Matt Damon, who is renowned for both his powerful on-screen work and his charitable activities, has never been afraid to use his influence to promote social change. However, the actor’s demands for a fair deal can garner considerable attention given his most recent role and record-breaking pay ($4,000,000 in Oppenheimer).
Hollywood heavyweights like Margot Robbie, Jeremy Renner, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Matt Damon, have recently come out in support of the actors’ strike. The strike was formally announced at a press conference on Thursday afternoon with SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher in attendance.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) have officially joined hands against pay cuts and the threat of AI.
Meanwhile, the Good Will Hunting star declared yesterday while walking down the red carpet that the Hollywood strikes would be devastating for both actors and even his own production company.
Despite the possibility of a strike, Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film, Oppenheimer had its London premiere on Thursday.
Matt Damon Wants Actors To ‘Hold Strong’ For A Fair Deal
It appears that the entertainment industry is on an extended hiatus. As a protest against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Productions (AMPTP), the Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May 2. Actors and directors have publicly supported the WGA during this time, with some of them holding signs next to them at protests.
Despite this, a strike by actors has not yet started, but as per reports, it could at any time. Given that the Oppenheimer cast recently attended the world premiere of their movie in London, the timing was especially puzzling. The cast even agreed to leave if there was a strike that would have started during the premiere.
Matt Damon, who starred in Oppenheimer, said on the red carpet that if a strike were to occur, he and his fellow actors would need to “hold strong”. The 52-year-old actor told Deadline:
“It’s brutal for our sister unions. It’s brutal for IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees). It’s going to be tough for 160,000 actors. Nobody wants a work stoppage, but if our leadership is saying that the deal isn’t fair, then we gotta hold strong until we get a deal that’s fair for working actors. It’s the difference between having health care and not for a lot of actors. We gotta do what’s right by them.”
Why Was Matt Damon’s Statement Hypocritical?
Unexpectedly, Matt Damon, a Hollywood icon, has emerged as a leading proponent of fair compensation for actors in the entertainment sector. Why was this unexpected?
Well, Damon has vehemently defended the need for a fair deal after reportedly earning a staggering $4,000,000 for his role in the eagerly awaited movie Oppenheimer. Did he want to make sure that the actors must get a fair deal or higher pay given that he had just recently accumulated such a significant amount in his bank account?
According to a Variety report, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey Jr. each received $4 million for their roles in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Well, also note that this is just a fraction of their usual salary.
With a star-studded cast and an estimated $100 million budget, it is possible that not everyone could be paid the market rate. But according to reports, Downey Jr., Blunt, and Damon, all have back-end deals, which means their bank accounts will profit if the movie is a financial success.
Also, in addition to fair pay, both actors’ and writers’ guilds want laws established to address the growing use of artificial intelligence in Hollywood productions.
Don’t forget to watch Christopher Nolan’s much-awaited film, Oppenheimer, which will hit theaters on July 21st.
Source- Deadline
