Hollywood writers expressed joy, exhaustion and gratitude Sunday night after the Writers Guild of America and the major studios finally reached a tentative agreement that would end a monthslong strike.
The scribes behind “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Gotham,” “Chicago Fire,” “Abbott Elementary” and other titles were quick to celebrate on social media. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom weighed in, and at least one rabbi interrupted her service to share the latest news in a strike that sent devastating ripples across the regional economy.
Demonstrators walk with signs during a rally outside the Paramount Pictures Studio in Los Angeles on Thursday. A tentative deal was reached on Sunday, to end Hollywood’s writers strike after nearly five months. Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
But perhaps the biggest sigh of relief Sunday night came from the writers themselves.
“No, I’m really crying right now,” Alex Zaragoza of Freevee’s “Primo” posted on X. “This strike has been so hard. Necessary and invigorating, and really (expletive) hard. But we did it! We fought together. We didn’t take any s— together.”
Later, in a reference to her guild’s negotiating committee, she added: “Thank you, wholeheartedly, to our Negcom team. Unions forever. WGA forever.”
Sal Calleros – a writer, executive producer and WGA strike captain known for FX’s “Snowfall” and ABC’s “The Good Doctor” – told The Times that he hopes the tentative deal between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will improve the lives of the next generation of writers.
“This was about the people who I mentor,” Calleros said Sunday.
“This was for the folks who are coming up behind me – that they have the opportunity to make a living. … So if we reached a good agreement on those big areas concerning residuals, AI, the number of writers in the room … then the folks behind us will then have a shot to make this an actual career.”
Calleros also gave a shout-out to all the allies who brought food to the picket lines, honked their car horns and amplified the WGA’s message.
“All of that just fueled us,” Calleros said. “Honestly, I was there for the last strike, and the energy that we experienced this time around was not present back then. This was a very different ballgame. And I think it’s gonna be a very different ballgame moving forward as well.”
Caroline Renard of Disney’s “Secrets of Sulphur Springs” posted that she felt like she had just emerged from a war. “Holding it down for my team since (expletive) January. Getting us organized in case of a strike even way before May and now we here!”
James Alexander of Disney Channel’s “Hailey’s On It!” posted: “If you picketed. If you donated. If you retweeted/reposted voices, messages, links. If you dropped off water, food, supplies. If you drove by and honked. If you reached out to check on us. If you’re a worker who’s since went on strike. If you supported. This is your win, too.”
In a statement Sunday, Bass said she was “hopeful” that the AMPTP and the performers’ union, SAG-AFTRA, also could come to an agreement in light of the tentative deal reached by the studios and the WGA. The Hollywood actors’ strike is ongoing.
“This historic strike impacted so many across Los Angeles and across the nation,” Bass said.
“Now, we must focus on getting the entertainment industry, and all the small businesses that depend on it, back on their feet and stronger than ever before.”
Gov. Newsom focused his remarks solely on the WGA strike, declaring that “California’s entertainment industry would not be what it is today without our world class writers.”
“For over 100 days, 11,000 writers went on strike over existential threats to their careers and livelihoods – expressing real concerns over the stress and anxiety workers are feeling,” Newsom said.
“I am grateful that the two sides have come together to reach an agreement that benefits all parties involved, and can put a major piece of California’s economy back to work.”
The WGA released an official statement to its members calling the tentative agreement “exceptional” and touting the “meaningful gains and protections” it is poised to secure for writers.
“What we have won in this contract … is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days,” the memo reads.
“It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the companies back to the table to make a deal.”
The strike is not officially over, and WGA members have not been cleared to return to work just yet, but the WGA negotiating committee did confirm that picketing has been suspended.
“Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week,” the committee said.
Meanwhile, in a Fairfax District Kol Nidre service marking the eve of Yom Kippur, a rabbi delivered the news to worshippers.
“Apparently, while we have been davening there’s been a tentative agreement that’s been reached and the writers’ strike seems to be ending,” the rabbi told her flock, creating an unexpectedly joyful moment in otherwise somber proceedings.
Hundreds of white-clad congregants – many of whom work in film and television – burst into applause as she spoke.
Celebrations of all sorts began breaking out across the city. Shortly before 9:30 p.m., chants of “WGA! WGA!” erupted from the packed patio of the North Hollywood bar Idle Hour, where hundreds of writers poured in.
Many sported blue WGA shirts emblazoned with the union logo and foisted fists and drinks in the air, cheering and hugging and snapping group photos to commemorate the night.
Writer and producer Mark Rozeman, a strike captain at the NBCUniversal lot whose credits include “The Good Doctor,” was among the first to arrive at Idle Hour as word of celebrations across the city swiftly spread. Looking around with a grin, he described the feeling: “Euphoric.”
Rozeman had been driving when he received an email alerting strike captains that the announcement was imminent. “I pulled over to the side of the road to read it and make sure that was right. … It was like a weight got lifted.”
As Rozeman spoke, someone in the bar crowd shouted, “We won! We won!” and was quickly answered with whoops and cheers.
“It’s been a long time coming and we knew it would come eventually,” Rozeman said, “but to see it in writing feels very surreal and we’re all just incredibly happy.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
