Adam Driver criticises Amazon and Netflix for ignoring actors’ demands

Adam Driver has criticised Amazon and Netflix for refusing to meet the demands of actors amid the ongoing Hollywood strikes.

READ MORE: Hollywood on strike! Every question about the actor and writer protests answered

The actor shared his criticism while promoting his new film Ferrari at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday (August 31). Prior to the festival, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) agreed to grant interim agreements to certain productions so they could promote their films.

“I’m very proud to be here to be a visual representation of a movie that’s not part of the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) and to promote the SAG leadership directive, which is an effective tactic, which is the interim agreement.”

Driver continued: “The other objective is obviously to say, why is it that a smaller distribution company like Neon and STX International can meet the dream demands of what SAG is asking for — this is pre-negotiations — the dream version of SAG’s wish list, but a big company like Netflix and Amazon can’t?

“And every time people from SAG go and support a movie that has met the terms of the interim agreement, it just makes it more obvious that these people are willing to support the people that they collaborate with, and the others are not.”

Driver has previously worked closely with Netflix, starring in 2019’s Marriage Story alongside Scarlett Johansson. For his performance, Driver was nominated for the Oscar for best actor.

In his latest film from director Michael Mann, Driver plays Enzo Ferrari. The drama chronicles a pivotal year in the life of the Italian motor racing entrepreneur. Ferrari also stars Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gadon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O’Connell and Patrick Dempsey.

“Ferrari got made because the people who worked on Ferrari made it by forgoing large sectors of salaries, in the case of Adam and myself,” Mann said. “It was not made by a big studio — no big studio wrote us a check. And that’s why we’re here, standing in solidarity.”

The Hollywood actors union joined the WGA in taking strike action on July 13, after negotiations broke down with th AMPTP, who represent major studios like Netflix, Disney, Apple, Amazon, Warner Bros. and others.

Both unions are seeking better pay, streaming residuals and safeguards against the use of AI technology amid the rise of streaming services.

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