Entertainment

Hollywood actors win streaming bonuses under new contract

The proposed three-year contract was endorsed by 86% of SAG-AFTRA’s national board

Published

6 months ago

November 11, 2023

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Hollywood actors win streaming bonuses under new contract

Streaming services will pay bonuses of roughly $40 million per year as part of the tentative labor agreement reached between the SAG-AFTRA actors union and major Hollywood studios, union leaders said on Friday after their board backed the deal.

The proposed three-year contract, which the union said was valued at more than $1 billion over three years, was endorsed by 86% of SAG-AFTRA’s national board.

Union members now must vote on whether to ratify the agreement with Netflix, Walt Disney, Warner Bros Discovery and other members of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Voting is expected to end in early December, chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said the union had partly achieved its goal of getting streaming services to share more revenue with actors. While companies rejected earlier proposals including a per-subscriber fee, they agreed to new bonus payments.

“We opened a new revenue stream,” Drescher said at a press conference. “We got into another pocket.”

Under terms of the deal, 75% of the $40 million pool will go to actors on the most popular streaming shows. The remaining 25% will go to a fund that will be distributed to actors on other streaming shows. The AMPTP said it was pleased that the SAG-AFTRA board had endorsed the deal.

“We are also grateful that the entire industry has enthusiastically returned to work,” the group said in a statement.

Aside from the new bonus payment from streaming services, the agreement increases minimum salaries for rank-and-file actors and sets guardrails around the use of artificial intelligence(AI) in filmmaking. AI was one of the issues resolved in the final hours of negotiations, Crabtree-Ireland said.

Studios must obtain an actor’s consent before using their image to create a digital replica, and provide a specific description, he said. The actor would receive payment equivalent to the type of work the digital replica is performing on screen.

The contract also protects background performers from the use of their digital replicas without consent, Crabtree-Ireland said.

The use of generative AI to create “synthetic, fake performers” provoked a “very serious fight,” said Crabtree-Ireland.

Under the contract, companies must obtain the consent of performers whose facial features are used to create a synthetic performer, even if it is more than one performer.

The studios must give the union notice anytime they plan to use generative AI to create a synthetic performer, and the union won the right to negotiate for compensation on behalf of the actor whose features were used in the creation of that digital performer.

The deal was reached on Wednesday, ending the second of two overlapping strikes in the U.S. entertainment industry that cost the California economy more than $6 billion.

The first, by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), began in May and lasted 148 days. SAG-AFTRA walked off the job in July and ended its strike this week after 118 days.

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Entertainment

Netizens start blocking Alia Bhatt for keeping mum on Gaza crisis

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

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Netizens start blocking Alia Bhatt for keeping mum on Gaza crisis

The India actor is accused of not speaking out against genocide in Gaza.

Alia has seemingly landed on the ‘Blockout 2024’ list for not addressing the mounting criticism on the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

Alia Bhatt is in the headlines after her Met Gala 2024 appearance as she has been receiving hatred for keeping mum on the ongoing crisis in Palestine.

Bollywood actress, Alia Bhatt has been making the headlines for her stunning appearance at the Met Gala 2024.

The actress’ popularity has skyrocketed after her show-stopping appearance on the red carpet, with everyone talking about her surreal look.

However, now, Alia has seemingly landed on the ‘Blockout 2024’ list for not addressing the mounting criticism on the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

Like many other Hollywood celebrities, Alia Bhatt has allegedly been accused of keeping mum about the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
And now, her name has popped up in the ‘Blockout 2024’ movement, which has been going viral on TikTok.

For the unversed, netizens have started this phenomenon on social media, wherein they are ‘blocking’ celebrities who have been indifferent to the plight of the people of Palestine and Israel amidst the ongoing conflict.

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Entertainment

Why Inaya Khan does not bother reading comments of men followers on Instagram

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

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Why Inaya Khan does not bother reading comments of men followers on Instagram

Appearing on a podcast, showbiz star Inaya Khan has said she does not bother reading comments from male followers on her Instagram posts, because most of their messages pertain to marriage.

Inaya Khan revealed that despite having a significant number of male followers on Instagram, she only pays attention to comments from her female followers, with her cousins informing her about them.

Khan shared that she often receives messages from male followers claiming her as their wife, to which she humorously responded that she is currently single and content.

While marriage is not her current focus, Khan expressed her admiration for the saree, a clothing item her mother taught her to wear and manage.

In a previous appearance on the same show, Khan admitted to having crushes on A-list actors Mikaal Zulfiqar and Feroze Khan, particularly praising Zulfiqar’s personality and character traits.

Khan, known for her roles in dramas such as ‘Khoat’ and ‘Mere Apne’, detailed the qualities she desires in a life partner, emphasizing loyalty and a caring nature.

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Entertainment

Is Ayeza Khan retiring from showbiz?

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

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As the last episode of drama series ‘Jaan-e-Jahan’ is just around the corner, fans want to know about the future of Ayeza Khan who in a message on Instagram had said ‘Jaan-e-Jahan’ was her last project.

Ayeza Khan, celebrated for her stunning performances, has been a part of several hit dramas.

With a career spanning over a decade, Ayeza has charmed audiences with her acting prowess.

Currently, Ayeza is making headlines for her role in the popular drama series ‘Jaan-e-Jahan,’ where she stars alongside Hamza Ali Abbasi.

The show has garnered immense popularity, captivating viewers in both Pakistan and India. As many as 38 episodes have aired so far and the last episode is just around the corner.

However, amidst the drama’s success, fans are left wondering about Ayeza’s future projects.

Her Instagram story that she posted in November 2023, hinting at a possible departure from the industry, resurfaces.

In the said post, Ayeza referred to ‘Jaan-e-Jahan’ as her ‘last project,’ sparking rumours about her retirement from acting.

Ayeza Khan’s journey in the entertainment world began with her debut in ‘Tum Jo Miley’ in 2009.

However, it was her portrayal of ‘Farah Ibrahim’ in the 2013 drama ‘Pyarey Afzal, opposite acclaimed actor Hamza Ali Abbasi, that propelled her to fame.

As speculations regarding Ayeza’s future in the industry go viral, fans eagerly await confirmation about her next move. Whether ‘Jaan-e-Jahan’ marks the end of Ayeza Khan’s acting career or simply a pause in her journey remains to be seen. Only time will tell.

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