Olivia Wilde says striking actors ‘can’t settle for scraps out of desperation’

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Hollywood director and actress Olivia Wilde has joined thousands of performers on picket lines in the biggest entertainment industry strike in six decades, which threatens to derail productions both home and abroad and could last “until the end of the year”. They are trying to freeze us out and beat us into the ground because there’s a lot of money to be made in streaming, and the desire is not to share it with the writers or the performers.” Other stars on picket lines on Friday included Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, Thelma & Louise actress Susan Sarandon, Lord Of The Rings star Sean Astin and Gilmore Girls star Sean Gunn, the brother of Guardians Of The Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn. “I think today is about unity and about reigniting the cause, because we’ve been out here for a while,” the actor, who had also picketed with striking members of the Writers Guild of America, said. “So congratulations to everybody and I hope this is over right after we get everything we want.” British stars including Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh also expressed solidarity, with the pair among cast members walking out of the London premiere of Oppenheimer on Thursday, shortly after the strike was announced.