The best way to scare the studios this Halloween? Avoid dressing up as characters from struck series and movies.
As striking actors enter spooky season, SAG-AFTRA released guidelines for members looking to “celebrate Halloween this year while also staying in solidarity” with the strike. That means union members can hang up their “Oppenheimer” porkpie hats and put away their “Barbie” pink.
“Choose costumes inspired by generalized characters and figures (ghost, zombie, spider, etc.),” the actors union recommended in a website post on Wednesday.
The guild also suggests actors “don’t post photos of costumes inspired by struck content to social media,” as to not give the studios any additional publicity. As SAG-AFTRA fights for a better contract with the AMPTP, striking actors are prohibited from doing press for struck shows and films.
The post encourages members to “dress up as characters from non-struck content, like an animated TV show.”
Projects under an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA are also presumably in bounds, which means members can safely dress up as the Jacob Elordi Elvis (from A24’s strike-proof “Priscilla”) but not Austin Butler’s King of Rock n’ Roll from Warner Bros.’ movie. Carmy from “The Bear” is off limits, but don’t fret — there’s still time to bulk up and trick or treat as Jeremy Allen White from A24’s upcoming wrestling pic “The Iron Claw.”
After talks between the guild negotiators and studio bosses fell apart last week, SAG-AFTRA concluded its post with a motivational message: “Let’s use our collective power to send a loud and clear message to our struck employers that we will not promote their content without a fair contract!”
