Fran Drescher’s Emotional Support Plushie Revealed: This Jellycat Heart Is Stealing the Show at SAG-AFTRA Negotiations

variety.com:

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer When it comes to life’s most difficult negotiations, sometimes you need a squishy friend by your side.

That’s SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher’s policy for the contentious ongoing contract talks her union is embroiled in with Hollywood’s major film and TV studios. “The Nanny” star has come to the table for weeks armed with a heart-shaped stuffed animal that serves as either an emotional support tool or a bargaining tactic, depending on who you ask.

Stories about Drescher’s doll have been a hot topic around Hollywood for weeks. One spy told us that Drescher had been carrying around a Furby — the furry doll that inspired a craze in the ‘00s from toymaker Hasbro — even planting it in front of studio heads at the negotiating table and saying, “My Furby is watching you.” But according to several other sources, Drescher’s special guest was actually a heart-shaped plush with dangling feet that apparently was manufactured by Jellycat, a niche toy brand that caters to toddlers in high-end department stores.

A rep for Drescher did not respond to a request for comment. SAG-AFTRA, however, announced on Thursday that it would hold a picketing event on Friday at Amazon Studios, themed as “Plushie day in solidarity with Fran.” Striking actors are encouraged to “bring your heart-shaped plushies and stand with Fran!” The toy was given to Drescher by a fan, she told the Los Angeles Times last week.