Drew Barrymore is drawing the ire of the Writers Guild of America over her decision to resume production on her talk show as more than 11,000 television and film writers remain on strike.
In a statement shared on Instagram over the weekend, Barrymore explained her position on bringing her show back and referenced why she had previously “made a choice to walk away from the MTV, film and television awards because I was the host and it had a direct conflict with what the strike was dealing with which was studios, streamers, film, and television.”
“To be clear, our talk show actually wrapped on April 20th so we never had to shut down the show,” she wrote in her statement. “However, I am also making the choice to come back for the first time in this strike for our show, that may have my name on it but this is bigger than just me.”
Drew Barrymore is drawing the ire of the Writers Guild of America over her decision to resume production on her talk show as more than 11,000 television and film writers remain on strike.
Andrew Kelly/Reuters
Production on most film and television projects have come to a halt as members of the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA remain at an impasse in contract negotiations with major studios and streamers.
The Writers Guild of America, East announced it would be picketing Barrymore’s New York based daytime talk show.
“The @DrewBarrymoreTV Show is a WGA covered, struck show that is planning to return without its writers,” a tweet from their Twitter account reads . “The Guild has, and will continue to, picket struck shows that are in production during the strike. Any writing on “The Drew Barrymore Show” is in violation of WGA strike rules.”
In her statement Barrymore, who is one of the show’s executive producers, wrote that she owns the choice to return to production at a time when many talk shows have gone dark in solidarity with the strikes.
“We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind. We launched live in a global pandemic,” she wrote. “Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time. I want to be there to provide what writers do so well, which is a way to bring us together or help us make sense of the human experience.”
A spokesperson for CBS Media Ventures, which produces the talk show, told CNN in a statement that “The Drew Barrymore Show will not be performing any writing work covered by the WGA strike.”
“We couldn’t have a better partner in Drew Barrymore and look forward to bringing our fans and station clients alike new episodes this fall,” Wendy McMahon, president and chief executive officer of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures said to CNN in a statement.
“The Drew Barrymore” show will return on Sept. 18.
Other daytime talk shows airing new episodes include “The View,” “Tamron Hall” and “Live with Kelly and Mark.”
Photos: Hollywood goes on strike
Picketers demonstrate on a line outside Disney studios on Friday, July 28, 2023, in Burbank, Calif. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Damian Dovarganes
Actor Yvette Nicole Brown walks on a picket line outside Disney studios on Friday, July 28, 2023, in Burbank, Calif. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Damian Dovarganes
Actors Lisa Vidal, left, and Diana Maria Riva walk on a picket line outside Disney studios on Friday, July 28, 2023, in Burbank, Calif. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Damian Dovarganes
Writer Julie Benson holds a picket sign with an image of the late actor and comic Paul Reubens, dressed as his character Pee-wee Herman, outside Universal Studios on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Universal City, Calif. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Rick Taber)
Rick Taber
Picketers appear outside Netflix studios on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, in Los Angeles. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Richard Shotwell
Picketers appear outside Netflix studios on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, in Los Angeles. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Richard Shotwell
Actors Kate Flannery, from right, and Jack Black walk on a picket line outside Netflix studios on Friday, July 28, 2023, in Los Angeles. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Richard Shotwell
Actor Jack Black walks on a picket line outside Netflix studios on Friday, July 28, 2023, in Los Angeles. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Richard Shotwell
Latina members of SAG-AFTRA walk on a picket line outside Disney studios on Friday, July 28, 2023, in Burbank, Calif. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Damian Dovarganes
Adam Shapiro poses on a picket line outside Netflix studios on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Los Angeles. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Richard Shotwell
Luke DePalatis, right, gets a cooling spritz of water from Michael Abel during a rally by striking writers and actors outside Warner Bros. studios Friday, July 14, 2023, in Burbank, Calif. Both are with the WGA. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Chris Pizzello
Striking writers and actors take part in a “Bastille Day: Let Them Eat Croissants” rally outside Sony Pictures studio in Culver City, Calif. on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
Actor Jason Sudeikis, center, walks a picket line with striking writers and actors, Friday, July 14, 2023, at NBC Universal Studios in New York. The picketing comes a day after the main actors’ union voted to join screenwriters in a double-barreled strike for the first time in more than six decades. The dispute immediately shut down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
Bebeto Matthews
Actor Sharon Lawrence takes part in a rally by striking writers and actors outside Paramount studios in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Chris Pizzello
Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Paramount studios in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Chris Pizzello
Actor Rosario Dawson attends a rally by striking writers and actors outside Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, Calif. on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions.(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
Actor Michelle Hurd carries a sign on a picket line outside NBC in Rockefeller Center on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Evan Agostini
Picketers carry signs outside NBC in Rockefeller Center on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Evan Agostini
Actor Kevin Bacon carries a sign on a picket line outside Paramount in Times Square on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Charles Sykes
Actor Dylan Baker carries a sign on a picket line outside Paramount in Times Square on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Charles Sykes
Actors Chandler Kinney, from left, Bailee Madison, and Malia Pyles carry signs on a picket line outside NBC in Rockefeller Center on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Evan Agostini
Actor David Boreanaz, center, carries a sign on a picket line outside NBC in Rockefeller Center on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Evan Agostini
Picketers carry signs outside NBC in Rockefeller Center on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Evan Agostini
Picketers carry signs outside NBC in Rockefeller Center on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Evan Agostini
Picketers carry signs outside NBC in Rockefeller Center on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Evan Agostini
Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Paramount studios in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Chris Pizzello
Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Paramount studios in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Chris Pizzello
Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, Calif. on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions.(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
Actors Paul Scheer, left, Zoe Lister-Jones, center, and Andrea Savage pose at a fundraiser Saturday, July 15, 2023, in Los Angeles after a group of writer-directors teamed up with the Motion Picture Television Fund to raise money for International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) members, Teamsters and other entertainment industry workers who are taking a financial hit by the strikes. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
Actor Adam Shapiro poses as he sells his pretzels at a fundraiser Saturday, July 15, 2023, in Los Angeles, after a group of writer-directors teamed up with the Motion Picture Television Fund to raise money for International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) members, Teamsters and other entertainment industry workers who are taking a financial hit by the strikes. Shapiro has a side business called Shappy Pretzel Co. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
Patton Oswalt, left, talks to the crowd while Andrea Savage listens at a fundraiser Saturday, July 15, 2023, in Los Angeles after a group of writer-directors teamed up with the Motion Picture Television Fund to raise money for International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) members, Teamsters and other entertainment industry workers who are taking a financial hit by the strikes. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
Actor Paul Scheer speaks to the crowd at a fundraiser Saturday, July 15, 2023, in Los Angeles after a group of writer-directors teamed up with the Motion Picture Television Fund to raise money for International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) members, Teamsters and other entertainment industry workers who are taking a financial hit by the strikes. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
Picketers carry signs outside Paramount in Times Square on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Charles Sykes
Actor David Boreanaz carries a sign on a picket line outside NBC in Rockefeller Center on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Evan Agostini
CNN’s Michelle Watson contributed to this story.
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