Adam Driver Slams Netflix For Not Meeting SAG AFTRA Demands
Adam Driver attends a photocall for the movie "Ferrari" at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2023 in Venice, Italy.
Adam Driver called out Amazon and Netflix for refusing to meet SAG-AFTRA’s demands Thursday (August 31) during Ferrari’s press conference at the Venice Film Festival. The actor was asked about his appearance to promote the new film while the actors and writers strikes are ongoing. Driver, 39, said, “I’m very proud to be here to be a visual representation of a movie that’s not part of the AMPTP and to promote the SAG leadership directive, which is an effective tactic, which is the interim agreement.”
The actor pointed out that Ferrari is distributed by smaller distribution companies Neon and STX Entertainment. Driver made it a point to state that these companies are meeting the “dream demands of what SAG is asking for” in the pre-negotiations stage of their “wishlist, but a big company like Netflix and Amazon can’t? And every time people from SAG go and support a movie that has met the terms of the interim agreement, it just makes it more obvious that these people are willing to support the people that they collaborate with, and the others are not.”
The Interim Agreements
Per Variety, leading up to the festival, SAG-AFTRA agreed to grant interim agreements to certain productions so that they can promote their films. In order to obtain an interim agreement, the film’s producers and distributors have to operate independently from companies belonging to the AMPTP and agree to terms proposed by SAG-AFTRA in its negotiations. That applies to Ferrari and other films premiering in Venice that aren’t produced or distributed by a streaming service.
In the Michael Mann-directed film, Driver plays Enzo Ferrari following the story of the automotive tycoon’s pivotal year in his life. Ferrari also stars Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gadon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O’Connell and Patrick Dempsey. Mann said of the drama, “Ferrari got made because the people who worked on Ferrari made it by forgoing large sectors of salaries, in the case of Adam and myself. It was not made by a big studio — no big studio wrote us a check. And that’s why we’re here, standing in solidarity.”
Watch the teaser trailer for Ferrari below. The film comes out on December 25.
5 Of The Most Visually Stunning Films
The Hollywood's writers and actors on strike will soon start affecting tv shows and even movies. With no signs of an end date any time soon, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) are concurrently striking for the first time in over 60 years. The writer’s strike began at the start of May, with the actors guild joining just last week.
Both unions share the same reasons for striking. This includes getting paid a living wage to meet basic needs, receiving higher residuals (financial compensation paid out to actors whenever TV shows or movies they’ve appeared in are replayed on streaming and syndication), and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to be regulated to protect talent and writers’ jobs from being completely taken over. Some big-time actors have joined the picket lines, including Rachel McAdams, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Rosario Dawson, Hilary Duff, and more.
Films have been an inspiration in our lives, with some of the most impactful ones being the most visually stunning to watch. For a few hours, you are transported to a completely different world through the use of set design, camerawork, color palettes, and costumes. Storytelling is what can make or break an aesthetically pleasing film, but with all of these factors working in perfect harmony, we can see the directors’ visions come to life. See below our top five picks of the most visually stunning films to watch.
Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.
