US actors union Sag-Aftra has agreed a “tentative deal” with Hollywood studio bosses to end a historic 118-day strike.
In an announcement on Wednesday, the union said the longest walkout in its history will end at 12.01am US Pacific time on Thursday following a “unanimous vote”.
The union, which represents around 160,000 members of the industry, has been on strike since July 14th causing major disruption to Hollywood productions.
A huge shoutout to our LA members who joined the picket lines today. Thank you for your dedication during this fight. We are #SagAftraStrong TOGETHER. 💪🌟 #SagAftraStrong pic.twitter.com/ZROdcgmAKz
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) November 9, 2023
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The deal comes after the union’s negotiating committee spent days deliberating over several items it deemed “essential”, including artificial intelligence.
It followed a “last, best and final” offer from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) – the group representing studios, streaming services and producers in negotiations.
The tentative deal will go to the Sag-Aftra national board on Friday “for review and consideration”, the union announced.
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It comes weeks after the union confirmed industry chief executives had “walked away from the bargaining table” after refusing to counter its latest offer, sparking “profound disappointment”.
Hollywood has been at a near-standstill for months following both the actors and writers strikes.
In September the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which represents more than 11,000 members, agreed to a deal with studio bosses after 146 days on the picket line over issues of pay and the threat of artificial intelligence.
Throughout the strikes, Hollywood stars including Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis, US director Olivia Wilde, and Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis have been keen to show their solidarity on the picket line.
On Instagram, Curtis wrote: “Perseverance pays off!” following news that a deal had been made.
