Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy has spoken about the ongoing WGA strike, now in its 11th week, stating “I think SAG and the Writers Guild are trying to preserve our industry”.
“I think this is the existential battle that I thought we were having in 2007,” Gilroy told Deadline, referring to the previous writers strike in 2007-08 which lasted 100 days and gave WGA jurisdiction over new media. Gilroy argued that it didn’t go far enough.
“To my great disappointment we settled that strike prematurely,” he said. “I think those problems were deferred. I think there are structural problems that need to be repaired.”
A second-generation guild member, Gilroy spoke about WGA and SAG-AFTRA’s role protecting the entertainment industry and didn’t have nice things to say about the tactics of the other side in the contract negotiations, the studios, repped by AMPTP.
“I think SAG and the Writers Guild are trying to preserve our industry. In such a strange way, we’ve become the creators and the interpreters, the creative community are becoming the protectors of this industry, this huge industry that people love,” he said. “And the caretakers on the other side, I think they’re being recklessly careless.”
Two and a half months into the WGA strike and on the verge of a possible SAG-AFTRA strike, Gilroy is optimistic about the ultimate outcome.
“I think in the end this time the guilds will be prevail. They have to,“ he said.
Actors have now gone on strike too, joining the writers, marking the first time since 1960 that the industry has found itself with a double strike. We hope a fair deal can be reached quickly, allowing all parties to get back to work as soon as practically possible.
Watch the first season of Andor on Disney+ now.
