Ryan Reynolds and Mandy Moore have publicly criticized SAG-AFTRA’s new Halloween guidelines that encourage members to refrain from dressing up as characters from struck films and shows this year.
“Is this a joke?” the “This Is Us” alum, 39, wrote on her Instagram Story Thursday. “Come on @sagaftra. This is what’s important?”
She continued, “We’re asking you to negotiate in good faith on our behalf. So many folks across every aspect of this industry have been sacrificing mightily for months.
“Get back to the table and get a fair deal so everyone can get back to work. Please and thank you.”
Meanwhile, the “Deadpool” star, 46, took to X (formerly Twitter), responding to an article detailing SAG-AFTRA’s guidelines.
“I look forward to screaming ‘scab’ at my 8 year old all night. She’s not in the union but she needs to learn,” he sarcastically tweeted.
Former SAG-AFTRA president Melissa Gilbert also criticized the union’s move.
“THIS is what you guys come up with? Literally no one cares what anyone wears for Halloween. I mean, do you really think this kind of infantile stuff is going to end the strike? We look like a joke,” she wrote on Instagram Friday.
“Please tell me you’re going to make this rule go away….and go negotiate! For the love of God, people are suffering mightily and this is what you have to say…c’mon. This is the kind of silly bulls–t that keeps us on strike.”
Making fun of the entire ordeal, she concluded, “Let’s enact a policy that makes us look petty and incompetent at the same time.”
Striking actors have been unified in their desire for fair wages, protections against the rising use of artificial intelligence in the industry, improvements in benefits and more since the strike commenced on June 14, but this is the first time members have expressed public disappointment with the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists leadership.
SAG-AFTRA initially released guidelines Thursday in an infographic, encouraging members to dress up in “generalized characters and figures,” such as ghosts and spiders, from “non-struck content,” like animated TV shows.
This means popular Halloween costumes like Barbie, Wednesday Addams and characters from “Stranger Things” are prohibited.
The guidelines also advised that if members do opt to dress as struck characters and figures, they should not be sharing images of their looks online.
“Let’s use our collective power to send a loud and clear message to our struck employers that we will not promote their content without a fair contract,” the infographic read.
Pvnew reached out to SAG-AFTRA and its president, Fran Drescher, for comment but did not get an immediate response.
However, SAG-AFTRA shared a statement with the Hollywood Reporter Friday, defending its decision for the ban.
“SAG-AFTRA issued Halloween guidance in response to questions from content creators and members about how to support the strike during this festive season,” the labor union said.
“This was meant to help them avoid promoting struck work, and it is the latest in a series of guidelines we have issued.”
Speaking to Reynolds’ concerns, SAG-AFTRA confirmed that the rules do not apply to the kids of striking actors.
“We are on strike for important reasons, and have been for nearly 100 days,” the statement continued. “Our number one priority remains getting the studios back to the negotiating table so we can get a fair deal for our members, and finally put our industry back to work.”
SAG-AFTRA’s Halloween rules came after the negotiations between the Hollywood actors and the studios ceased earlier this month after the studios used “bullying tactics,” according to SAG-AFTRA.
Drescher, 66, released an essay Saturday, criticizing the studios for showing a “disregard for working people” and “greed.”
“It can only end when the parties reach agreement, and to do that, the AMPTP must return to bargaining,” she penned.
“With the very existence of the acting profession at stake, to settle for anything less than a fair payment structure and guardrails for AI would be irrational,” the “Nanny” alum continued.
“For the sake of everyone who makes a living in this business, we hope the strike is resolved soon, but make no mistake: We’re in this fight until the end.”
