Celebrities in Support, on the Picket Line

Hollywood royalty is on the side of labor. The Writers Guild of America called for a strike on May 2 after negotiations for fair pay and streaming-era regulations broke down, leaving late-night and variety television immediately impacted, the future of your favorite show an open question, reality and animated TV the only sure things … and no Pete Davidson–hosted SNL episode. Celebrities voiced their support for the strike in the days and weeks leading up to the anticipated walkout, but the first Monday in May proved to be the most fruitful moment to get them on the record about the then-potential seismic event. “Everything changed with streaming, and everyone needs to be compensated for their work,” Amanda Seyfried told Variety on the Met Gala red carpet. “It’s fucking easy. I don’t get it.” Jimmy Fallon, who also attended the fashion extravaganza, said he “wouldn’t have a show if it wasn’t for my writers, and I support them all the way.” Game of Thrones mastermind George R.R. Martin expressed support for the writers in a blog post: “No one wanted this — no writer with an ounce of sense, anyway — but the producers and the studios and the networks and the streamers gave us no choice.” Below are the celebrities in support of the writers’ strike and those on the front lines.