Tom Cruise seems to have finally found his true “mission impossible”. The actor intervened to try to find a solution to the conflict between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). But the situation escalated to such a level that not even his mediation could prevent the Hollywood actors’ strike.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tom Cruise became involved in negotiations between the actors and the studios to try to reach a convincing solution for both parties. However, neither his charisma nor his status as the top star in Hollywood today were enough to avoid litigation. The measure of force, in place since last Friday, has already jeopardized the filming of important productions, such as Deadpool 3.
The aforementioned medium indicates that the star of mission impossible 7 and Top Gun: Maverick participated in a meeting via Zoom in June. In it, he would have implored the AMPTP to recognize the seriousness of the complaints made by the actors union.
The focus would have been especially on those related to the use of generative artificial intelligence to create “digital doubles” and pay fewer salaries or royalties. In addition, he would have expressed his support for SAG-AFTRA’s proposals to give greater visibility to the work of stuntmen and their coordinators.
Despite his participation in talks with the Alliance of Film and Television Producers, Tom Cruise couldn’t reverse history. Just weeks later, Hollywood actors went on strike, joining screenwriters, who have been in conflict since early May.
Tom Cruise and the negotiations prior to the strike of Hollywood actors
While Tom Cruise supported his colleagues’ claims against the big studios, he also petitioned the actors’ union. According to collect Deadlineasked SAG-AFTRA to allow its affiliates continue carrying out promotional work for the films in which they star and that they are close to reaching the billboards.
The request was not related to mission impossible 7, since his press tour ended before the Hollywood actors’ strike. However, Cruise assured that the power of the artists was fundamental for the public to maintain interest in returning to movie theaters. Something crucial to keep the industry on its feet after the years of confinement forced by the pandemic.
Although the formal response of the entity led by Fran Drescher is unknown, Tom Cruise’s request did not take effect. Let us take into account that, for example, the distribution of oppenheimer left the premiere event that was taking place in London, as soon as the Hollywood actors’ strike was announced.
For now, the conflict between artists and big production companies is far from over. In the last few hours, SAG-AFTRA assured that at no time during the negotiation was the studies willing to deal with critical issues. While the AMPTP responded by stating that the union “deliberately distorts” the proposals made to it.