Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermo of Imagine Dragons are showing their support for the Writers Guild of America as they continue a strike that began on May 2 due to an ongoing labor dispute with no signs of a quick resolution.
Writers from both WGA East and West are on strike as negotiations for everything from an increase in pay and better residuals to assurance on AI technology, and staffing requirements haven’t moved forward in a beneficial way for the brains behind the operation of the best in television and film.
Imagine Dragons taking to the picket line in support of writers was a solid move for the band and gave them something to look forward to when stresses are at an all-time high. While the strike is something the WGA is taking part in to hopefully drive forward a better work environment for themselves in the future, it’s also not an easy thing to navigate in any way.
Reynolds and Sermo were said to have played “Whatever It Takes” and “Radioactive” upon a few of their other hits in an acoustic-type set with a few speakers and microphones. TMZ shared an image of the pair sitting on a bench as the writers stood around them and enjoyed the break in the routine.
Reynolds spoke with TMZ after the acoustic set and shared that they came out to the picket line because the creative minds on strike deserve recognition.
“Compensation for people who put in the time and are our incredible creators who drive so much of entertainment — they’re influencing the world, and we have many friends also who are writers. The writers are the ones who make all the magic happen, and creativity is what drives so much of the world. It’s my greatest joy; it comes from these people — writers. They deserve to be compensated.”
Pete Davidson was also seen at the picket lines delivering pizzas to writers on strike, and Rob Lowe, Natasha Lyonne, and Sara Ramirez are a few of the other celebs who have gone to the picket lines to support the WGA. It’s a nod to the compassion and understanding that actors and actresses share with the writers who help make their jobs possible.
As Reynolds said, creativity is a big piece of the magic left in this world, and the writers who work hard to ensure that stories get told deserve the utmost respect and, at the very least, appropriate and beneficial work environments.