SAG-AFTRA reaches tentative deal with studios, in bid to avoid strikes

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) say they have reached a tentative agreement on terms for a successor contract with the major studios.

The union - which represents around 160,000 media professionals including Hollywood actors - says the agreement incorporates motion pictures, scripted primetime dramatic television, streaming content and new media.

Both SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said they will not release the details of the agreement until the SAG-AFTRA National Board has reviewed it.

If the deal is confirmed, it will avoid a repeat of the strikes from three years ago, which saw members of SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) walk out on productions across four months, forcing delays to the release of scores of films and TV series.

SAG-AFTRA wrote in a statement: "SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement on terms for a successor contract to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Contracts covering motion pictures, scripted primetime dramatic television, streaming content and new media."

The union represents actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media workers.

Last month, the WGA reached a four-year deal with the AMPTP. While a contract is usually three years, the additional fourth year was agreed in exchange for the WGA receiving a $321m (£237m) infusion into its health fund.

Actor and former SAG presidential candidate Chuck Slavin told Sky News' partner network NBC that healthcare, pensions and artificial intelligence (AI) protections were the key issues on the table.

Expressing concern that technology could outpace any protections guaranteed by a four-year deal, he said: "Overall, the future is rapidly changing," Slavin said. "And I think we need to protect image likeness when it comes to AI. We need to make sure people get royalties and residuals on the work they are doing. Scanning is a major threat."

New Oscar rules introduced

On Friday, the Academy Awards issued new rules clarifying that AI actors and writers are ineligible for Oscars. Filmmakers can use AI tools, but a "synthetic" actor would be ⁠ineligible for an Oscar, while screenplays must be "human-authored" to be considered.

The debut last year of an AI-generated "actress" ‌Tilly Norwood caused much concern in the industry and sparked a backlash from ⁠SAG-AFTRA.

In December, members of UK actors union Equity voted overwhelmingly to refuse digital scanning in an indicative industrial action ballot.

There have been growing concerns among actors that their work, voice and likeness are being used without their explicit consent, with Equity pushing for transparency of terms, and fair remuneration for usage via an enforced industry standard.

The SAG-AFTRA National Board will meet in the coming days to review the terms of the agreement.

(c) Sky News 2026: SAG-AFTRA reaches tentative deal with studios, in bid to avoid strikes