If you’re a union actor, you can’t dress up as Barbie and post a photo to social media this year. The Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Actors unions have prohibited their members from dressing up as “struck content” characters for Halloween.
“This Halloween, we wanted to make sure our members don’t inadvertently break strike rules, and have put together some quick tips on the dos and don’ts for costumes,” said the union in a statement.
The union recommends dressing up in more generalized costumes. Instead of Spiderman, dress up like a spider. Instead of Casper, dress up like a ghost.
“Choose costumes inspired by generalized characters and figures (ghost, zombie, spider etc),” the guide advised, adding that members should not “post photos of costumes inspired by struck content on social media”.
Yes, it’s silly. Actor Ryan Reynolds who plays Ken in the “Barbie” film made a mockery of it.
I look forward to screaming “scab” at my 8 year old all night. She’s not in the union but she needs to learn
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) October 19, 2023
Actress Mandy Moore slammed the rules, asking “Is this a joke?” We’re asking the same thing.
There are exceptions to the rules.
Projects under an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA are also presumably in bounds, which means members can safely dress up as the Jacob Elordi Elvis (from A24’s strike-proof “Priscilla”) but not Austin Butler’s King of Rock n’ Roll from Warner Bros.’ movie. Carmy from “The Bear” is off limits, but don’t fret — there’s still time to bulk up and trick or treat as Jeremy Allen White from A24’s upcoming wrestling pic “The Iron Claw.”
After talks between the guild negotiators and studio bosses fell apart last week, SAG-AFTRA concluded its post with a motivational message: “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!”
Does a Halloween costume “promote” a film? Aren’t these people confusing real life with their celluloid personas?
Former president of the actors guild Melissa Gilbert is calling out the costume guidelines as “silly bull**it” and “infantile.”
“THIS is what you guys come up with? Literally, no one cares what anyone wears for Halloween,” Gilbert wrote on Instagram. “I mean, do you really think this kind of infantile stuff is going to end the strike? We look like a joke. Please tell me you’re going to make this rule go away… and go negotiate!”
Gilbert wasn’t finished excoriating her fellow SAG/AFTRA leaders.
“For the love of God, people are suffering mightily and this is what you have to say… c’mon guys… This is the kind of silly bull**it that keeps us on strike. Let’s enact a policy that makes us look petty and incompetent at the same time.’”
The strike is 100 days old as of Saturday. While the issues with AI are complex and worth billions of dollars to both the actors and the creators, the atmosphere in the negotiations is deteriorating and threatening to scuttle some major film projects and perhaps even some TV series.
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