On Thursday, the estranged husband of Britney Spears walked the SAG-AFTRA strike picket line.
Britney Spears’ estranged husband, Sam Asghari, took to the streets of Los Angeles on Thursday to stand in solidarity with his fellow performers as part of the ongoing strikes organized by SAG-AFTRA and WGA.
Asghari, a member of SAG-AFTRA, was spotted marching with a sign in hand near the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, where he voiced his support for the striking workers who have been off the job since the strike began on July 13.
"We're not here to talk about my personal life," Asghari told TMZ when asked about his high-profile divorce from Spears. "We're here to raise awareness for my brothers and sisters working hard and striking for my future. And I hope everything gets resolved very fast, and we can all go back to what we love doing the most, which is making art and inspiring people."
This public appearance marked the first time Asghari has been out seen since he filed for divorce from Spears in mid-August, citing irreconcilable differences. According to court documents obtained by ET, Asghari states that he and Spears separated on July 28.
Dressed casually in all black and wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap, the 29-year-old actor emphasized that the strike's purpose is to address the issues faced by performers and secure better compensation and benefits.
"I mean, that's the point of the strike," Asghari noted, alluding to the strike's objectives. He humorously mentioned that he presently had "the same amount of jobs as Leonardo DiCaprio," in reference to the current joblessness experienced by many in the entertainment industry due to the strikes.
Asghari's most recent acting credits include appearances in two episodes of Taylor Sheridan's Paramount+ action series, Special Ops: Lioness.
The strike began after SAG-AFTRA's unsuccessful negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) called upon its members to cease rendering all services and performing all work covered by the TV/Theatrical Contracts. Stunt workers, singers, and other performers joined in this collective action in support of their union's demands.
In a memo signed by union president Fran Drescher and national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA members were instructed to participate in the strike starting on July 13.
The strike by SAG-AFTRA followed in the footsteps of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which represents writers across various media platforms. The WGA initiated its strike on May 2 after the deadline for a new contract passed without ratification.
Spears and Asghari tied the knot in an intimate wedding at her California home in June 2022, nearly six years after they met on the set of her 2016 music video for "Slumber Party." The wedding was attended by fellow stars, including Selena Gomez, Paris Hilton, Madonna, Drew Barrymore, and Donatella Versace, who designed Spears' custom gown.
The pair got engaged in September 2021, just two months before her 13-year conservatorship came to an end.
RELATED CONTENT:
