‘You’ve Made It So Clear That It’s Scabbing’: Sarah Silverman Reacts to Actors Filming During Strike

If no one is supposed to be working during the actors’ strike, why is it that Paul Rudd, Anne Hathaway, Jenna Ortega and others are filming new projects as we speak? That’s the question that comic Sarah Silverman would like answered, and until she gets a proper explanation, she’s righteously pissed off. 

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The reason, by the way, is that 45 “truly independent” productions have struck deals with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA to continue work during the strike. But just because Matthew McConaughey’s project has an “interim agreement” doesn’t mean Silverman has to be happy about it. She took to Instagram to share her rage.

"I feel f***ing pissed off, and I know I just must not be understanding something,” Silverman says. “There are like 40 movies being made right now. Movie stars are making movies because they're independent movies, and SAG is allowing it because if they do sell it to streaming, it has to be because streaming is abiding by all the things we're asking for. That's just working. The strike ends when they come to the table and we make a deal in agreement." 

But if the filmmakers are simply going to sell the star-driven movies to streaming services, Silverman asks, what’s the point of the strike? We get her argument — if there’s a steady pipeline of celebrity-filled movies to feed the streamers’ need for content, what incentive do Netflix, Disney+ and Max have to give in to the unions’ demands? 

The whole point of a SAG strike was that without movie stars making movies, the studios would have no choice but to make a deal, Silverman ranted. “Well, they're making movies. What the f***? I got offered an indie movie, I f***ing said no, and so did a bunch of my friends, and now some of my friends are saying yes. I'm really pissed. Please, explain to me why I shouldn't be angry, because people are making real-deal sacrifices. People, writers, actors, crew people, all these people are sacrificing their livelihood for this cause. It's called union strong, where we are all together. And when SAG joined the strike, we should see every movie star out there striking along, because you have insurance because of your union and you get residuals because of your union. All of these things you get because of your union and you can't stand with your union?"

Silverman can’t even decide where to direct her rage. Is it the actors who are working despite being “on strike”? Or is it SAG, who negotiated the deals that say it’s OK? "It's scabbing, you've made it so clear that it's scabbing," she says. "Now, all of a sudden movie stars can make movies if they're indie movies where they promise they'll only sell it if X, Y, and Z. That's called the end of the strike, motherf***ers!"

Some of Silverman’s fellow comics chimed in with their support in the comments. “I agree %100!” said Bobcat Goldthwait. “Plus are new pages being written on these shoots?? Or rewriting being done on the sets?? I’ve never been on a movie with no rewrites! Thanks for saying this!”

Amy Sedaris probably put it best, adding a simple, emphatic “Right on.”

Silverman seems sincere in her attempts to understand why these independent productions are okay. “What am I not getting?” she asked. “Set me straight and I’ll take this down.” 

For what it's worth, the post is still up.