When one imagines the life of a Hollywood actor, we often picture glitz, glamour, and sizable residual checks from hugely successful shows. However, the reality for most if not all couldn’t be further from this romanticized vision as illuminated by Mandy Moore’s recent revelations amid the ongoing Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike.
The 39-year-old actor, who most recently starred as Rebecca Pearson in the hit NBC drama, This Is Us, shocked fans when she disclosed receiving residuals as low as 81 cents and even a single penny from the show’s streaming deal with Hulu.
Moore’s revelations underscore the deep-seated issue of inadequate residual payments. These royalty checks rewarded to actors for repeat airings of a TV show or movie were once a lucrative income stream. Unfortunately, the shift to streaming platforms turned the once-stable revenue source for actors into something much less reliable.
As Moore told the Hollywood Reporter from the picket lines at Disney in Burbank, California, “The residual issue is a huge issue. We’re in incredibly fortunate positions as working actors having been on shows that found tremendous success…but many actors in our position for years before us were able to live off of residuals or at least pay their bills.”
Moore was joined by Katie Lowes, star of the popular drama “Scandal.” Like Moore, Lowes has experienced the dwindling residuals firsthand. “The entire model has changed,” Lowes noted, explaining that residuals from past shows no longer sustain actors through lean times between big roles.
Such protests aren’t isolated acts of rebellion but a part of a broader feeling if discontent felt throughout the entire movie and TV industry.
The SAG-AFTRA strike, which began earlier this month, was initiated due to the failure to reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). This comes after the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) strike, which targeted similar issues around inadequate pay.
The striking actors are a diverse group, ranging from up-and-comers to seasoned veterans like Moore. Yet, their demands are clear – better compensation, improved working conditions, and fairness amid industry changes related to artificial intelligence and streaming.
Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA president, has released a statement addressing the strike. “What’s happening to us is happening across all fields of labor… [Employers] forget about the essential contributors that make the machine run. We demand respect… because you cannot exist without us,” she said. The sentiment was echoed by actor Luke Cook, known for his role as Lucifer on Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” who urged fellow actors to show courage and stand together for change.
While it’s tempting to dismiss the concerns of Moore and her colleagues, given their relative success and visibility, it’s a misguided perspective. Moore’s disclosure isn’t an attempt to evoke pity; rather, it is a call for a fair playing field. For every famous actor with a steady income, there are thousands of SAG members who are barely scraping by due to the inequities in the current payment models.
The glittering mirage of Hollywood success often obscures the harsh reality that most actors aren’t raking in millions, which is a stark contrast to the popular belief. Instead, many are merely trying to make ends meet, forced to take on side hustles to survive in the industry they love. As the industry continues to evolve and adapt to new technologies and platforms, it is crucial that the labor practices evolve as well, ensuring fairness and sustainability for all involved.
The current strikes are a cry for change, a demand for the industry to acknowledge and address the issues that its actors and writers face. In an era where streaming has redefined how we consume content, it’s time for a hard look at how those who create that content are compensated. Whether the industry will respond in a meaningful way, however, remains to be seen.
At the moment, the list of films and shows affected by the ongoing strikes continue to grow, from Deadpool 3 to Stranger Things, The Boys, The Last of Us, and so much more.
