, Obama said, “It’s great to see even more of you since the strikes are over,” a reference to the restrictions on writers and actors in promoting their projects during the walkout.

He added, “As somebody who cares a lot about the power of workers in this country and as the father of somebody who writes in film, I am glad that both the writers and the actors came to an agreement that recognizes with worth and their work.” The screening was held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Obama noted that in 2013, he awarded Rustin with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him “one of the seminal figures that changed the course of American history.