Adam Driver showed his support for high profile actors on Thursday when he called out streaming services Netflix and Amazon for not being “willing to support people in the industry.”
The actor, 39, is currently promoting his film Ferrari at the Venice Film Festival, which was boycotted by many stars during the SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Ferrari actors (and writers) can attend without breaking the strikes, as the film has been given an exception because it was made by an independent, Neon, and not a studio.
Driver was quick to praise the independent studio for their role in the negotiations with SAG-AFTRA as he approached the larger production companies.
Speaking at the festival, he began, “I’m really happy to be here to support this film, and the reduced schedule we had shooting it and the efforts of all the great actors who worked on it and the crew. ‘
Speaking: Adam Driver showed his support for high profile actors on Thursday when he called out the streaming services Netflix and Amazon for not being ‘willing to support people in the industry’
Driver continued, “But I am also very proud to be here to be a visual representation of a film that is not part of the AMPTP and to promote the SAG leadership directive, which is an effective tactic, which is the interim -agreement.
“Obviously the other goal is to say, how is it that a smaller distribution company like Neon and STX International can meet the dream requirements of what SAG is asking for – these are pre-negotiations – the dream version of SAG’s wish list, but a big companies like Netflix and Amazon can’t?
“And every time people from SAG start supporting a movie that meets the terms of the interim agreement, it just becomes clearer that these people are willing to support the people they’re working with, and the others aren’t.
“If you understand the interim agreement, it’s a no-brainer for all these reasons why you’d want to support your union, which is why I’m here: to stand in solidarity with them by showing up and further proving the point that it’s really about the people you make it with.’
The Oscar-nominated actor added that by attending the Venice Film Festival, he hoped to “stop the bleeding a bit” and allow people in IATSE and SAG-AFTRA to get to work.
Driver has worked with Netflix in the past, in 2019’s Marriage Story and 2022’s White Noise.
He stars in Ferrari, which explores three months in the life of Enzo Ferrari, the car company’s founder. He has money problems, mourns his dead son and has a child with his mistress – which is discovered by his wife.
“Ferrari was made because the people who worked on Ferrari made it by dropping big chunks of salaries, in the case of Adam and myself,” said Managing Director Michael Mann at the press conference with Driver.
“It wasn’t made by a major studio — no major studio wrote us a check. And that’s why we’re here, in solidarity.’
MailOnline has reached out to Amazon and Netflix for comment.
Working: The actor, 39, is currently promoting his film Ferrari at the Venice Film Festival, which has been boycotted by many stars during the SAG-AFTRA strikes
Pay cut: Director Michael Mann, along with Driver, said at the press conference that Ferrari was made because the people who worked on it accepted lower salaries
The writers’ union, the WGA, went on strike on May 2 and was followed on July 14 by SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union.
The Venice Film Festival kicked off Wednesday and normally some of Hollywood’s biggest stars grace the red carpet to promote their work.
This year, however, only a handful of independent productions are allowed to be promoted by their stars, with Venice confirming on Monday that Jessica Chastain will still appear at the festival.
Hollywood has come to a halt as members of the SAG-AFTRA union have joined the Writers Guild Of America and went on strike over growing concerns over the use of artificial intelligence and streaming residues.
According to Varietyhas obtained interim exemptions from SAG-AFTRA for a select list of films premiering in Venice, as they are independent productions not produced by AMPTP members.
The Daily Mail’s Alison Boshoff previously revealed last week that Adam would follow Florence Pugh and make a fleeting appearance at the festival last year.
During the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, many well-known actors have shown solidarity with striking actors by taking one (or more) of the following actions: expressing support for the strikes; joining picket lines in LA, New York City; and donating/distributing water bottles and/or food to the picketers.
Well-known names participating in the picket lines in Los Angeles or New York City include Jason Sudeikis, Susan Sarandon, Vanessa Hudgens, Mandy Moore, Logan Lerman, America Ferrera, and Josh Gad, to name a few.
British actors’ union Equity held rallies in London and Manchester on 21 July in support of SAG-AFTRA Strike. Brian Cox, Jim Carter, Hayley Atwell, David Oyelowo and Oscar-nominated actress Imelda Staunton were in attendance.
While there has been little movement in talks between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA, talks with the WGA seem to have reached a stalemate.
The sides have not met since August 18, when the AMPTP rejected a counteroffer from the WGA, and no move has been made since then to resume talks.
SAG-AFTRA told members in an email on Sunday that the negotiating committee is ready to return to the table “as soon as” but little progress has been made so far.
One to watch: Driver stars in Ferrari, which explores three months in the life of Enzo Ferrari, the car company’s founder