Ron Perlman sent a very stern warning to a Hollywood studio executive during a fiery diatribe in a now-deleted Instagram video on Friday amid the current SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike.
The Sons Of Anarchy actor, 73, made the statement shortly after SAG-AFTRA officially joined the Picketers of the Writers Guild of America for the first time in a total of six decades on Thursday.
The star responded to an anonymous executive count deadline earlier this week that “the endgame is to let things drag on until union members start losing their apartments and homes,” with one source labeling the tactic “a cruel but necessary evil.”
Ron expressed in the deleted clip, per TMZ, “The only thing before I get off this, the asshole who said we’re going to keep this thing going until people start losing their houses and apartments. Listen to my mother ******!’
“There are many ways to lose your home. Part of it is financial, part is karma, and part is just figuring out who the hell said that.’
Stern warning: Ron Perlman, 73, sent a very stern warning to a Hollywood studio executive during a fiery tirade in a now-deleted Instagram Live video on Friday during the current SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike
Perlman continued, “And we know who said that and where the hell he lives.” After a pause, he added, “There are many ways to lose your home.”
“You wish that on people, you wish families to starve while you make $27 million a year creating nothing. Be careful, mother ******. Be really careful because that’s the kind of shit that makes a mess. Peace out.’
Along with the executive the Hellboy actor responded to, other anonymous sources gave their thoughts on the strike – which brings Hollywood to a sudden halt.
An industry veteran told Deadline in an article published Tuesday, “I think we’re going to have a long strike and they’re going to let it bleed out.”
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, also known by the AMPTP, primarily represents the Hollywood studios and production companies. According to the outlet, studios have no plans to sit down with the WGA until possibly the fall.
A separate studio executive told Deadline that companies like Paramount, Netflix, Disney, and also Warner Bros. Discovery have plans to “break the WGA.” The companies believe writers will be hit financially once fall hits and could work out “any deal possible.”
However, a spokesman for the AMPTP denied such intentions, stating: ‘These anonymous people are not speaking on behalf of the AMPTP or affiliated companies, who are determined to strike a deal and get our industry back to work.’
Later on Friday, Ron uploaded another video to his main Instagram page, which he captioned as “Strike Part II,” where he apologized for his words earlier in the previous rant.
Warmed: “You wish that on people, you wish families to starve while making $27 million a year for creating nothing. Be careful, mother ******. Be really careful because that’s the kind of shit that makes a mess. Peace out,” he said
Continued: Later on Friday, Ron uploaded another video to his main Instagram page that he captioned as “Strike Part II,” where he apologized for his words earlier in the previous rant
Call for Kindness: At the end of his lengthy statement, the actor added, “Let’s keep some measure of humanity in all of this, okay?” and also called for ‘dignity’; seen in June in NYC
At the beginning of the clip, he could be seen sitting in a spacious living room, referring back to the studio manager’s quote and his heated response.
“As you can imagine, my reaction to someone wishing that kind of evil on people in the same industry they call their own would provoke a reaction. So now let me make something very clear. I don’t wish anyone any harm.’
He added, “I hope the bastard who made that comment doesn’t wish anyone harm either, but if you start walking around saying ‘we’re not even going to negotiate with these f***ing d***heads until they begin to bleed and their families begin to bleed…”
Ron then called it a “symptom” of “a struggle much bigger than the strike itself.” A symptom of the soullessness of corporate America and how everything in this country has become corporate.’
At the end of his lengthy statement, the actor added, “Let’s keep some measure of humanity in all of this, okay?” and also called for ‘dignity’.
Earlier this year in May, the Writers Guild of America went on strike, followed by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday. In a statement, AMPTP said: “A strike is certainly not the outcome we hoped for, as studios cannot function without the artists who bring our TV shows and movies to life.”
“Unfortunately, the Union has chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for countless thousands of people dependent on the industry.”
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (SAG-AFTRA) — which represents about 160,000 actors and entertainers — announced early Thursday morning that studios’ negotiations had ended without a deal.
On Thursday afternoon Duncan Crabtree-Ireland announced that the union leadership had officially voted for a midnight work stoppage after their demands for higher wages and protection against artificial intelligence were not met.
Under the rules of a strike, SAG-AFTRA members would not be able to film movies or TV series, participate in press or movie premieres, or promote anything at this month’s San Diego Comic-Con.
The announcement marks the first strike for film and television show actors since 1980. It also marks the first time that two major Hollywood unions have gone on strike at the same time since 1960, when Ronald Reagan was the actor’s guild president.
The impending strike will affect Disney’s sequels to Avatar and Lion King, as well as shows that would return to television in the fall, such as The Simpsons.
Announcing the strike Thursday afternoon, actress Fran Drescher, who is president of SAG-AFTRA, said: “We demand respect! You can’t exist without us!’
“What happens to us matters,” the Nanny star added. ‘What happens to us happens in all fields of work.’
When employers prioritize Wall Street and greed and forget about the essential contributors that keep the machine running, we’ve got a problem. The mold is out, we demand respect,” she said.
Almost immediately afterward, screenwriters outside Netflix’s Hollywood offices began chanting, “Pay Your Actors!”
At the same time, the Oppenheimer cast left the British premiere of the film out of “solidarity” with the actors’ union. SAG-AFTRA demanded higher wages to counter inflation and guarantees for their future livelihoods.
Stopping Hollywood: Strike rules prohibit SAG-AFTRA members from filming movies or TV series, participating in press or movie premieres, or promoting anything at this month’s San Diego Comic-Con
Showing support: Actors such as Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Mandy Moore (above) have said they would support the strike
Will be there: On the pink carpet for the Barbie premiere Thursday, Margot Robbie said she would “absolutely” support the union; seen on Thursday in London
Muddling the waters further is the matter of AI. The union was looking for “a breakthrough AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses.” Actors fear that their digital images could be used without their permission or appropriate compensation.
Drescher said the two sides remain “far apart” on “so many things,” citing excessive payouts to top executives as the studios “advocate poverty.”
Actors like Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Mandy Moore have said they would support the strike, and on the pink carpet for the Barbie premiere Thursday, Margot Robbie said she would “absolutely” support the union.
The strike only affects the union’s 65,000 actors in television and film productions.
Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America’s 11,500 members have been on strike since their own talks fell through and their contracts expired on May 2. The hiatus has yielded no signs of a resolution, and no negotiations are even planned.