The moment Oppenheimer’s star-studded cast went on strike: Emotional Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh lead stars making an early exit from the UK premiere as acting unions bring the industry to a halt
- READ MORE: Margot Robbie, Emily Blunt, Cynthia Nixon and Jamie Lynn Spears lead Hollywood stars supporting first SAG-AFTRA strike since 1980
This is the moment the star-studded cast of Oppenheimer walked out of the film’s UK premiere on Thursday, as thousands of actors went on the biggest strike to hit Hollywood in 60 years.
Footage from the black carpet, which was brought forward by an hour to avoid clashing with the strike’s announcement, showed the cast posing for photos together before making their way back to their hotel in London.
Stars including Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh were visibly emotional as they exited the premiere early, with the film’s director Christopher Nolan later saying the cast had left the event to ‘write their picket signs.’
Hollywood is set to grind to a halt for the forseeable future as unions take militant action over how streaming services are pushing down pay and the increasing use of AI in production.
The likes of Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Rami Malek walked the red carpet at the Odeon in Leicester Square earlier in the night.
Done: This is the moment the cast of Oppenheimer walked out of the film’s UK premiere on Thursday, as thousands of actors went on the biggest strike to hit Hollywood in 60 years
Leaving! Stars including Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh were visibly emotional as they exited the premiere early
Off they go! Footage from the black carpet showed the cast posing for photos together before making their way back to their hotel in London
But the group left the event prematurely to ‘go and write their picket signs’ in preparation for the ‘imminent’ strike by the actors’ union.
The last minute change came after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced it had voted in favour of taking action, after a deadline to reach a deal passed.
The reasons for the strike include issues such as the use of unregulated AI as well as the effects of the rise of streaming services on pay.
Director Christopher Nolan told the cinema’s audience: ‘You’ve seen them here earlier on the red carpet.
‘Unfortunately, they’re off to write their picket signs for what we 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 unions, and we support them.’
Christopher then attended a second premiere screening of Oppenheimer and voiced his support for the strikes while introducing the film as he praised the ‘talented’ workers.
According to Deadline, he told the audience: ‘They are here in spirit, and you’ll get to see their incredible work and the reason we value these talented people so much and need to care for them and make sure they’re looked after.’
‘Thanks so much for being here and we hope you enjoy the film,’ he added as the audience applauded his supportive words.
Taking a stand: The cast walked out of UK premiere in ‘solidarity’ with actors’ strike (L-R: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, and Florence Pugh)
Director Christopher Nolan told the cinema’s audience: ‘Unfortunately, they’re off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by Sag’
Tension: The last minute change came after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced it had voted in favour of taking action, after a deadline to reach a deal passed’
Clash: The London premiere of Oppenheimer was moved forward an hour early on Thursday ahead of the writers strike (L-R Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh)
Support: Christopher then attended a second premiere screening of Oppenheimer and voiced his support for the strikes while introducing the film as he praised the ‘talented’ workers
Plan: In a red-carpet interview with Variety on the night, Damon revealed that ‘once the strike is officially called’, the cast is ‘going to walk obviously in solidarity’
Words: Speaking to Deadline on the red carpet earlier, Emily added: ‘I hope everyone makes a fair deal and we are here to celebrate this movie’
United: Before the strike action was announced, the Oppenheimer cast had put on a united display while arriving at the premiere
Leading man: Cillian, 47, joined his co-stars Emily, 40, and Florence, 27, on the black carpet at 5.45pm in Leicester Square to avoid a clash
Braless: Florence Pugh put on a daring display in a plunging burnt orange gown as she joined Emily on the black carpet
Playful: Florence ensured all eyes were on her as she posed with the cast
Looking good: Undeterred by the earlier start time, the cast were dressed to the nines
Stunning: Florence wowed in a racy dress as she posed at the Oppenheimer London Premiere
Plunging: She had her ample assets on display in the dress
Show-stopping: She was every inch the red carpet queen
Having a laugh: Emily and Florence shared a laugh at the premiere
Gorgeous: Emily wowed in a black sequin gown with skirt fringing and a cut-out section at the midriff
Making a statement: The dress was backless and had a dramatic train
Bringing the fire: She posed up a storm for the cameras in the dress, which was a nod to the film plot
In a red-carpet interview with Variety on the night, Damon revealed that ‘once the strike is officially called’, the cast is ‘going to walk obviously in solidarity’.
‘That’s why we moved this [red carpet] up because we know the second it’s called, we’re going home,’ he said.
Speaking to Deadline on the red carpet earlier, Emily added: ‘I hope everyone makes a fair deal and we are here to celebrate this movie.
‘And if they call [a strike], we’ll be leaving together as cast in unity with everyone. … We are gonna have to. We are gonna have to. We will see what happens. Right now it’s the joy to be together.’
Sag-aftra is expected to rule in favour of a picket line after its negotiating committee had unanimously voted to recommend its 160,000 members go on strike on June 12.
The decision has the potential of bringing a simultaneous strike from actors and writers for the first time in 60 years.
Undeterred by the earlier start time, the cast were dressed to the nines on the red carpet with Florence bringing the drama in a plunging burnt orange dress.
The actress made sure all eyes were on her in the plunging number which flashed some side boob and had a daring cut-out section across her midriff.
Emily, meanwhile, wowed in a black sequin gown which had skirt fringing and a cut-out section at the midriff.
The untimely clash is a bit of a blow to Christopher who has shelled out £81million on the blockbuster production, set to hit UK cinemas on July 21.
Peaky Blinders star Cillian takes on the role of Dr J. Robert Oppenheimer, the ‘father of the atomic bomb’ and, after the Paris premiere earlier this week, critics have tipped it to win big.
Emily takes on the role of physicist Oppenheimer’s wife Kitty, while Florence plays Jean Tatlock, a psychiatrist, Communist Party member, and close friend of J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Florence ensured all eyes were on her as she posed with the cast. She added a dramatic and glamorous touch with the puffy skirt and accessorised with silver hoop earrings.
The actress starred alongside Cillian in A Quiet Place Part 2 and the duo hugged on the black carpet.
The film is being adapted from the 2006 book American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.
The book, which won the Pulitzer Prize, details Oppenheimer’s personal life and his time leading the Manhattan Project in the early and mid-1940s.
READ MORE: Disney boss Bob Iger says actors are ‘not being realistic’ as they threaten to bring Hollywood to a halt
Disney boss Bob Iger slammed actors who are threatening to go on strike on Thursday, saying they ‘are not being realistic’ and are being ‘disruptive’ to the industry.
The film has already been hailed as a contender to scoop multiple awards.
Journalists have taken to Twitter to share their glowing reviews of the movie, with one critic describing how the film ‘split my brain open’ and ‘left me sobbing through the end credits’.
The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin wrote: ‘Am torn between being all coy and mysterious about Oppenheimer and just coming out and saying it’s a total knockout’
Elsa Keslassy of Variety added: ‘A sign that French audiences loved #Oppenheimer is that they stayed in front of the Grand Rex theater long after the film ended to debate about it!’
A whole host of Hollywood stars, including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Mark Ruffalo, are poised to join writers on strike for the first time in 60 years.
Thousands of members of the Writers Guild of America have downed tools after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over pay fell apart.
At the center of the row is the rise of streaming – with the guild claiming that even as budgets have increased, writers’ share of that cash has consistently shrunk.
Attending a photo event on Wednesday, Oppenheimer star Matt said while everyone was hoping a strike could be averted, he said many actors need a fair contract to survive.
‘We ought to protect the people who are kind of on the margins,’ Damon told the AP.
‘And 26,000 bucks a year is what you have to make to get your health insurance. And there are a lot of people whose residual payments are what carry them across that threshold.
‘And if those residual payments dry up, so does their health care. And that´s absolutely unacceptable. We can´t have that. So, we got to figure out something that is fair.’
Crowds: The Oppenheimer cast and crew all looked united as they smiled for pictures ahead of the walkout
Support: The leading stars of Oppenheimer all showed their support for the strikes both while speaking on the carpet and later with their walkout
Celebrating: The stars, including Emily and Florence, all smiled and showed their close friendships as they celebrated the release of Oppenheimer
Fun: The girls put on an animated display as they walked the black carpet
Say cheese: Florence posed for selfies with fans
It is the first time since 1960 that actors and writers picket film and television productions.
Members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since early May slowing the production of film and television series on both coasts and in production centers like Atlanta.
The provisions the studios had agreed to
- The highest percentage increase in minimums in 35 years
- 76% increase in High Budget SVOD foreign residuals
- Substantial increases in pension and health contribution caps
- AI proposal which protects performers’ digital likenesses, including a requirement for performer’s consent for the creation and use of digital replicas or for digital alterations of a performance
- 58% increase in salaries for major role (guest star) performers wages on High Budget SVOD Programs
- Limitation of self-tape requests, including page, time and tech requirements. Options for virtual or in-person auditions
- 11% pay increase in year 1 for background actors, stand-ins and photo doubles, an additional 17% increase for background actors required to do extensive self-styling, and an additional 62% increase for stand-ins required to deliver lines during a run-through and photo doubles required to memorize and deliver lines on camera.
- First-time-ever fixed residuals for Stunt Coordinators on television and High Budget SVOD programs
- Shortened option periods for series regulars earning less than $65,000 per episode on a half-hour series or less than $70,000 per episode on a one-hour series
- Dancers will now receive the on-camera rate for rehearsal days.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced early Thursday morning that negotiations for higher wages from studios had ended without a deal.
By Thursday afternoon, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland announced the union leadership officially voted for a work stoppage to begin at midnight after their demands for higher wages and protections against artificial intelligence were not met.
Under the rules of a strike, SAG-AFTRA members would not be able to film any movie or TV series, take part in any press or film premieres or promote anything at this month’s San Diego Comic-Con.
The pending strike will affect Disney’s Avatar and Lion King sequels, as well as shows that were scheduled to return to television in the fall, like The Simpsons.
Announcing the strike Thursday afternoon, actress Fran Drescher, who serves as the president of SAG-AFTRA, said ‘We demand respect! You cannot exist without us!’
‘What happens to us is important,’ The Nanny star said. ‘What’s happening to us is happening across all fields of labor.
‘When employers make Wall Street and greed their priority and they forget about the essential contributors who make the machine run, we have a problem.’
‘The jig is up, we demand respect,’ she said.
Almost immediately afterwards, picketing screenwriters outside Netflix’s Hollywood offices started chanting ‘Pay Your Actors!’
A spokesperson for SAG said: ‘After more than four weeks of bargaining, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) – the entity that represents major studios and streamers, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros. Discovery – remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on the key issues that are essential to Sag-Aftra members.
‘The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us.
‘Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal.
‘We have no choice but to move forward in unity, and on behalf of our membership, with a strike recommendation to our national board.
Glam: Undeterred by the earlier start time, the cast were dressed to the nines on the red carpet with Florence bringing the drama in a plunging burnt orange dress
A-list talent: Cillian Murphy, who plays the leading role of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Emily Blunt both graced the red carpet
Thriller: Oppenheimer has already been hailed as a contender to scoop multiple awards and the stars have all been busy promoting its release
Early: The actors, including Florence Pugh, walked the black carpet at 5.45pm at Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square as the event kicked off an hour early
Pickets: Meanwhile, the 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since their own talks collapsed and their contract expired on May 2
‘The board will discuss the issue this morning and will make its decision.’
SAG-AFTRA represents more than 160,000 screen actors, broadcast journalists, announcers, hosts and stunt performers.
The walkout affects only the union’s 65,000 actors from television and film productions.
Meanwhile, the 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since their own talks collapsed and their contract expired on May 2. The stoppage has showed no signs of a solution, with no negotiations even planned.
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer: What do the critics think?
The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin
‘Am torn between being all coy and mysterious about Oppenheimer and just coming out and saying it’s a total knockout’
Vulture movie critic Bilge Ebiri
‘OPPENHEIMER is… incredible. A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan brings the hammer down in the most astonishing, shattering way.’
Jonathan Dean of The Sunday Times
‘Totally absorbed in OPPENHEIMER. An audacious, inventive, complex film to rattle its audience.’
The Associated Press’ film writer Lindsey Bahr
‘It is truly a spectacular achievement, in its truthful, concise adaptation, inventive storytelling and nuanced performances from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon and the many others involved.’
Matt Maytum of Total Film
‘An epic historical drama but with a distinctly Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, startling sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow.’
Elsa Keslassy of Variety
‘A sign that French audiences loved #Oppenheimer is that they stayed in front of the Grand Rex theater long after the film ended to debate about it!’
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