Since the writer’s strike began two weeks ago, actors have joined the picket lines and stood in support with their striking coworkers. Soon enough many of those television actors will be doing about as much work as the actors as well, with both Sony Pictures Television and NBC putting their actors on hiatus or letting them out of their contracts completely.
The details of this invoking of the “force majeure” clause in the actors’ contracts are complicated, and laid out in more detail in this Hollywood Reporter article. Essentially, though, NBC has decided to suspend the actors from shows like 30 Rock and The Office, a deal in which they will receive half-pay and may be terminated entirely at the end of five weeks. After termination they are free to pursue other projects, but when production starts up again they are guaranteed to have their contracts resigned. So don’t worry, Carell fans—even if he gets terminated in a few weeks, he’ll still be back as Michael Scott.
Sony, on the other hand, has put the stars of Rules of Engagement and Til’ Death on hiatus, which means both that they are not working and they must remain exclusive to the studio. This has resulted in complaints from the Screen Actors Guild, which says it is violation of the contract. Either way it’s bad for those actors, unable to make use of their newfound free time.
The stars of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock will at least be making use of their suspension, gathering together for live performances of each of their shows at the UCB Theater in the next few days. I’m reluctant to even tell you about this, since tickets are sold out and I’m dying to try to get one of the few left, but Michael Cera will be hosting the SNL event and 30 Rock is the greatest thing ever, so consider this a public service. The events will be raising money to benefit the WGA, and promise to be amazing.
Things keep getting grimmer and grimmer as this strike goes on, but it’s events like the ones at the UCB that make me believe that somehow, even with the TVs dark, we’ll continue benefiting from all the creative minds that are out there, looking for the next project.
