George Clooney Speaks Out on SAG-AFTRA Strike: 'This Is an Inflection Point'

Matt Damon has revealed the prank that made George Clooney the “maddest I’ve ever seen him”.The actors were on the set of 2004 film Ocean’s Twelve together and stayed at Clooney’s villa in Lake Como, Italy along with Brad Pitt when the prank in question was carried out.In a recent interview with CNN, Damon – whose newest film Oppenheimer came out Friday (July 21) – recalled a days-long prank executed by co-star Pitt which put avid prankster Clooney on the receiving end for once.Damon recalled how Pitt sent out letters as Clooney’s team in Italian to his Italian crew, which said they were not permitted to “look him in the eye at any time” and that they could not to refer to him as George, but only “Mr Clooney or Mr Ocean”.The actor added that Clooney was usually the “life of the set”, but eventually noticed that something was off.“He came home, and that’s the maddest I’ve ever seen him, because Brad got him,” he said.Damon added that Pitt “sat there and he just said, ‘Just leave everybody else around me out of it, just come just for me”.‘Leave other civilians out of it,” joked Damon in the interview.Pitt recently named his Burn After Reading co-star as one of his picks for “the most handsome men in the world”, joking: “I’ve got to name that George Clooney fucker, because why not?”Elsewhere, back in 2017, Clooney heaped praise on Damon by calling him “the greatest actor I’ve ever worked with”.“In fact, I don’t know a better actor I’ve seen in my life. I’m trying to think if there’s a better actor.

George Clooney is renowned as a prankster in Hollywood, and it turns out that he doesn’t like it when one of his famous friends gets one over on him.

officially went on strike after they were unable to reach an agreement with major Hollywood studios and streamers by the July 12 deadline. Because of this, nearly all productions in Hollywood have been forced to shut down, which have already had an immediate impact in the industry with canceled premieres, axed publicity tours, delayed projects and abandoned sets.Actors like Jason Sudeikis, Susan Sarandon, Olivia Wilde, Allison Janney, Josh Gad, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Dallas, Mandy Moore, Ben Schwartz and Sharon Lawrence were among those joining the writers — who have been on strike since May 2 — on the picket line beginning July 14.

SAG-AFTRA has granted more waivers in recent days that give permission to indie projects to shoot during the current strike, including the independent film The Summer Book starring Glenn Close. Other recent projects that will be allowed to shoot include the TV series Underdeveloped and Sight Unseen.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood’s largest employers are wrestling over complicated contract proposals in a business turned inside-out by the transition from linear to streaming. But some of what’s on the table isn’t so complicated. Some of the discord between labor and management that led SAG-AFTRA to go on strike on July 13 is rooted in money and the hard reality of making minimum rates in Hollywood. SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher has vowed publicly that securing a hefty increase in minimum pay rates across the board is a deal-breaker issue for the union. Talk to any established working actor and it becomes clear why. Most of them say they’ve been dragged back to working for scale in a marketplace that has paid high-wattage stars record fees but put the squeeze on everyone else down the call sheet.

Adam B. Vary Senior Entertainment Writer The perils of artificial intelligence to the entertainment industry came to San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, with SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland joining a panel of voice actors organized by NAVA, the National Association of Voice Actors, to discuss the specific hazards AI is already posing to the profession. “We’ve got to reject the idea that this is just something that’s going to happen to us and we can’t say anything about it,” Crabtree-Ireland said at the outset of the panel, about whether AI could devastate the entertainment industry. “I think it definitely could, the question is whether we’re going to let that happen.”

EXCLUSIVE: For those awards strategists wondering whether stars from indie U.S. films can promote at the fall film festival troika, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland says “We’re looking at that issue.”

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor There was a large crowd in the room when SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood’s major studios and streamers formally began contract bargaining negotiations on June 7. About 80 participants from both the labor and management sides gathered at the Sherman Oaks headquarters of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for the first day of what everyone knew would be a difficult negotiation for the performers union, which has been on strike since July 13. One big presence in the negotiations process who was not there in person on Day One was Fran Drescher, president of SAG-AFTRA. But Drescher had no trouble making herself heard that day. She addressed the gathering via video conference call from Paris – and she definitely got management’s attention.

Fran Drescher became the "it girl" in Hollywood from the beginning of her career. From dancing with John Travolta in her first film, to creating and starring in her own, award-winning television sitcom, and then pivoting into becoming one of the most powerful people in the industry – Drescher kept her eye on the prize: success.  The New York-native had big dreams as a kid, and wanted to be a writer, hairdresser, actor or politician.

Gwyneth Paltrow is opening up about the double standards of the industry over aging between men and women.

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher is keen to continue negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), who are allegedly dragging their heels.

Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd’s “Death of a Unicorn” will continue to shoot despite the writers and actors strike that’s currently affecting Hollywood. The film is a part of 39 independent productions that received approval from the unions to continue to shoot.Emmys: Jenna Ortega makes history as youngest Latina nominee for ‘Wednesday’Diego Luna, Selena Gomez and more Emmy snubsA post shared by Jenna Ortega (@jennaortega)Variety reports that the film is excluded from the strike due to the fact that its production studio, A24, isn’t affiliated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

Fran Drescher has come a long way since playing the “flashy girl from Flushing” on The Nanny.

Gwyneth Paltrow is clapping back at the “double standard” she sees in the cultural perceptions of men and women as they get older, particularly in Hollywood.

EXCLUSIVE: The Working Families Party is the latest organization to show support to striking writers and actors with a message for the studios.

Fran Drescher, the sitcom star turned actors union leader, preferred to evoke the French Revolution, likening SAG-AFTRA’s struggle to the proletariat’s rebellion against an out-of-touch monarchy. “Eventually the people break down the gates of Versailles,” the “Nanny” star said during a press conference officially announcing the strike.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) seized on the SAG-AFTRA strike in an online conversation with President Fran Drescher on Tuesday evening, as they both bashed Bob Iger and other CEOs, and made the case for why the actors’ walkout should be of concern of all workers.

Mandy Moore might be a household name, but that doesn’t mean she’s making a ton of money when fans stream her past work.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer SAG-AFTRA has granted approval to 39 independent productions to shoot during the strike, after confirming that they are not tied to AMPTP companies. The list includes two projects from A24, the independent production company: “Mother Mary,” starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, and “Death of a Unicorn,” starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, which is set to begin shooting soon in Hungary. A24 is not part of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, said a spokesperson for the company. The projects also include “The Rivals of Amziah King,” starring Matthew McConaughey and “The Chosen,” a TV series about the life of Jesus.

The entertainment industry is heading for change as Hollywood actors join writers on the picket line.  

The biggest names in Hollywood are showing their support for the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike by joining their fellow union members on the picket lines.

Hollywood strikes, including Kevin Bacon, Susan Sarandon, Awkwafina, Paul Dano and Olivia Wilde.The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ (SAG-AFTRA) strike against Hollywood production houses was called recently after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) collapsed last week.Actors are demanding increases in base pay and residuals. Also included in their demands are guarantees from studio and production companies about how AI will be used, including with their likeness, and that they will be compensated when any of their work is used to train AI.Additionally, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike since early May with similar stipulations.

Devon Sawa is sharing an alleged story that is in solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA strike.

EXCLUSIVE: SAG-AFTRA is on strike, but not all members of the union won’t be working.

George and Amal Clooney got dressed up for a night out! The couple stunned on Sunday night when they stepped out for a date night in Lake Como, Italy.Amal, 45, looked gorgeous in a white gown with a thigh-high slit, while her 62-year-old husband was dapper as could be in a gray suit and black button down.The pair, who tied the knot in 2014, held hands as they descended a staircase at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, where they enjoyed a romantic dinner together.The venue is in the same city as George and Amal's lakefront villa, which he purchased in 2002.It's no surprise that Amal was dressed to the nines. When ET spoke with George in October, he gushed over his wife's fashion sense.

who deigns to share her life with the star of the Batman movie everyone hates, stepped out for date night in Italy in a white ankle-length dress a mere mortal might have worn down the aisle.In the picture, , Clooney wears her hair in a voluminous blowout and accessorizes with earrings and a clutch purse, no gaudy jewels necessary. Her slip-dress is form-fitting with a slit, but soft and gauzy enough that it reads more “heavenly angel” than “Victoria's Secret angel.” And while the more traditional brides probably wouldn't consider it bridalcore in the least (FWIW, Amal herself wore a gown-gown to wed George), it's every bit as wedding-y as the dress Emma Stone wore to her nuptials, for instance!(Stone re-wore her wedding dress to the Met Gala, I'm not trying to trick you into thinking this is a picture from her wedding.)Mr. Clooney, meanwhile, opted for a charcoal gray suit over a black button-down, no tie.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Disney didn’t let the SAG-AFTRA strike get in the way of its “Haunted Mansion” world premiere. None of the stars of the movie were expected to be in attendance, including LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, Daniel Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Hasan Minhaj, Marilu Henner and Lindsay Lamb all observing the SAG-AFTRA strike. The studio still rolled out the red carpet at Disneyland in Anaheim Saturday night. Director Justin Simien told Variety he was “sad” his cast couldn’t attend, but understands why and supports the actors walkout. Later in, he gave a shoutout to the cast while introducing the movie.

Kimiko Glenn is speaking out amid the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Mandy Moore and her former This Is Us costars will always be family — and are sticking together no matter what.

Disney CEO Bob Iger recently sat down with CNBC for an interview during which he shared his views on the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer SAG-AFTRA and the major studios remain at odds on a dizzying array of issues, as film and TV actors hit the picket lines Friday for the first time since 1980. According to sources on both sides, the biggest sticking point is the union’s demand for 2% of the revenue generated by streaming shows. The two sides also remain far apart on basic increases in minimum rates, with the studios offering 5%, 4% and 3.5% across the three years of the contract, while the union is demanding 11%, 4% and 4%. But that only scratches the surface. The parties are at odds on dozens of issues, only a handful of which have been publicly reported.

George Clooney is the latest A-list star to voice his support for the actor's union strike. In a statement shared with Fox News Digital on Friday, Clooney said, "This is an inflection point in our industry."  He continued, "Actors and writers in large numbers have lost their ability to make a living.

officially went on strike after they were unable to reach an agreement with major Hollywood studios and streamers by the July 12 deadline. Because of this, nearly all productions in Hollywood have been forced to shut down, which have already had an immediate impact in the industry with canceled premieres, axed publicity tours, delayed projects and abandoned sets.Actors like Jason Sudeikis, Susan Sarandon, Olivia Wilde, Allison Janney, Josh Gad, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Dallas, Mandy Moore, Ben Schwartz and Sharon Lawrence were among those joining the writers — who have been on strike since May 2 — on the picket line beginning July 14.

After AMPTP called their AI proposal to SAG-AFTRA yesterday “groundbreaking”, the actors’ union National Executive Director and chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, still begs to differ.

Fran Drescher, president of the actors trade union SAG-AFTRA, defended a photo she took with Kim Kardashian in Italy around the same time negotiations between actors and production companies began to break down. Drescher was in Italy to attend Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda despite the union facing the strike deadline. She defended the outing as "absolute work" during Thursday's press conference announcing SAG-AFTRA would be going on strike.

Fran Drescher is opening up about the SAG-AFTRA strike and how long it might go on.