A few days ago, I read this interesting and sad piece in the Hollywood Reporter about why the British actors’ union, Equity, can’t and won’t strike in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA. Equity actors basically cannot strike whatsoever, per British laws. Various British industries have unions and those unions can collective-bargain for their rights as workers, but there are really strict laws about strikes. Which sort of renders most unions toothless and their threats hollow, which is the point. THR mentioned that many British productions with Equity actors will continue to work throughout the strike, even if SAG actors and WGA writers walked off the production.
Well, speaking of, Brad Pitt’s Formula 1 movie has been filming in the UK for weeks/months already. This is the movie where Pitt, who turns 60 years old in December, plays a Formula 1 driver. The production filmed at the British Grand Prix a few weeks ago and Pitt was doing scenes with Damson Idris. Well, earlier this week, it was confirmed that Apex halted production because of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Pitt is SAG member and he said some sh-t about how he’s a “good union member” and he won’t cross the (non-existent British) picket lines. Apex is being produced by AppleTV, which is (you guessed it) one of the streamers responsible for breaking the residuals system. Well, funny story – Pitt may not be filming anything, but the production has not halted.
A strike led by the Screen Actors Guild over pay and residuals has disrupted work on a number of movies involving some of the industry’s biggest stars. With legend Brad Pitt understood to be showing solidarity for the action, there were inaccurate reports last week that production of the new F1 film would be halted until the strike was over.
However, while Pitt himself may be absent, filming for the Apple movie is still carrying on within the F1 paddock as there remain opportunities for track action and paddock footage to be obtained even without the main stars.
Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the garage of the fictional Apex team that Pitt drives for in the movie has been set up once again in the pit lane. Furthermore, there are plans in the Hungaroring timetable for more high-speed action footage to be captured with the modified F2 cars that appeared for the first time at the British Grand Prix.
It is understood that there are plans for footage to be captured of Apex pit stops, parc ferme reaction and grid activity over the Hungary weekend.
[From MotorSport]
It sounds like they’re going to film all of the car-stunts and driving scenes while Pitt’s on strike. What’s interesting about that is… um, stuntmen and stunt drivers are SAG-AFTRA union members too. Unless Apex is only using British scabs – Equity actors and British stunt drivers. Which is possible. But it certainly makes me question the initial statements from Pitt about how the production would be shut down during the strike. It also makes me question if Pitt actually will cross the metaphorical picket line. When in Rome, or in this case, when in union-busting Salt Island.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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