The cast of Oppenheimer – one of 2023’s most anticipated films has walked out on the UK premiere.
Matt Damon, Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt were among those who all disappeared moments before the film’s screening began, after actors voted to join the writer’s strike unanimously.
The walkout signalled the beginning film and television industry-wide shutdown, the first since the 1960s.
Matt Damon warned reporters on the red carpet he would soon be leaving.
“Once the strike is officially called…(we’re) going to walk obviously in solidarity,” he said.
“That’s why we moved this [event] up because we know the second it’s called, we’re going home.”
Earlier this year The Briefing spoke to Josh Gondelman, a former writer for John Oliver, about the challenges faced by writers in an ever-changing world. You can listen to that episode here:
Director Christopher Nolan acknowledged the hard work of his cast and explained their disappearance to a cheering audience:
“You’ve seen them here earlier on the red carpet. Unfortunately, they’re off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of the unions, and we support them.”
SAG-AFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild represents 160,000 performers and stars.
“SAG-AFTRA’s national board unanimously voted to issue a strike order against the studios and streamers,” the union’s chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said today.