Boo! Halloween is right around the corner. While many are preparing their spooktacular outfits, Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) members have some unique Halloween costume guidelines to follow this year.
In an unexpected twist, the union has issued strict rules, prohibiting actors from dressing up as popular characters from struck content and then flaunting their costumes on social media, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
SAG-AFTRA's Halloween Costume Guidelines
So, prepare to leave your Barbie and Wednesday Addams costumes in the closet and consider more generalized costume choices like ghosts, zombies, or spiders. SAG-AFTRA, the prominent labor union representing over 160,000 media professionals, is embroiled in a tense labor strike nearing its 100th day.
The strike began after negotiations with significant studios broke off without a fair contract agreement. In response, the union has taken a firm stand on the types of Halloween costumes its members can don this year.
Limiting Halloween costumes may seem unusual, but it is rooted in the union's dedication to its cause. As the strike rages on, SAG-AFTRA wants to send a clear message to the entertainment industry, emphasizing that its members will not promote struck content without a fair contract.
Dressing up as characters from the content they are protesting against could be interpreted as undermining the union's efforts in this particular context. Thus, the association encourages its members to select costumes inspired by generalized characters and figures, like ghosts, zombies, and spiders, which align with the spirit of Halloween while respecting the strike's seriousness.
The guidelines explicitly prohibit actors from donning costumes of popular characters from struck content, which includes iconic figures like Barbie and Wednesday Addams. This decision may be disappointing for some, as these costumes have been perennial favorites among Halloween enthusiasts. But SAG-AFTRA's message is clear: the strike comes first, according to Resetera.
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Costume Limits During SAG-AFTRA Strike
While dressing up as characters from struck content is off-limits, members are free to choose costumes inspired by characters from the non-struck range. For instance, characters from animated TV shows are considered acceptable choices.
However, this has limits, as characters owned by companies involved in the strike are still prohibited. This means that dressing as Marvel superheroes, despite their comic book roots, is not allowed since they are owned by Disney, one of the major studios under fire.
The union's decision to regulate Halloween costumes might have raised a few eyebrows, but some members are taking it in stride with a touch of humor. Actor Ryan Reynolds, known for his wit, jokingly posted on social media, "I look forward to screaming 'scab' at my 8-year-old all night. She's not in the union, but she needs to learn."
Not all members take the guidelines too seriously, recognizing the importance of maintaining a sense of humor during challenging times.
While some may be tempted to bend the rules, the potential consequences are best unexplored. Dressing up as struck characters and not being seen in public might be technically possible, but it's risky.
After all, nothing is scarier than getting called out for scabbing in the middle of the union's tense labor strike, Lipstick Alley reported.
