Aaron Paul is opening up about his thoughts on not getting paid for the streams Breaking Bad generates on Netflix.
One of the key issues in the SAG-AFTRA strike is the payments to actors from streaming services. As it stands right now, actors are not getting residuals from their work being exhibited on streaming services like when their show is on linear platforms.
“I don’t get a piece from Netflix on Breaking Bad, if we’re being totally honest, and that’s insane to me,” Paul told Entertainment Tonight Canada during a recent picket.
He continued, “Shows live forever on these streamers, and it goes through waves. I just saw the other day that Breaking Bad was trending on Netflix. I think a lot of these streamers, they know that they have been getting away with not paying people a fair wage, and now it’s time to pony up. And that’s just one of the things that we’re fighting for.”
During the Breaking Bad mini-reunion at the picket line, star Bryan Cranston reflected on why it was important for actors to fight for a better contract with the AMPTP.
“Broadcast is diminishing, year after year after year, and even if you do a broadcast show, your residual is going to be greatly cut,” he said. “When we first started coming up in this business, a long time ago, we relied on residuals to be able to pay our bills. I mean, part of the equation of working was residuals, international residuals, DVD sales and things like that. But those are gone.”
