#SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher Criticized for Dolce & Gabbana Outing in Italy Amid Contract Negotiations: “It’s Bad Optics”
Amid pivotal contract talks, Fran Drescher found time for couture over the weekend in Italy.
With days to go before the expiration of SAG-AFTRA’s current TV/theatrical contracts package, the union president was spotted in Italy attending Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda festivities, a starry event held in Puglia, a Southern region known for ancient olive trees and referred to as the heel of Italy’s “boot.” There, Drescher joined the likes of Kim Kardashian, Helen Mirren, Kerry Washington, Angela Bassett, Christian Bale, Anitta, Kris Jenner and hundreds of other guests for a swirl that featured back-to-back glamorous events over five days including a concert by Diana Ross.
Though it’s unclear how many events Drescher attended or how long she was in Italy, she did attend Sunday’s closing show as confirmed by Kardashian to 362 million Instagram followers with a post that featured the two in a candid moment and a caption that praised Drescher as “oh so gorgeous” and “my fashion icon.” Drescher’s outing is not sitting well with more than a handful of Hollywood insiders several of whom have called her out for the optics of attending a lavish event at such a pivotal moment for the union while others are pointing a finger at the fact that she socialized with Kardashian, who recently faced controversy after reportedly crossing WGA picket lines in New York to film a lead role in Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story.
“Unless the bargaining table has moved to Italy (along with the dress code), this is a terrible look for a union president,” commented Fleishman is in Trouble creator Taffy Brodesser-Akner on Twitter where Los Angeles Times writer Anousha Sakoui first shared Kardashian’s post from Instagram Stories. “Don’t get me started on her friend here.”
“Did they push the deadline so she could attend a party in Italy,” asked Jorge Rivera, vice chair of the Latinx Writers Committee of the WGA West.
While Drescher has been known to be an outspoken president compared to other union chiefs, it is understood that she has not been in the negotiating room in person over the past several weeks. (Sometimes, participants are able to take part via videoconference.) Unions all have different approaches, but presidents in top entertainment coalitions typically do not take a lead role in negotiations. SAG-AFTRA’s chief negotiator is its national executive director, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. Negotiators for SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers again held talks on Sunday, July 9, in advance of their current contract expiration date on Thursday.
The Hollywood Reporter reached out to SAG-AFTRA about Drescher’s Dolce & Gabbana trip and a representative said the appearance was tied to “brand ambassador” work. “This was a commitment fully known to the negotiating committee. She has been in negotiations every day either in person or via videoconference. President Drescher is managing a physically demanding schedule across three time zones, overseeing negotiations and working on-location daily as well as managing her parents’ needs in [Florida]. She is returning to the States and will be on the ground in L.A. tomorrow, and will continue to chair our negotiations.”
During an interview on Monday afternoon, USC professor Steven Ross, who studies entertainment labor, shared his thoughts with THR, saying that while he doesn’t know the larger context of Drescher’s visit, “It’s bad optics for a president to be out of town, no matter how deeply involved or not involved” they are in the current negotiations. He added: “The president of any union should be there when there’s a strike or the threat of a strike looming immediately. We don’t know if she had commitments she couldn’t get out of, but the optics are not good.”
Jonathan Kuntz, a film historian and Hollywood expert who hails from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television, also agrees that the issue is optics. “Nowadays, any kind of a conflict like this is a war in the press and optics, and so that was a misstep. I don’t think it’ll have a serious impact on negotiations. We all have to be aware of appearances though.”
Drescher’s history with Dolce & Gabbana dates back to her small-screen run on The Nanny from 1993-1999. Her character, Fran Fine, wore many Dolce & Gabbana ensembles and, as the show has found new life on streaming, she’s recently been hailed as an icon and “OG fashion influencer” by the fashion press. Late last year, she wore the brand for a Verywell Health cover story, and two years prior, she donned several looks by the house for a NY Post feature.
As for the negotiations, Drescher updated membership late last month before the original June 30 expiration date by saying that “we’re standing strong, and we’re going to achieve a seminal deal.” Days later, SAG-AFTRA and top studios and streamers agreed to extend contract negotiations until July 12 at 11:59 p.m. “We will keep you posted as events progress, and until then, unity, solidarity and strength.”
Katie Kilkenny and Winston Cho contributed reporting.
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