SAG-AFTRA members overwhelmingly approved a four-year TV and film deal with major studios including Netflix, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery on Thursday night, increasing minimum wages and addressing concerns about the use of AI performers.
The deal, which was expected to be approved, received the support of 91% of SAG-AFTRA members who voted on the agreement, which starts July 1 and ends June 30, 2030. The union represents 160,000 performers, including actors, stunt performers and influencers.
“This agreement builds on the foundation members fought to establish and carries that work into the next chapter of our industry,” said SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin in a statement. “It delivers meaningful gains in compensation, strengthens protections around artificial intelligence and digital identity, reinforces the long-term security of members’ benefit plans and recognizes the realities of how performers work today.”
Under the new deal, the length of the agreement between SAG-AFTRA and major studios represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers expands from three years to four years.
It also boosts minimum wage by 3% annually, increases contributions to the health plan by 1% and expands the bonus to the union’s Success Bonus Distribution Fund based on residuals that performers get for popular streaming programs.
The contract also addresses concerns about the growing use of artificial intelligence in TV and film and its impact on actor jobs. Last year, many actors spoke out about Tilly Norwood, a computer-generated “actor” and whether synthetic characters like her could threaten their livelihoods. Some performers have also advocated for getting paid if their likenesses are used to create such characters made through AI systems.
Not all members were in favor of the contract, saying it did not go far enough in protecting performers against AI.
“It normalizes the use of AI replicas and synthetic performers rather than drawing a firm line protecting human performers and their jobs,” said Chuck Slavin, a background actor and performer.
Slavin, a former New England local board member, ran against Astin for SAG-AFTRA president last year.
Producers agreed to “a principle strongly favoring human performances” and that producers would only use a synthetic if it “brings significant additional value to the motion picture.” If a producer decided to use a synthetic in a role that could be done by a human, they would need to notify the union and bargain in good faith.
Additionally, the contract merges the pension plans of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which were previously separate but combined in 2012 to form SAG-AFTRA.
Their health plans were consolidated in 2017, but the pensions have remained separate . That was a major sticking point with members, some of whom couldn’t qualify for benefits as their contributions were split between two plans. Studios agreed to boost their overall contributions to the combined plan by 1%.
SAG-AFTRA’s deal comes after the Writers Guild of America members also approved an agreement with the AMPTP in April.
“SAG-AFTRA’s leadership brought a genuine commitment to partnership, and together with the WGA agreement, these deals demonstrate what is possible when the industry works toward practical solutions that support its long-term stability,” AMPTP said in a statement.
The Directors Guild of America began negotiations with AMPTP last month, with its contract expiring on June 30.
Staff writer Cerys Davies contributed to this report.
On a recent weekday morning inside a studio in the heart of Hollywood, Rachel Lindsay and Van Lathan, co-hosts of The Ringer’s “Higher Learning,” were getting ready to roll.
By the time the podcasters came into the Spotify Sycamore Studios for their show, which covers all things in Black culture and politics, the overhead lights were set, and the cameras were precisely angled. Decorative books were propped up between their seats and a big red “Higher Learning” logo stood behind them.
As soon as everyone silenced their phones, the hosts began to banter like two old friends. Lindsay complimented Lathan on his recent foray into stand-up comedy at the Netflix is Joke Fest at the Laugh Factory.
“I just have to say … basically a star is born,” said Lindsay, grinning. “I have to talk about it. Now I never doubted you.”
The pair helms one of the many shows on The Ringer podcast network, known for its roster of A-list celebrity hosts and sports and culture commentators that recently moved into Spotify’s newest podcasting studios.
The 11,000 square-foot space on Sycamore Avenue was designed as both a home base for The Ringer’s production and a video podcasting hub for select Spotify creators.
Since its opening earlier this year, the space has welcomed more than 25 podcasters and shows, on top of the dozens of shows that still record at Spotify’s Mateo studios in the Arts District.
The company estimates that over the last five years it has contributed more than $10 billion to the podcasting industry, including payouts to creators and investments in new content.
Podcasts are just one arm of Spotify’s business, as the audio giant has over 100 million songs and 700,000 audiobooks on its platform. But video podcasts have become an increasingly important way for the company to keep listeners tuned in — and paying for subscriptions amid growing competition from Apple Music and YouTube Music. Despite a surge in profits in the first quarter, Spotify’s share price has fallen 25% this year as investors worry about a slowdown in subscriber growth.
Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay record their podcast, “Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay,” at Spotify’s Sycamore Studios in Hollywood on May 7. The podcast is distributed on Spotify through The Ringer.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
One of the main drivers behind opening the Sycamore studios was to create a central hub for The Ringer, a media company Spotify acquired for $250 million in 2020.
Geoff Chow, Spotify‘s head of podcast studios and The Ringer’s managing director, said the investment is already paying off “in terms of the productivity and the quality of the content we’re able to produce from here.”
The Ringer is one of the streamer’s most popular assets. Spotify includes nine Ringer shows in its list of the top U.S. podcasts.
“They’re pouring into this space and their creators,” Lathan said, before recording a new “Higher Learning” episode. “We really have the freedom to do so much.”
He and Lindsay said the studio has elevated their show by switching up their workflow and increasing in-person work.
Thanks in part to its centralized location, tucked between the offices of SiriusXM and music and sports entertainment company Roc Nation, they say guests are more eager to visit and record in person. Lathan joked that even while walking down the street, he’ll run into radio personalities like Sway Calloway, who hosts his own successful “Sway in the Morning” show on SiriusXM, and convince them to come up for a tour of the space.
Sycamore has already seen guest appearances from Snoop Dogg on “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on “Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay” and “Project Hail Mary” author Andy Weir on “House of R.”
“This street is so cool,” Lindsay added. “It’s just a different energy here.”
The duo first started recording at Spotify’s Arts District campus, which is more focused on audio-driven programs. But as the podcasting landscape evolves and video becomes a more important element, “Higher Learning” is now able to maximize on the new studio’s video-first capabilities.
Chris Thomas, studio operator, works in the control room on the podcast, “Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay.”
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Spotify also employs a combination of full-time employees and freelancers that staff each show, including sound engineers, lighting specialists and set designers who help keep the place running.
The Ringer, founded by media mogul Bill Simmons, exists online as a website, a podcast network and video production house, anchored in sports, pop culture and politics coverage. Some of its most popular programs include “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” “The Rewatchables” and the inaugural Golden Globe winner “Good Hang with Amy Poehler.”
Many of the hosts overlap within The Ringer’s podcasting ecosystem. Just between Lathan and Lindsay, they host and appear as regular guests on as many as five shows, so they work from the studio three to five times a week. By being in close quarters together, a greater sense of collaboration has enveloped The Ringer’s team. Chow said there are some days when Simmons will walk onto four shows a day, just to share his thoughts on a topic.
“This is my dream of what The Ringer is. We’re all here talking, we’re all existing together,” Lathan said. “We’re all popping in and out of different rooms all the time.”
Exterior view of the building that houses Spotify’s new Sycamore Studios. The company takes up one floor of the facility.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
The Ringer was first founded in 2016. At the time, Simmons had recently been ousted from ESPN due to a strained relationship with higher-ups. Simmons had spearheaded the network’s Grantland sports blog, which focused on cultural commentary that is similar to what The Ringer does today. The Ringer soon established itself as one of the fastest-growing independent podcast networks.
The brand still keeps its roots in fandom — whether it’s through football or “Game of Thrones,” said Chow. So, to have a space that reflects the diversity of its programming often makes recording more fruitful, especially during key moments like the NFL draft or awards season.
As The Ringer continues to expand its roots in Hollywood, the network remains focused on maximizing its content.
In January, The Ringer started airing select podcasts on Netflix to reach a wider audience. Chow said the partnership is off to a promising start. Each of the five recording studios at the Sycamore site is fully equipped with live-streaming technology — making the weekly Netflix live shows possible.
“Podcasts have become like a cultural hub and curator of things that are happening in the world,” Chow said. “We always want to innovate and test. That’s something that was exciting to us to think about bringing our audience new content in different places.”
SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have landed on a new tentative contract.
The actors union’s new agreement with the trade group that negotiates with Hollywood unions on behalf of the major studios will reportedly improve AI protections and boost the guild’s pension fund. Similar to the pact the Writers Guild reached with the studios last month, SAG-AFTRA’s contract will last four years instead of the usual three.
SAG-AFTRA confirmed the tentative deal on Saturday. The union said in a statement that “specific details will not be released” until the SAG-AFTRA National Board reviews its terms.
The contract is set to cover workers who are involved in motion pictures, scripted primetime dramatic television, streaming content and new media.
The actors union began negotiations with the studios in February and extended those talks in March, but paused to allow the AMPTP to finish negotiations with the writers union. Negotiations resumed April 27 and ended May 2.
The tentative contract still needs to be voted on by its members — SAG-AFTRA represents more than 160,000 actors, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, stunt performers, voice-over artists and other entertainment professionals.
The union’s current contract is set to expire June 30. SAG-AFTRA joins WGA as the latest Hollywood union to strike a deal with the studios.
The Directors Guild of America is the last union that still needs to reach an agreement with the studios. Negotiation sessions with AMPTP will begin on May 11, as its contract is set to expire on June 30.
Todd Martens’ newsletter delivers news and commentary on the past, present and future of theme parks, right from the theme park capital of the world — Southern California.
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And here at The Times, I have been writing about theme parks for more than a decade. As a journalist but also as a fan, even attempting to analyze my own love for these spaces and why I keep going back.
My entry to theme parks were trips to Florida’s Walt Disney World. These vacations were the highlight of my youth, helping a shy, awkward kid get out of his shell and discover a safe world of play. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to see parks as places that reflect our popular myths back to us, allowing us to live inside them and define a role for ourselves. I still insist on riding Pirates of the Caribbean each Disneyland visit, just as my father used to. It’s the second-greatest ride at the park, after all.
Take on a character and quest at Universal Studios
I am standing in front of a makeshift cemetery. On the paths between gravestones are colored footprints, as if left by cartoon characters. These are the trails of a suspect. Purple imprints are what I’m seeking.
I am on the case, and the Scooby-Doo gang is here to help: Velma, Daphne, Fred, Shaggy and, of course, Scooby-Doo himself. Left in the thorny bushes of the graveyard is a clue. Once the latter is discovered, I am one step closer to solving the mystery, one that has unleashed a host of Universal’s classic movie monsters on the ol’ Europe section of the studio’s backlot.
A mash-up of Universal’s classic monsters and “Scooby-Doo!” characters is featured in a game-like experience at Fan Fest Nights.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Can I and a few hundred strangers restore order and save the day?
Universal’s Fan Fest Nights is in its second year, and after a mixed debut last spring, the after-hours, specially-ticketed event has hit its stride. The centerpiece of the fest, which runs on select nights through May 16 with tickets starting at $74, is a mash-up of “Scooby-Doo!” and Universal’s Monsters, a lengthy game-focused quest with escape room-worthy puzzles.
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The experience, as well as those focused on the worlds of “Harry Potter,” “Dungeons & Dragons” and anime sensation “One Piece,” are hefty, limited-time installations that would be worthy of including in a theme park’s daily operations, as the best of them experiment with character interactions and role play.
While exploring these pop-up worlds, I couldn’t help but think about how stagnant Disney’s own specially-ticketed events have become. Fan Fest and Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights change yearly, yet Disneyland’s popular Oogie Boogie Bash has become repetitive and its other themed nights are too reliant on photo ops and traditional character meet-and-greets.
Taken as a whole, Fan Fest resets expectations for what an after-hours, theme park event should be.
Here there are photo ops and limited-run food, sure (and I highly recommend the graham cracker-like Scooby Snack cookies), but Universal’s live theatrical team has placed the emphasis on exploratory attractions. Actors abound, allowing guests to lean in and take on an active role.
A “Harry Potter” experience at Fan Fest Nights is a walk through a fantastical forest looking for a magical creature.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
In the Potter-focused “Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff,” we are amateur wizards on the prowl for a magical creature, in this case a majestic, oversized puppet. It reminded me of being a young Boy Scout and going on evening hikes into the woods with a guide regaling us with mysterious tales. In “Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep,” a returning experience from last season, we are alternately adventurers and thieves.
And in the Scooby gang’s “The Case of the Phantom Director,” we are cast as extras in a film production. The Scooby Doo quest, the heart of the night, comes complete with a 14-page manual full of character bios, clues and missions. You’ll have to read, but it’s a bet that today’s guests are craving personal and interactive attractions that pull as much from immersive theater as they do classic theme parks. I applaud this sort of tinkering with the formula, even as I wonder how attendees will take to having to complete actual brain-teasers in a theme park. At least there is a payoff with a mini show (you do not need to complete the challenges to see the finale).
It took my friend and me more than an hour to solve the Scooby game, and, I confess, we didn’t complete one of the four mini-puzzles. While none of the head-scratchers individually are all that stressful, they are more complex than typical theme park fare and require guests to get out of a mindset of rushing from event to event. (Another friend of mine declared herself too “stupid” to complete the missions, but Scooby fans may simply enjoy living in the make-believe world and playing with the actors).
More of this kind of playful inventiveness, please. Magic isn’t always a fancy animatronic. Sometimes it’s just personalization.
A “One Piece”-inspired stunt show is a popular offering at Universal’s Fan Fest Nights.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
The week in SoCal theme parks
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will roll out some major changes on Wednesday. Out with Kylo Ren and in with Darth Vader (and Luke, Han and Leia). I’ll have more on this next week.
It’s your last chance to meet a Wall-E and Eve robotic figure at the Pixar Place Hotel. Wednesday is the final day currently on the schedule. This has been a popular meet and greet at the Disneyland Resort, so give yourself at least an hour, maybe more, to stand in line if it’s a priority for you.
Looking for a Disneyland deal? If you can get there midweek, single-day, single-park tickets can be had for $104 on Wednesday and Thursday. The friendlier price is also available next week, on May 5-6.
Universal Fan Fest Nights returns Friday through Sunday and while I clearly had a positive experience, if you’re considering going, be prepared for lines. The “Harry Potter” walk-through was a two-hour wait most of the evening. Queue up early, too, for the crowd-pleasing “One Piece” stunt show, as there were only three performances on opening night.
Disneyland has announced a host of new food options coming to the park this week, including blueberry cobbler doughnuts at Lamplight Lounge and a Philly cheesesteak at Pym Test Kitchen.
Facial recognition is now being used widely at Disneyland entrance gates. Disney isn’t the first theme park or major SoCal venue to utilize such technology, but Times news writer Hannah Fry spoke to guests about its implementation and delved into the ethical concerns surrounding it.
The best thing I ate at the parks
Universal Studios’ Scooby Snacks cookies are a delightful treat.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
I mention this above, but as part of Fan Fest, Universal Studios has released a box of “Scooby Snacks.” They come in bundles of four, packaged in cute purple and green Girl Scout-inspired boxes. They are a delight, and only about $10. The honey & cinnamon dog tags also make a fine coffee accompaniment with breakfast as these are slightly oversize, graham cracker-style cookies. The only negative is you’ll need a Fan Fest ticket to snare them.
Ride report
There was recently a tweak to Universal Studios’ tram tour.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The past couple weeks I’ve spent a significant amount of time at Universal Studios, partly in prep for Fan Fest and the arrival of the Fast & Furious coaster this summer, but I also wanted to take in its studio tram tour (officially designed as the World Famous Studio Tour). Aside from being a historic attraction, there was recently a change to its “King Kong” section. Namely, 3-D glasses are no longer required. As someone prone to motion sickness, this is a welcome change and I’m pleased to report it looks spiffy. Now if we could just do something about that stomach-churning “The Simpsons” ride.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Ride on,
Todd Martens
P.S.
I often work remotely from theme parks — find me on my laptop at Flo’s V8 Cafe at Disney California Adventure, near the Calico Saloon at Knott’s or out in back of the Three Broomsticks at Universal Studios. But even when I’m in a normal office, I still like to write with a bit of theme park optimism. So I turn to music.
My favorite bands (Wilco, the Clash, Sleater-Kinney) will distract, so lately I’ve been seeking instrumental fare. And Disneyland Paris has just released a gem of a work soundtrack. It re-imagined its second park as Disney Adventure World, and while I’m confused as to why my editor didn’t send me to Paris to review it (nudge, nudge), I’ve been consoling myself with the “Adventure Way Symphonic Suite” from the London Symphony Orchestra and French composer Philippe Rombi. It’s calming, a bit majestic, and reminds me of early days music at Florida’s Epcot. That is, it’s music that aims to conjure wonder.
Members of the Writers Guild of America have officially ratified their newest contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
More than 90% of the 11,000 voting members in both WGA East and West registered their support of the new agreement. The voting period closed Friday at noon, after the union first struck a tentative deal earlier this month.
The new contract includes a robust healthcare plan in which studios pay over $320 million to sustain the health fund, higher residual rates — including a provision for a “success bonus” for the most popular streaming shows from 50% of the base residual to 75% — and language on the licensing of work for AI training.
“The first reaction [from members] was relief that we were not going to be going into a period of labor strife or strike authorization vote, in the midst of this contraction,” said John August, the co-chair of WGA’s negotiating committee, referring to the ongoing challenges in the industry. “Members want to work, and they want to get back to doing their job.”
Negotiations between the union and film and TV studios began in March, as the union’s current contract expires May 1. August said that, at the beginning of the negotiations, expanding the healthcare plan was a top priority. The union was able to secure increases that would raise the cap that companies pay to as high as $400,000 by 2028.
Union officials say the current cap has remained unchanged for two decades as healthcare contributions have steadily declined because there are fewer working writers.
But under the new contract, members would, for the first time, have to start contributing to their healthcare costs to the tune of $75 per month. The earnings threshold to get coverage would increase by about $7,000 to $53,773, leaving many members concerned about the higher cost.
“This is all difficult. Healthcare in America is not a good situation. But we were really mindful, as we always are, of trying to make sure the career of writing is sustainable,” negotiating committee co-chair Danielle Sanchez-Witzel said.
Additionally, the contract terms have been extended from the WGA’s usual three years to four — though it is not the first time the guild has added more time to its deal with the studios. Sanchez-Witzel clarified that the four-year period for the new contract ”is, by no means, a standard. This is just what we needed this year and what we agreed to for this cycle.”
“We were here in 2026 trying to get some things that we didn’t get earlier [in previous negotiation cycles] and happy for the progress we made,” she said.
The WGA is the first of the Hollywood unions to strike a deal with the studios. AMPTP congratulated the WGA on the ratification in a statement released shortly after the vote totals were announced.
“This deal reflects a collaborative approach that supports both writers and the industry’s long-term stability,” AMPTP said.
SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America still need to negotiate new contracts.
