According to CNN, the SAG-AFTRA union, which represents approximately 160,000 actors, will be going on strike beginning July 14th. With the SAG-AFTRA strike as well as the Writers Guild of America strike, this is the first time since 1960 that writers and actors have been on strike at the same time. However, despite these strikes, some productions are continuing.
According to Deadline, HBO’s House of the Dragon as well as Industry will continue with their plans of filming in the United Kingdom this summer. The cast members for both of these series are predominantly British, thus they are represented by Equity rather than SAG-AFTRA.
As Deadline notes, a statement was released on the Equity website that spoke about the SAG-AFTRA strike and what members of SAG-AFTRA who work under Equity contracts should do. In the UK, there are anti-trade union laws that have to be considered.
Equity stated, “Industrial relations legislation in the United Kingdom is draconian, and often viewed as the most restrictive in the Western world, the convoluted and pernicious hurdles faced by all unions in the United Kingdom are a national disgrace and need urgent reform. The regrettable consequence of this framework is that what artists working in the United Kingdom – whether SAG-AFTRA and/or Equity members (or both) – can do, may be different from their comrades in the United States and other parts of the world.”
Therefore, due to the laws in the UK, SAG-AFTRA members who are currently under Equity contracts will continue working. Nonetheless, Equity supports the decision made by the SAG-AFTRA union, stating, “Equity stands full square behind our sister union in their claim, and the action their Board have agreed to take. Equity too is experiencing bullish engagers attempting to undermine its collectively bargained agreements. SAG-AFTRA has our total solidarity in this fight.”
Created by author George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, The Winds of Winter) and Ryan Condal (Colony, Rampage), the Game of Thrones prequel titled House of the Dragon is currently in production for its second season. The series revolves around the Targaryen family and the rise to power after Viserys I Targaryen, played by Paddy Considine (Dead Man’s Shoes, Blitz), dies. As noted by Deadline, the series racked up eight nominations for the 2023 Emmy Awards.
The drama series Industry is a co-production with HBO and BBC. The series was created by Mickey Down (Gregor, You, Me, and the Apocalypse) and Konrad Kay (Gregor, Hoff the Record) and revolves around a group of recently graduated individuals and their desire to work at an investment bank called Pierpoint & Co. The series is currently in production for its third season. According to Deadline, cast members Myha’la Herrold (Premature, Dumb Money) and Ken Leung (Rush Hour, Missing) are from the United States and are particularly impacted by the UK anti-trade union laws.
With the SAG-AFTRA strike just beginning, it is difficult to predict which productions will be halted and which will not. However, it is clear that HBO’s House of the Dragon and Industry will be continuing with filming for the time being.