#Susan Sarandon on the SAG-AFTRA Strike: “This Is a Now or Never Situation”

With her long history as an outspoken advocate for progressive causes, it’s perhaps no surprise that Susan Sarandon has plenty to say about the ongoing actors strike (not to mention joining the picket line herself).

Speaking to THR Roma via Zoom from her home in Vermont, the Thelma & Louise star made it immediately clear she would adhere to SAG guidelines and avoid any promotion of her upcoming films, which include roles in Stephen Chbosky’s The Nonnas, along side Vince Vaughn, and Tyler Perry’s Triple Eight Six. “I can’t talk about any of my films,” she says. “I understand how difficult it is right now to do promotion without the actors.”

Nevertheless, the veteran actress, who won an Oscar in 1995 for her role in Dead Man Walking, still had plenty to say about the strike, the current state of Hollywood and how “the hardest part of acting is surviving.” 

How will what is happening in Hollywood affect the future of the film industry?

We hope to agree to a fairer and more equitable contract that reflects the way the industry operates now and not as it did 30 years ago. Especially with regard to the smaller players and the threat of artificial intelligence. That’s why this is a now or never situation. As time goes on, everything will become more and more complicated and with fewer and fewer rights for artists. The negotiation is also important because it concerns a trend that is occurring in the life of every worker.

How so?

CEO’s receive huge payouts or bonuses, while it is becoming impossible for workers to survive. The strike is very important not only for the actors’ and writers’ unions, but for all unions. And it reflects an issue that affects all workers — those on railroads, airlines, teachers or fast-food chains. Because greed and profit put before people is now a disease found in all workplaces in the United States.

Does artificial intelligence scare you or do you think we just need to find a balance in its use?

It scares me if it means taking someone’s image, using it in perpetuity in any film you want without the actor having control anymore. Going in this direction, I don’t know if we should copyright our voices or ourselves. I think people want to see the humanity that is perceived on the screen. There are generations of children who grew up playing video games where the characters seem almost real. And maybe it won’t be an insult to them to see computer-generated images of actors doing things they have no power over. I think maybe artificial intelligence would be better suited for the role of CEO. It could analyze everything and make decisions based on sales.

You have been working in the film industry for a long time. How has it changed?

The biggest one is that now the industry is run by financiers or banks who don’t necessarily like movies. Even in the days of Bette Davis there were a lot of problems, but at least those studio heads — misogynists or whatever — were interested in movies.

What about the positive aspects?

There are some decisions made during the strike whereby small productions, which have no corporate financing, are allowed to sign a tentative agreement that follows all the demands of the actors union. I think if this works, maybe we can envision a different way of making films, with smaller budgets and telling smaller stories.

Has your political activism ever jeopardized your career?

I think there have been risks, but it seems to me that it’s like worrying if your slip is showing when you’re running from a burning building. As citizens, we have a right and an obligation to ask for the information we need to make adult choices. And because I am connected to the media world, sometimes people come to me with information that is not being told and should be. And that’s my job. I don’t tell anybody what to think and I don’t want to run for office, but I can help. I can help increase the chances of certain voices that are not being heard to be heard.

You stated that you became an actress almost by accident. But how does one build a career like yours from a fortuitous experience?

Acting is not like brain surgery! Anyone can do acting. Children do it all the time. In fact, the hardest part of acting is surviving. When you get older or fatter Hollywood tends to have its own opinions. But the actual act of acting is just pretending. And if you are lucky enough to pay attention and have interesting characters, you can get better and better. You don’t have to go to school to understand how to do it. My training was all on the job. And I’m grateful that I didn’t take it too seriously, because it allowed me to have some perspective on my career. But there are also other people who went to Juilliard, for example, and did amazing work.

What do you wish for the future of cinema?

I hope there are more platforms that can be accessed without everything being incredibly controlled, censored or expensive. People should be able to make films and tell stories, because that’s how civilizations survive. And if you are going to change, to challenge the status quo, film is the way you can choose to do that. Storytelling can also increase empathy for people with whom you thought you had nothing in common. It is a very powerful tool. And I hope it becomes less controlled by money and opens up more to the public. There used to be so many independent cinemas showing foreign films and small works. But they have been absorbed like Bill Gates did with the farms. This is a common thread, multinational corporations are grabbing everything that is independent. So I hope that we will be able to resist. Also in terms of storytelling.