SOLIDARITY: Last News

Hollywood labor presented a united front last night at the Shrine Auditorium in support of the Writers Guild of America’s ongoing strike, which is now in its third day. That included Hollywood’s Teamsters Local 399, whose secretary-treasurer and chief negotiator Lindsay Dougherty had the biggest mic-drop moment in front of the crowd of 1,800 WGA West members.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike has garnered attention from other film industry unions around the world.

EXCLUSIVE: On the third day of its first strike in 15 years, the Writers Guild of America closed down Wall Street drama Billions for several hours Thursday.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor A number of restaurants and bars have decided to show solidarity with striking members of the Writers Guild by offering discounts on menu items and drinks. Writers can’t live on donuts alone, even if they’re delivered by Jay Leno, nor will the generous offers of pizza sent to picket lines solely sustain the hundreds of sign-carrying scribes marching in front of studios across Los Angeles and New York. In Silver Lake, All Day Baby is offering discounted $8 daiquiris, and owner Lien Ta wrote on Instagram, “All Day Baby is so lucky to receive regular support from writers — we have both investors and guests who are a part of our special tapestry. For example, the writers’ room at ‘Shrinking’ even keeps score of how many days one of their writers goes with or without mentioning ADB! We’re disappointed that Hollywood isn’t matching value with worth for our industry’s writers; and in a way, the restaurant industry can relate to these writers: they are like the chefs/cooks of film + TV, writing integral and delicious recipes, and without their talent, there would be no product or project for millions to benefit.”

Drew Barrymore has pulled out of hosting the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards just days ahead of the live show.

Patric Verrone knows a thing or two about negotiations between the writers and studios.

The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards will now be hostless as Drew Barrymore has dropped out in solidarity with the writers on strike.

Drew Barrymore is taking a stand. The popular daytime talk show host has pulled out of hosting the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards in solidarity and support of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) going on strike this week.In a statement to ET, Barrymore said she has agreed to return to host next year's edition while explaining in great detail why she opted to make the choice of stepping down.«I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike,» she said in a statement.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Drew Barrymore is stepping down as host of this year’s MTV Movie & TV Awards, in a show of support and solidarity to the striking Writers Guild members. But as a sign of good faith to MTV, Barrymore has also agreed to return and host next year’s edition of the kudocast instead. Sunday night’s MTV Movie & TV Awards will still continue, but will now go hostless. The state of the show is still evolving day-by-day, as producers pivot to their strike contingency plans and wait and see who among their presenters, nominees and guests are still willing and able to appear on the telecast. As another nod to the evolving news, there will no longer be a red carpet or talent interviews before the show.

Drew Barrymore has dropped out as host of the MTV Movie & TV Awards set for this Sunday in Los Angeles, in support of striking writers.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International After several writers told Variety they’ve been frustrated about the lack of clarity around the rules for projects set up with the U.K. branches of “struck” companies like Disney or Netflix, but aren’t covered by WGA terms, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain has attempted to clarify the rules of play. On Thursday, the WGGB emailed members and provided an update on its website FAQ section, and all signs seem to indicate that “pre-existing” projects can continue, but new work for the U.K. subsidiaries of “struck” companies will be discouraged. One question reads: “I am currently partway through a series/contract with a U.K.-based U.S. producer who is a WGA MBA signatory company — what should I do?”

India’s Screenwriters Association (SWA) has expressed support for the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike and asked its members to down tools on U.S. films and series. 

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The Writers Guild of America West held a rally Wednesday night to demonstrate solidarity with the other Hollywood unions in their collective contract battles against Hollywood’s major employers. About 1,800 guild members attended the meeting at the Shrine Auditorium, and heard from WGA leaders about the reasons behind the two-day old strike. One of the stars of the show, however, was Lindsay Dougherty, the 39-year-old leader of Teamsters Local 399. “We’re all sticking together,” Dougherty told Variety outside the event. “We have an opportunity to change things in this industry, and the only way we’re going to do that is if we’re together.”

Snoop Dogg had some choice words about the “fucked up” streaming models that have led the Writers Guild of America to go on strike over writers’ compensation. “[Artists] need to figure it out the same way the writers are figuring it out,” Snoop said during a panel on Wednesday with Variety‘s Executive Music Editor Shirley Halperin, and his co-panelist and business partner, Gamma’s Larry Jackson. “The writers are striking because [of] streaming, they can’t get paid. Because when it’s on the platform, it’s not like in the box office.” He continued, “I don’t understand how the fuck you get paid off of that shit. Somebody explain to me how you can get a billion streams and not get a million dollars?… That’s the main gripe with a lot of us artists is that we do major numbers… but it don’t add up to the money… it’s not working for the artist right now.”

As striking writers gathered Wednesday afternoon outside Netflix’s Manhattan headquarters, they were greeted by a visitor from what might be considered enemy territory: U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democratic congressman whose 17th district sits in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley. 

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International U.K. writers haven’t kept quiet in their support of the Writers Guild of America strike, with many making enthusiastic shows of solidarity on social media. But behind the scenes, several writers have told Variety under the condition of anonymity that they’re frustrated about a grey area in strike rules that have left them in limbo. These projects tend to be set up with the U.K. branches of “struck” companies like Disney or Netflix, but aren’t covered by WGA terms. As these multi-national businesses have grown their local productions in recent years, many British writers who are also WGA members fall into this camp, and are being pressured to walk away.

EXCLUSIVE: His Dark Materials and Enola Holmes scribe Jack Thorne, a “proud” member of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, has paused work on two projects in solidarity with the WGA strikers.

The impact of the momentous WGA strike is still being digested by the UK industry with professionals we’ve spoken to in the past 24 hours expressing a combination of solidarity, uncertainty, and the view that the strike will be less problematic than other macro issues affecting their businesses.

Writer-comedian Adam Conover, creator and host of Adam Ruins Everything and member of the WGA Negotiating Committee, had been outspoken on social media in the run-up to the guild’s talks with AMPTP, the collective bargaining representative of the major Hollywood studios.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Big names from across movies and television are coming together to voice their support for the Writers Guild of America strike, which officially started on Tuesday. Notable creators speaking out include “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, “Dopesick” writer and director Danny Strong and “Mrs. Davis” writers and producers Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez.

International unions representing film and TV writers across the world have begun sharing their responses to Hollywood’s first writers strike in 15 years, as WGA members gear up to hit the picket lines.