As if we couldn’t love writer and actor Brett Goldstein enough, the Ted Lasso star has joined his compatriots on the picket line in the Writer’s Guild of America strike.
In a video posted on Reddit, Goldstein is in full striker regalia (picket sign included). The Emmy winner goes on to talk about how it’s unfair that many writers cannot afford rent despite their importance to making shows. Goldstein, who plays the gruff retired soccer player Roy Kent in Ted Lasso, was originally hired as a writer for the series about an American football coach who leaves Kentucky to manage a soccer team in England, but felt such a connection with the character he sent the producers an unsolicited audition tape, landing him the role. He’s also written several short films, and for multiple television shows, so he’s speaking from a real place of knowledge and solidarity.
The WGA announced they would be going on strike from yesterday via a tweet on May 1. Its 11,000 plus members are being represented by various unions, and believe that their current level of compensation is no longer suitable for the amount of work they have to put in. The demands of streaming haven’t been matched by a rise in pay or better benefits, and the extra income that once came from residuals is drying up as on-demand content takes over. The strikes will affect many of the largest studios and content creators, including Amazon, Disney, Paramount Pictures, Apple, and Netflix.
The last writers’ strike took place over a decade ago and lasted just under 100 days, and during it we lost some iconic shows like Pushing Daisies, as well as seeing a Justice League of America franchise cancelled. The Golden Globes didn’t take place during that time, either, and we also got a lot of terrible reality television dross — so let’s hope the studios do the right thing and spend their profits on the people who make their shows instead of middle managers and executives who, frankly, don’t do much. With that said, it’s highly likely that some MCU productions will be delayed by the strike action, and Cobra Kai has already seen some delays, so we’re already seeing some shows fall victim to the action.
Goldstein isn’t the only celebrity to show his support for striking writers. Rob Lowe has been spotted on the picket line, and plenty of other stars have spoken out in favor of the action. If you want more information on the reasoning behind the strikes, then you can read our in-depth article about them here.