Breaking Bad Star Joins Picket Lines With Inspirational Speech Aimed At Disney CEO
Bryan Cranston joined the SAG-AFTRA rally with a speech aimed directly at Bob Iger.
It will soon be two weeks since the SAG-AFTRA strike went into effect on July 14, 2023, and the scope of the strike is growing. Although at first most big-name Hollywood actors merely expressed their full support for the cause, some of them are now starting to join the picket lines, and Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston is among them.
According to Variety, Cranston joined the rally in Times Square on Tuesday and delivered an inspiring speech that was addressed directly to Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger.
The actor stated that while the SAG-AFTRA members understand that Iger most likely has a different perspective on the matter, and that they don't expect him to know who they are, the protesters are simply asking him to listen to and hear them.
However, the actor added, they will not simply give up their 'right to work and earn a decent living' while their jobs are given to machines.
Cranston concluded by saying that the union members will stand together to the end and that they 'will not allow [...] to take away their dignity.'
Considering that some of the picketing actors have previously expressed concern about the lack of Hollywood A-listers among them, perhaps more and more famous actors will follow the Breaking Bad star's example in the future.
Fans seem to fully support the actor's statement, saying that his involvement could be the beginning of a change for the better in the negotiations.
However, some people are a bit worried that the actors' demands come too late to change anything about AI's involvement in the filmmaking process. While it's never too late to fight for fair wages, artificial intelligence is already widely used in many areas of life, including the film and TV industry, and it seems unlikely that the studios will cut back on the technology that allows them to save lots of money.
But maybe if more industry professionals unite against it, the changes can still be made. For example, as other fans point out, artificial intelligence tools could easily put a lot of visual effects specialists out of work unless they join forces with their colleagues in the industry.
Still, both the industry and the general public remain divided on the issue. While AI does pose a threat to countless workers if not heavily regulated, the technology is also just too promising to be completely buried (not that it has a high chance of happening).
However, AI regulation is only one of the union's demands, so they have a better chance in other areas, such as raising the minimum wage. It's unclear when the SAG-AFTRA strike is going to end, as negotiations have yet to reach a mutually satisfactory conclusion.