The core union representing Hollywood actors has reached a tentative deal with the companies that operate the biggest television and film studios in the entertainment industry, putting to end a work stoppage that lasted nearly four full months.
On Wednesday, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists confirmed its members were free to return to work shortly after midnight on Thursday after its TV and theatrical committee approved a tentative deal during a Wednesday evening vote.
Specific details of the agreement were not available Wednesday evening.
The deal comes after two weeks of intense negotiations surrounding various terms related to royalty payments and the use of artificial intelligence tools in television shows and motion pictures. The agreement still has to be ratified by SAG-AFTRA members, but it is expected to pass.
The strike started in July, adding to Hollywood’s woes after a similar work stoppage implemented by the Writer’s Guild of America brought production of topical TV shows and in-development movies to a screeching halt. The SAG-AFTRA strike largely impacted the remainder of in-production shows and movies whose scripts were already finished.
