Billy Porter says the ongoing Hollywood strikes are starting to take a financial toll, forcing him to make difficult financial decisions.
In a interview published this week by the U.K.’s Evening Standard, Porter said some of his upcoming projects have been put on hold because of the writers and actors strikes. Without those paychecks, he’s cutting back on his spending.
“I have to sell my house,” the Pose star told the outlet. “Because we’re on strike. And I don’t know when we’re gonna go back [to work]. The life of an artist, until you make f–k you money — which I haven’t made yet — is still check-to-check. I was supposed to be in a new movie, and on a new television show starting in September. None of that is happening.”
Related Story: Writers Guild Rips Studios For ‘Milestone of Shame’ as Strike Reaches 100 Days
Porter blasted Disney’s chief executive Bob Iger, who on July 13 told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” the two unions’ demands are “not realistic.”
“To hear Bob Iger say that our demands for a living wage are unrealistic? While he makes $78,000 a day?” Porter said. “I don’t have any words for it, but: F— you. That’s not useful, so I’ve kept my mouth shut. I haven’t engaged because I’m so enraged.”
The Writers Guild of America strike began on May 2, and actors represented by SAG-AFTRA announced their work stoppage on July 13. Both unions are pushing for increased residual payments from streaming programs, and rules limiting the use of artificial intelligence technology in the creative process. The WGA also wants industry standards on the number of writers assigned to each show.
Related Story: Billy Porter to Star in and Produce James Baldwin Biopic
Wednesday, Aug. 9, marks the 100th day of the writers strike.
The WGA issued a statement Tuesday on Twitter/X, saying The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) — which represents studios and streamers in the contract talks — is to blame for this “milestone of shame.”
“The refusal to take writers’ reasonable proposals seriously has caused the #WGAstrike to last 100 days and counting; it serves only as a milestone of shame for the AMPTP,” the union tweeted.
The AMPTP has said it made a “generous” contract offer, which was rejected by the WGA.
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