Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon and more left the screening in order to prepare for the impending protest.
On Thursday, during the U.K. premiere of Oppenheimer, director Christopher Nolan revealed that the cast, including stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh and others, left the event to go "write their picket signs" as the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) union decided to go on strike.
"I have to acknowledge the work of our incredible cast," Nolan said onstage, before he was interrupted by applause after mentioning names of several of the film's many, many stars, who walked the red carpet at the premiere but did not join the director inside the theater.
"Unfortunately, they're off to write their picket signs for what I believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of the union," continued Nolan, before receiving more applause from the crowd.
During the event, Pugh took to Instagram to reflect on the film and thanked those for coming out to support the project.
"One of the biggest prides of my career. Honouring the work of the MANY who made this movie tonight," she wrote. "This movie was made in respect of art and crews and creativity. It is the set I will remember and talk about for decades. Working with these people and more was such a honour, Christopher Nolan respects the craft and people and that’s the Fullstop. Thank you to all who came out in support, the movie is now yours."
The U.K. premiere for the historical drama came shortly after it first debuted in Paris, France, on July 11 in the days leading up to the deadline for SAG-AFTRA's ongoing negotiations with Hollywood studios over several issues related to compensation and the use of AI in film and TV productions.
Early Thursday morning, the union representing 160,000 television and movie actors called for a strike after negotiations broke down, with SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher releasing a statement sharing that they intend to call a meeting with their National Board to vote on a strike order.
The union's negotiating committee voted unanimously to recommend a strike after contracts expired on July 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT. If the strike order passes, the actors will be joining members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who have been on strike for the past 70 days.
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) began on June 7 and were extended on June 30. Drescher has since called AMPTP's response to the union's demands "insulting and disrespectful."
About an hour after Nolan's speech during the U.K. premiere, the union officially went on strike, marking the first time since 1960 two major guilds will be on the picket lines at the same time.
Drescher and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director/chief negotiator, spoke out during a press conference following the national board vote to make the strike announcement. "They stand on the wrong side of history at this moment," Drescher said, calling out the studio heads. "You share the wealth because you cannot exist without us!"
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