The Goonies and Lord of the Rings star Sean Astin will run against New England board member Chuck Slavin in the upcoming election to decide the next president of SAG-AFTRA.
SAG-AFTRA is the largest and most prominent actors’ union in Hollywood, representing around 160,000 members. The organization was formed in 2012 after the merger of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
The current president, The Nanny star Fran Drescher, led the union in their high-profile 2023 strike against the major film and television studios and networks, the first actors’ strike in four decades.
Drescher was elected in 2021 and re-elected in 2023, on both occasions promising to unite a divided union. She has announced that she will not seek re-election. Election ballots are expected to be sent out to SAG-AFTRA members on August 13, and should be returned by September 12.
During the strike, Drescher described the action as an “inflection point” that went beyond Hollywood.
“At some point you have to say no more,” Drescher told Associated Press. “I think that it’s taken on a bigger scope, it’s greater than the sum of its parts. I think it’s a conversation now about the culture of big business, and how it treats everybody up and down the ladder in the name of profit.”
Looking back at the fiery speech she gave to announce the strike, Drescher recalled that she was supposed to read a short prepared statement.
“I looked at it quickly and I said, ‘You know what, I can’t say this, I really feel like I have to speak from the heart,’” she said.
“That just kind of came out of my mouth, and I’m glad that I was able to express myself as succinctly and sincerely and authentically as I did. And I think that it’s fascinating when you speak from the heart, people are so responsive. Because I guess they see a lot of people that don’t.”
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When the strike ended, Drescher wrote on social media: “We did it!!!! The Billion+ $ Deal! 3X the last contract! New ground was broke everywhere!Ty sag aftra members for hanging in and holding out for this historic deal! Ty neg comm, strike captains, staff, Duncan & Ray, our lawyers, the IA team , family and friends. Our sister unions for their unrelenting support! And the amptp for hearing us and meeting this moment!”
Drescher defeated Stranger Things actor Matthew Modine in her initial 2021 union election.
Prior to its merger with AFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild had several famous presidents, including James Cagney, Ronald Reagan and Charlton Heston.
