'The Nanny' star addressed the controversy as the SAG-AFTRA national board formally approved an actors' strike.
As Hollywood's actors make history by officially going on strike and joining the writers already on the picket line, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher is taking a moment to defend herself against the recent backlash after a photo of her and Kim Kardashian appeared amid negotiations between the actors' union and major Hollywood studios and streamers, who are represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
The 65-year-old Nanny star traveled to Puglia, Italy, last weekend for a promotional event with the fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana. Drescher was spotted at the event after she appeared in a photo that the reality star shared on her Instagram Story on Monday.
Backlash against the actress grew on social media as many pointed out the poor timing and "tone deaf" optics of the photo amid a potential SAG-AFTRA strike. The photo was especially damning because Kardashian recently faced controversy after reportedly crossing the WGA picket line in New York to film the upcoming season of American Horror Story.
On Thursday, during the press conference in which the SAG-AFTRA national board called to formally approve a strike after negotiations fell apart, a journalist asked Drescher and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director/chief negotiator, for their commentary on the controversy.
"It's outrageous that they would do that. What Fran was doing, was Fran was working, which is what our members do," Crabtree-Ireland heatedly responded. "And for these employers to cynically try to turn our members against Fran because she's doing a job that she was under contract to do, while by the way, she was Zooming into our negotiations after work hours, working 18 hours or more a day. It is outrageous, it is wrong, and they should be ashamed of it."
Drescher emphasized that despite the glamorous appearance, her trip to Italy was for work, which she is obligated to complete. "I'm a brand ambassador for a fashion company, and so is Kim. I had only met Kim seconds before that publicity photo was taken. It had nothing to do with being at a party or having fun, it was absolute work," she told reporters. "I was in hair and makeup three hours a day, walking in heels on cobblestones doing things like that, which is work and not fun. I'm sure Kim would have rather been at her home in Malibu with her children as well. It's work, and that's what we do."
The actress went on to point out how she continued to work on negotiations even while traveling to Italy and back, saying, "At 10:30 at night, I would leave the event and go to my hotel room and call into the Zoom. If I couldn't get through because I was on a plane, I was texting with him constantly throughout the plane ride."
"I worked around the clock in three different time zones because my parents live in Florida, though I keep asking them to move here, and I manage their well-being as well," she stated. "So you know, I think that all of the people standing behind me stand behind me."
Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA officially going on strike marks the first time since 1960 two major guilds will be striking at the same time. The writers' strike began May 2 and is in its 10th week.
Among the actors' sticking points for a new agreement are improved compensation and benefits, residuals that reflect the value of their contributions amid the expansion of streaming services, regulated use of artificial intelligence and the issue of self-taped auditions.
Shortly after the current contract expired, Drescher and Crabtree-Ireland issued a statement to SAG-AFTRA members, saying the AMPTP's response to their proposals for a fair agreement "have not been adequate." They also announced the negotiating committee had voted unanimously to recommend a strike, passing their recommendation along to the national board Thursday morning.
Crabtree-Ireland told reporters that talks with the AMPTP left the union "with no choice" but to move forward with a strike. Drescher didn't mince words either, calling out the studios and streamers for "plead[ing] poverty."
"It’s really important that this negotiation be covered because the eyes of the world -- particularly, the eyes of labor -- are upon us. What happens here is important because what’s happening to us is happening across all fields of labor," the SAG-AFTRA president said in a passionate speech, calling this "a very seminal hour for us." "By means of when employers make Wall Street and greed their priority, and they forget about the essential contributors that make the machine run.
"I went in in earnest, thinking that we would be able to avert a strike," Drescher said. "The gravity of this move is not lost on me or our negotiating committee or our board members who have voted unanimously to proceed with a strike. It’s a very serious thing that impacts thousands, if not millions of people, all across this country and around the world. Not only members of this union, but people who work in other industries that service the people who work in this industry."
"It came with great sadness that we came to this crossroads. We had no choice,” she continued. “We are the victims here. We are being victimized by a very greedy entity. I am shocked by the way the people we have been in business with are treating us. I cannot believe it, quite frankly, how far apart we are on so many things. How they plead poverty that losing money left and right while giving millions to CEOs. It’s disgusting, shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history at this moment."
She also noted this is a turning point for the industry with the rise of artificial intelligence, one of the main issues at hand. "The entire business model has been changed by streaming, digital, AI," Drescher said, saying it is "a moment of history that is a moment of truth." She shared it was crucial they "stand tall."
The actors' strike effectively shuts down Hollywood, as nearly all productions -- save for non-union or unscripted projects -- will now be shuttered until a resolution is reached.
"SAG/AFTRA going on a possible strike has really instilled a grave fear for everyone in the entertainment industry because now more than ever, all sides will be affected, with many wondering when their next paycheck will come in," a source told ET prior to the actors' strike being approved. "Some in the business are already financial planning by setting aside funds, borrowing money, dipping into other resources. They're basically seeing what they can do in order for themselves and many of their family's to survive."
The actors' union had previously voted to move forward with a strike should a deal not be reached by deadline, voting 98 percent to authorize one if it came down to that.
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP began in earnest June 7 with the original contract expiring Friday, June 30 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. An extension was granted until July 12 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.
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