Writers and their allies hit the picket lines on Tuesday, May 2, carrying creatively-crafted signage and offering up very well thought-out opinions about the work stoppage. Protests began first in New York City outside the Peacock NewFront Presentation and later in Los Angeles outside Netflix and the offices of other prominent entities.
Scroll through the photos below for a sense of the scene, who was there and what they had to say from Deadline’s day to day coverage.
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WGA Strike Day 9 – New York
Image Credit: Getty Participants holding signs seen marching at the protest.
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WGA Strike Day 9 – New York
Image Credit: Getty Comedian, writer and actress Amber Ruffin seen marching in solidarity with the WGA.
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WGA Strike Day 9 – New York
Image Credit: Getty Actor Curtis Armstrong
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WGA Strike Day 9 – New York
Image Credit: Getty Actors Adam Scott (left) and Nick Kroll.
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WGA Strike Day 9 – New York
Image Credit: Getty Bob Odenkirk
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WGA Strike Day 9 – New York
Image Credit: Getty Mandy Patinkin
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WGA Strike Day 9 – New York
Image Credit: Getty A band plays as members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) East hold signs as they walk in the picket-line outside of HBO and Amazon’s offices on May 10, 2023 in New York City.
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WGA Strike Day 9 – New York
Image Credit: Getty Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) East hold signs as they walk in the picket-line outside of HBO and Amazon’s offices on May 10, 2023 in New York City.
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Mykaila Williams
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Aisha Hinds and Emayatzy Corinealdi
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Kendrick Sampson and Gaby Sidibe
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Kevin A Garnet, Joel Thompson, Tracy Perez and Dwayne Johnson Cochran.
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Robert and Michelle King
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Robin Thede
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Samira Wiley and Charlie Barnett at the WGA West Committee of Black Writers outside of Paramount Studios in LA
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Megan Grossbard, Kyra Jones and Nicole Emanuele
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero WGA’s committee of Black writers striking
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero WGA’s committee of Black writers striking
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero WGA’s committee of Black writers striking
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero WGA’s committee of Black writers striking
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero WGA’s committee of Black writers striking
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WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero WGA Strike Day 9 – Paramount
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WGA Strike Day 8 – Silvercup
Image Credit: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Seth Meyers
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WGA Strike Day 8 – Silvercup
Image Credit: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Tina Fey
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WGA Strike Day 8 – Silvercup
Image Credit: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Tina Fey
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WGA Strike Day 8 – Silvercup
Image Credit: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Fred Armisen
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WGA Strike Day 6 – Paramount
SAG-AFTRA EVP Ben Whitehair and President Fran Drescher
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WGA Strike Day 6 – Paramount
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero/Deadline SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, left, and WGA West President Meredith Stiehm
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Amazon
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Ashley Eakin, WGA and DGA
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Amazon
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero David Radcliff, Co Chair of disabled writers committee at the WGA
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Amazon
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Strikers outside Amazon Studios
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Striker outside Universal Studios
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Jaina Lee Ortiz
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Ryan O’Nan and Jorge Reyes
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Alex Edelman and Todd Grinnell
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Judy Reyes and Ana Ortiz
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Oscar Núñez And Julia Ahumada Grob.
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero WGA Strike Day 4 Universal Studios.
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Rafael Agustin and Al Madrigal
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Steven Canals and Gloria Calderón Kellett.
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Judy Reyes, Ana Ortiz, Ilana Peña and Claudia Forestieri
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Cinco Paul and Jaime Camil
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Universal
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Dani Fernandez and Jorge Diaz
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WGA Strike Day 4 – New York
Image Credit: Bruce Glikas/Getty Images Pete Davidson
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Paramount Studios
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Mindy Kaling
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Paramount Studios
Derek Haas and Jesse Lee Soffer
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Paramount Studios
Ike Barenholtz And Jonah Nolan
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Netflix
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero L to R: Erick Galindo, Rafael Agustin and Eduardo Cisneros
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WGA Strike Day 5 – Universal Studios.
Image Credit: Michael Buckner Frances Fisher
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WGA Strike Day 4 – Paramount Studios
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Paramount Studios
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WGA Strike Day 4 – NYC
Image Credit: Deadline/Sean Piccoli WGA Strike
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WGA Strike Day 4 – NYC
Image Credit: Deadline/Sean Piccoli WGA Strike – Phil Coulson on the WGA East picket line in NYC
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Hollywood strike at MArvels Wonder Man Shoot
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Adam Conover
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Warner Bros Burbank
Image Credit: Matt Grobar Gina Prince-Bythewood
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Disney Studios Burbank
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Ben Schwartz
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WGA Strike Day 3
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero UFCW 770 union local supporting WGA
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WGA Strike Day 3
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero UFCW 770 union local supporting WGA
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Disney Studios Burbank
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero IATSE Motion Picture Costumers, 705, Lisa Gardner
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Disney Studios Burbank
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Rashida Olayiwola
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WGA Strike Day 3
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Crystal Ferreiro and Ariana Quiñonez
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Disney Studios Burbank
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Dailyn Rodriguez and Nicole Mirante-Matthews
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Disney Studios Burbank
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Angelique Cabral
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Disney Studios Burbank
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Katherine Beattie
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Amazon Studios
Image Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images Writers walk the picket line on the third day of the television and movie writers’ strike outside of Amazon Studios in Culver City, California, on May 3, 2023.
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Amazon Studios
Image Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images Strikers at Amazon Studios in Culver City.
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Amazon Studios
Image Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images Strikers at Amazon Studios in Culver City.
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Disney Studios Burbank
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Alex Borstein and David Goodman, WGA co-chair of negotiation committee.
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Disney Studios Burbank
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Gabby Lugo and Jessica Maria Rivas
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Disney Studios Burbank
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Rich Blomquist & Kristen Schaal
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Netflix Studio
Image Credit: Dominic Patten WGA member at Netflix, May 4
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Netflix Studio
Image Credit: Dominic Patten WGA member at Netflix, May 4
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Netflix Studio
Image Credit: Dominic Patten WGA member at Netflix, May 4
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Paramount Studio
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Paramount Studios
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Paramount Studio
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Timothy Simons
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Paramount Studio
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Alex Winter
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Paramount Studio
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Dermot Mulroney
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Paramount Studio
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Mishel Prada
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WGA Strike Day 3 – Paramount Studio
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Ike Barinholtz
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WGA Strike – Day 2
Image Credit: JNI/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Cynthia Nixon marches with protesters during the Writers Guild Strike on May 3, 2023 in New York City.
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WGA Strike – Day 2
Image Credit: JNI/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Gina Gershon
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WGA Strike – Day 2
Image Credit: Getty Images Ilana Glazer
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WGA Strike – Day 2
Image Credit: JNI/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Michael Rapaport
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WGA Strike – Day 2
Image Credit: JNI/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Steve Higgins
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WGA Strike – Day 2
Image Credit: Kevin Williamson Instagram Kevin Williamson Instagram
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WGA Strike Day 2 – Warner Bros
Image Credit: Getty Images Writers and their supporters walk the picket line on the second day of the television and movie writers’ strike outside Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, California.
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WGA Strike Day 2 – Paramount Studio
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Mike Schur
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WGA Strike Day 2 – Netflix
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero WGA strikers at Netflix Studios.
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WGA Strike Day 2 – Netflix
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Actors Matt and Mike Perfetuo.
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WGA Strike Day 2 – Netflix
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Pamela Adlon
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Outside Paramount In LA, 5/3 on Day 2 of WGA Strikes
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Krista Vernoff and Peter Paige.
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Hollywood Writers Go On Strike In Los Angeles, California
Image Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 3: Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and its supporters picket outside of Warner Bros. Studios on May 3, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Hollywood writers have gone on strike in a dispute over payments for streaming services. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
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Day 2 WGA Strike outside Disney Burbank Studios
Image Credit: Getty Images Writers walk the picket line on the second day of the television and movie writers’ strike outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California on May 3, 2023.
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Day 2 WGA Strike outside Disney Burbank Studios
Image Credit: Getty Images More than 11,000 Hollywood television and movie writers went on their first strike in 15 years, after talks with studios and streamers over pay and working conditions failed to clinch a deal.
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Outside Paramount In LA, 5/3 on Day 2 of WGA Strikes
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Ike Barenholtz
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WGA Strike Day 2 – Paramount Studio
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Ellen Rapoport and Rich Sommer outside Paramount Studios
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Outside Paramount In LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Rob Lowe told Deadline he was picketing because “we’re only as good as the writing.”
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Amazon Studios In Culver City
Image Credit: Deadline ‘Mrs. Davis’ co-creator Damon Lindelof pickets, holding a sign that reads, “Alexa will not replace us.”
He later told Deadline, “I’m sure that if someone said to Jeff Bezos or David Zaslav, or, you know, or Bob Iger, ‘Hey, an artificial intelligence could do your job. It could make decisions about what movies to greenlight and not to greenlight or who to hire and fire,’ they would find that incredibly offensive.”
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At Peacock NewFront Presentation in NYC, 5/2
Image Credit: Getty Images Strike sign with the Empire State Building in the background
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Peacock NewFront Presentation In NYC, 5/2
Image Credit: Deadline On the picket line, Pulitzer Prize-winner Tony Kushner told Deadline of the studios and networks, “It’s the shortsightedness and the greed and the absolute indifference to the lives of the people that create the product that enriches them is really appalling. It’s disgusting.”
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CBS Television City In Los Angeles, 5/2
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Justine Bateman on why she’s striking: “This is about the devaluation of humans’ skill, effort, and talents. If we don’t do something about it now, this business is going to be destroyed.”
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Netflix in LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Deadline ‘Demascus’ writer Lauren Glover told Deadline, “I’m striking because I’m sick of these mini rooms…I’m sick of them not paying us residuals, I’m sick of them taking advantage of us…and f*ck them.”
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Peacock NewFront, 5/2
Image Credit: Getty Actor Clark Gregg.
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Sony In Culver City
Image Credit: Deadline David Goodman, co-chair of the WGA Negotiating Committee told Deadline, “If we don’t strike now, the idea of a writer having a career could almost go away.”
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At Netflix In Los Angeles, May 2
Image Credit: Getty Images Three strike supporters prepare to picket by the Netflix sign on Sunset Blvd.
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Peacock NewFront, 5/2
“We’re all in the same boat and it’s important for us to get a share of streaming because that’s where the future is,” Emmy-winning ‘Simpsons’ showrunner Al Jean told Deadline. “We’ll hold out…no matter what.”
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At Fox In Los Angeles, 5/4
Image Credit: Matt Grobar WGA negotiator Chris Keyser
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Outside Paramount, 5/2
‘Gordita Chronicles’ showrunner Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz spoke with Deadline about on mini rooms and why she’s striking: “I saw writers with years of experience be asked to work for scale…”
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WGA member Ike Barinholtz
Image Credit: Deadline Actor and ‘The Mindy Project’ writer Ike Barinholtz told Deadline he’s striking becauase, “I’ve watched writers’ livelihoods get shrunk by almost 25% in the last ten years.”
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WGA member Ike Barinholtz
Image Credit: Getty Images Ike Barinholtz
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Outside Paramount Studios in LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Getty Images Actress Natasha Lyonne.
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Outside Paramount Studios in LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Getty Images Jon Daly
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Outside Paramount Studios in LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Getty Images Justine Bateman
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Outside Paramount Studios in LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Getty Images Gillian Jacobs
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Outside Paramount Studios in LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Getty Images Rhys Wakefield
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Outside CBS Television City in LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Rosy Cordero Jon Mosley and Malcolm Spellman.
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Peacock NewFront, 5/2
‘Dopesick’ creator Danny Strong: “This strike is fundamentally about fairness and writers need to be justly compensated for the content they write that is the very foundation of our employers’ profits.”
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Peacock NewFront, 5/2
Image Credit: Getty Images ‘Severance’ actor Zach Cherry
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Outside CBS Television City in LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Getty Images Actress Frances Fisher
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CBS Television City In LA, 5/2
Image Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images Jacob Tobia tells Deadline, “I believe diverse storytellers deserve a chance to get our projects made and deserve to work for a fair wage.”
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Outside Sony In Culver City, 5/2
Image Credit: Katie Campione Making lemonaide from AMPTP lemons
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Peacock NewFronts In NYC
‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’ writer Josh Gondelman told Deadline, “I’m on the WGA East Council…and we need a fair contract if we’re going to go back to work.”
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