In 1997 George Clooney starred in a movie with Nicole Kidman called “The Peacemaker.” In the film Kidman plays a nuclear expert and Clooney a Special Forces Intelligence Officer. Both are called to investigate a train crash in Russia that includes a nuclear payload, only neither Clooney nor Kidman’s characters believe the crash was an “accident.”
It was a sleeper of a movie, but its title is quite fitting to describe the role Clooney is now playing in the real life drama that involves two rival Hollywood actors unions. The handsome star is pleading with the warring factions to put their bitter differences behind them and unite for the sake of the industry.
A few days ago Clooney used his peacemaking skills to call for an end to the ugly wrangling between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). Currently, both groups are in critical contract talks with film and TV studios. The actors’ contracts expire on June 30, and to prevent another strike like the Writers Guild of America walkout, which crippled the industry from November until February of this year, an agreement must be reached by Monday.
If talks between the unions and major film studios fail to resolve a dispute over pay and conditions actors say they will walk off the job.
Adding to the problem is the fact that both actors’ unions are led by stubborn individuals who are intent on focusing on problems instead of solutions. For example, SAG leaders are irate that AFTRA, a smaller union, agreed to a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). SAG leaders say the agreement undermines their own contract. As such they have called upon heavyweights Jack Nicholson and Ben Stiller to urge members of AFTRA to reject the deal. To retaliate AFTRA recruited Tom Hanks to declare support for the deal.
Enter Clooney.
The actor, who says he is fed up with the pettiness, portrayed by both groups issues a statement on Thursday that urged the unions not to pit actors against each other, as it would have a devastating impact on the industry as a whole.
Clooney’s statement read: “Rather than pitting artist against artist, maybe we could find a way to get what both unions are looking for. Because the one thing you can be sure of is that stories about Jack Nicholson vs. Tom Hanks only strengthens the negotiating power of the AMPTP.”
As of today no new progress has been made between the embattled groups.
But, what do you think of Clooney’s attempt at peacemaking?
Maybe he’s practicing for a future role in politics…