Viola Davis Steps Back From ‘G20’ Despite Pic’s SAG-AFTRA Waiver: Not “Appropriate For This Production To Move Forward During Strike”

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: In a move that might well set a precedent for other A-listers, G20 star Viola Davis has become the first to publicly back away from a project for the duration of the actors and writers strikes, even after the film got the SAG-AFTRA interim agreement necessary to start production. “I love this movie, but I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike,” said the Oscar and Emmy winner in a statement obtained exclusively by Deadline. “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.” News of the move on Davis’ part comes one day after an unconfirmed report in The Sun that Brad Pitt has paused production on his Formula One film for Apple, in solidarity with strikers, also stepping away from a title called Apex.

It was on Friday afternoon that SAG-AFTRA shared via its website that G20 was approved for a waiver. The title that Davis was set to star in and produce secured the go-ahead from the actors guild, even given the involvement of Amazon Studios, because the project hails from the non AMPTP-affiliated MRC and will only be distributed by Amazon.

Still, sources told Deadline shortly after news of the waiver emerged that it was unclear whether the project would, in fact, move forward amidst the strikes.