Viola Davis Says It’s Not ‘Appropriate’ to Film ‘G20’ With SAG-AFTRA Waiver During Union Strike

usmagazine.com:

While Viola Davis’ upcoming movie G20 reached a temporary agreement with SAG-AFTRA to continue filming, she is taking a step back amid the ongoing union strike.“I love this movie, but I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike,” Davis, 57, told Deadline in a statement on Saturday, July 29. “I appreciate that the producers on the project agree with this decision.

JuVee Productions and I stand in solidarity with actors, SAG/AFTRA and the WGA.”The EGOT winner — who helms her JuVee Productions company alongside husband Julius Tennon — and the MRC-produced picture had been granted a SAG-AFTRA interim waiver on Friday, July 28, as MRC is not affiliated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

G20, of which Davis is also a producer, is slated to be distributed by Amazon Studios.It is not known how Davis’ exit will impact production or if filming will halt for the duration of the strike.SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher announced earlier this month that the union — which represents more than 160,000 performers — authorized a strike after the AMPTP did not compromise on any of their terms regarding fair wages, residual check sums and the use of artificial intelligence in media.“This is a very seminal hour for us.

I went in thinking that we would be able to avert a strike. The gravity of this move is not lost on me,” Drescher, 65, said in a press conference on July 13. “It’s a very serious thing that impacts thousands, if not millions of people all across this country and around the world.