Paul Dailly
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While Hollywood comes to a standstill amid the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, two HBO shows will continue to film abroad.
House of the Dragon and Industry will continue filming their second and third seasons, respectively, in the UK.
The TV news broke just hours after SAG-AFTRA authorized a strike with a blistering statement aimed at the AMPTP.
Variety reported Thursday that production plans to continue as scheduled on House of the Dragon Season 2.
The cast of both shows are mainly British and are working under Equity contracts as opposed to SAG-AFTRA ones.
Equity, the British acting union, revealed in a statement Thursday evening that “SAG-AFTRA members currently working under an Equity UK collective bargaining agreement should continue to report to work.”
“Industrial relations legislation in the United Kingdom is draconian, and often viewed as the most restrictive in the Western world,” the Equity guidance said.
“The convoluted and pernicious hurdles faced by all unions in the United Kingdom are a national disgrace and need urgent reform.”
“The regrettable consequence of this framework is that what artists working in the United Kingdom – whether SAG-AFTRA and/or Equity members (or both) – can do, may be different from their comrades in the United States and other parts of the world.”
Equity also vowed that it “stands in unwavering solidarity” with SAG-AFTRA.
“SAG-AFTRA’s claim to the producers contains many critical elements for performers on their agreements,” Equity said.
“The key elements of the claim are longstanding, shared fights for our unions –issues like pay and residual payments. But SAG-AFTRA, like Equity, is also bravely facing head-on existential questions on issues like Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the rise in virtual auditions and self-tapes,” the statement continues.
“Securing fairness in pay, terms, and conditions is critical whether they be with traditional producers, or new global streamers, and with new modes of making and distributing work to a global audience.
U.S. outlets had been reporting earlier this week that House of the Dragon Season 2 would be one of the biggest projects affected by the strike, but it seems they were under the assumption the actors were working under SAG-AFTRA contracts.
With the development, there’s a good chance House of the Dragon Season 2 will make its planned summer 2024 premiere on the premium cabler.
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.