Following a six-week negotiation with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the Writers Guild of America, a union that represents around 11,500 writers who contribute to the films and TV shows in theaters and on streaming platforms, declared that its members would commence a strike beginning at 12:01 am PT on May 2. Scarlett Johansson’s husband, Colin Jost, is among the writers affected.
A strike can have significant financial consequences, as was seen in the previous writers’ strike in 2007-2008. The 100-day work stoppage caused a loss of $2.1 billion to California’s economy alone. The Writers Guild of America has presented proposals that could lead to a total gain of approximately $429 million per year for writers, as per the guild’s proposals chart. On the other hand, the AMPTP has countered with a proposal that would increase the total by roughly $86 million per year.
Scarlett Johansson In Complete Support Of Her Husband
While Jost is currently in the midst of the situation, it is Scarlett Johansson who is experiencing the most anxiety. She states that her husband is the least stressed person and approaches things pragmatically.
“My husband’s the least tense person,” Johansson said. “He’s very pragmatic. They’re going about business as usual at ‘SNL’ because they may have to prepare a show for Saturday or not. If there is a strike, then that’ll be the season for him.”
While Johansson may not explicitly link the ongoing strike with her own legal dispute against Disney, the underlying principles are comparable. Publicly traded entertainment conglomerates seem to prioritize profits over individuals. As an observer, Johansson stands in solidarity with the writers.
“It doesn’t seem unreasonable, what they’re asking for,” she says. “It’d be great to see both sides come to terms without having to have this humongous, potentially devastating impact for people financially and otherwise. I just don’t know why this can’t be figured out. It’s been looming for so many months and even years. How did it get to this point?”
Scarlett Johansson Shares Update On Her Next Role
According to Johansson, she deeply respects writers and engaged in lengthy discussions with Anderson after receiving his script for Asteroid City. She brought the same level of scrutiny to her character, Midge Campbell, whom Anderson specifically wrote for her.
“I was curious: Who is this person? How did she get here to be so successful at that time? She’s this star of stage and screen — what drove her there?” Johansson said.
Asteroid City, directed by Wes Anderson, will release in theaters on June 16, 2023.
Source: Variety
