By Edwin Freeman
Photos: Edwin Freeman
The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has been on strike since July 2023, calling for higher pay and improved working conditions. While the strike affects all members of the union, data shows it is having an outsized impact on African American actors, stunt performers, and production crew members.
African Americans make up over 12% of SAG-AFTRA’s 160,000 members. However, they accounted for just 7.1% of lead roles in top films from 2007 to 2019, according to the latest data from UCLA. Television tells a similar story – a 2020 study by Nielsen found that African American actors held just 12.2% of broadcast scripted leads.
With fewer lead roles to begin with, African American actors depend more heavily on TV commercials and background roles in film and television. SAG-AFTRA estimates that earnings from commercials make up 30% to 50% of many African American members’ income. The loss of this income during the strike is especially devastating.
Behind the camera, African Americans make up about 5% of directors and just 2% of unit production managers in the industry. Like actors, they cannot find work during the strike, but unlike famous actors, they lack the public profile and financial resources to weather months without income.
The strike also affects aspiring African American actors and crew members trying to get a foothold in the industry. Without union productions, there are fewer opportunities open for people looking to build their resumes and join SAG-AFTRA. This can stall careers before they even start.
With no end to the strike in sight, these disproportionate impacts reveal how much ground African Americans still need to gain in Hollywood’s hiring and casting practices. Union leadership must continue to highlight and address the unique challenges facing African American members. Only by standing together can actors and crew members of all backgrounds achieve the fair contracts they deserve.
