SAG-AFTRA strikers may soon reach deal with studio executives

LOS ANGELES — The SAG-AFTRA strike has been going on for more than 113 days but an end may be in sight.

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Hollywood’s major studios reportedly made an offer to the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Friday that could end the strike, according to Variety.

“The Negotiating Committee was on standby today awaiting a response from the AMPTP on both the AI counter we presented yesterday, and the comprehensive counter proposal we passed across the table five days ago,” the committee said in a statement to members Thursday night, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“It could be over soon,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the national executive director and chief negotiator of SAG-AFTRA, according to KTLA. “The focus today is trying to bring this deal home, and the fact is, there are still some issues between us. We’re waiting for a response from the studios and streamers, but I am hopeful.”

Crabtree-Ireland told the news outlet that he met with studio executives until around 8 p.m. Thursday. The studios and streaming have not yet responded to the counterproposal since Thursday evening.

According to KTLA, both sides are frustrated and not willing to budge on artificial intelligence (AI).

“These are really important things that we’re out here fighting for,” Crabtree-Ireland said. “Since day one, for example, artificial intelligence, people could lose their careers over it.”

“People are out of work, they’re losing their apartments, their homes, marriages are breaking up,” said “Titanic” and “Resurrection” actress Frances Fisher, according to KTLA. “It’s very serious out here.”

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers warned the actors’ union that if a deal was not met by the end of the week, networks would have to cancel some television shows and could lead to further delays for summer theatrical releases, Variety reported.

On Saturday, the sides of the strike are expected to keep talking. The CEOS of Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Disney and Netflix are expected to join in the talks, Variety reported. They were absent from them the last week or so.