Before the actors in SAG-AFTRA went on strike last week, one of the industry’s biggest stars made a surprise appearance during a negotiation session: Tom Cruise.
The 61-year-old actor reportedly appeared during a Zoom negotiation session between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) in June, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
He reportedly appeared to try to get the AMPTP – which represents the movie and television networks, studios and streaming services – to consider their points about regulating artificial intelligence (AI) in their work.
Cruise — who stopped filming his latest Mission: Impossible movie after the strike was announced — also wanted to discuss his guild’s stance on stunt performers.
While the guild has sometimes called on artists to participate in negotiations on issues in which they have expertise, Cruise is believed to be the biggest A-list to participate in the negotiations to date.
Negotiator: Before the actors in SAG-AFTRA went on strike last week, one of the industry’s biggest stars made a surprise appearance during a negotiation session: Tom Cruise
Union: The 61-year-old actor reportedly appeared during a Zoom negotiation session between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) in June, according to The Hollywood Reporter
Cruise also asked the AMPTP to allow actors to continue promoting their films after the strike, due to the “fragile state of movie theaters” following the COVID-19 pandemic.
He would have reminded the union that promotion of their films is also ‘important’ for actors.
A source who was at the meeting said he felt “uncomfortable” when it happened.
The SAG-AFTRA strike rules expressly prohibit “conventions, interviews, tours or social media promotion of any affected work or businesses.”
SAG-AFTRA’s three-year contract with the AMPTP expired on July 1, but an extension was agreed, with a new deadline set for July 12 – the same date Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One hit theaters.
Even with 12 days left to reach an agreement, no agreement was reached at 11:59 p.m. PST on July 12.
As a result, the SAG-AFTRA actors and other performers went on strike and joined the Writers Guild of America, which has been on strike since May 2.
The AMPTP still hasn’t returned to the negotiating table once since the start of the WGA strike, and many expect this stalemate to last several months and could very well affect the fall TV season, award season and more .
Tom asks: Cruise also asked the AMPTP to allow actors to continue promoting their films after the strike, due to the ‘fragile state of cinemas’ following the COVID-19 pandemic
Same day: SAG-AFTRA’s three-year contract with the AMPTP expired on July 1, but an extension was agreed, with a new deadline of July 12 – on the same date, Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One hit theaters
As for Cruise, he was filming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, which is currently scheduled to release on June 28, 2024.
However, that date is likely to change, as production has been shut down after SAG-AFTRA went on strike last week.
Cruise was filming at Longcross Studios in Surrey before filming was halted due to the strike, and while most of the filming had already been completed, the film’s largest international set piece had yet to be filmed, according to director Christopher McQuarrie.
“We’ve photographed all but one of our international locations. We shot our big action, except for the biggest set piece, the central set piece of the film, which is huge and unlike anything we’ve done, and, I think, unlike anything you’ve seen,” he said.
The news about Cruise comes just hours after former Paramount CEO and Fox network co-founder Barry Diller suggested the entire film and TV industry could very well collapse without sweeping changes in what he called a “perfect storm.” .
The 81-year-old Diller appeared on CBS Face the Nation on Sunday, where he suggested top actors like Cruise take a 25% pay cut.
Everyone is probably overpaid at the top. The only idea I had is to say in good faith that both the executives and the highest paid actors should take a 25 percent pay cut to try and narrow the gap between those who are well paid and those who are not . Diller suggested.
Although he did not name Cruise, he is one of the highest paid actors, having earned over $1 billion in his career with a current net worth estimated at $600 million.
Filming: As for Cruise, he was filming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, which is currently scheduled to release on June 28, 2024