Juliette Lewis is sharing her support for the International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).
Juliette Lewis
IATSE, the union which represents 150,000 people across the entertainment industry, including electricians, camera operators, costumers, makeup artists, special effects, hairstylists and script supervisors, is currently in negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) ahead of a strike deadline and Juliette, 48, has taken to Instagram to show her support for IATSE.
She wrote: "I personally was conditioned in TV/film business since a teenager to never take a sick day off, or it would cost tens of thousands of dollars. And you'd be labeled 'problematic,' so much so I've worked through a flu I've worked through migraines I've worked through walking pneumonia on Natural Born Killers for two weeks where I thought I might die. Apparently that was always better than speaking up and having them simply shift their schedule around to accommodate a person's health. Because it just didn't happen.
"I am an actor so when I think of the crew who shows up hours before actors do and leaves hours after actors do and are asked to work miracles daily that's a whole other story that goes beyond a solider like work ethic and that's why all you have to do is read some of the stories."
And Juliette called on her fellow actors to show their support and solidarity for the union and its members.
She added: "You've seen them show up hours before you and leave hours after- how we were all thought if I am this overworked and under pressure how are they even standing on 2 feet. How are they even sleeping because they didn't even have the SAG protections that we did with the 12 hour turnaround. ... Even with our turn around we've been exhausted and totally overworked so I think about our crews.
"Even though I love how hard we work to bring people entertainment and I love being challenged on how to pull the impossible for over 30 years I have wanted better care for myself and the miraculous crews I've seen thanklessly perform daily miracles weekly miracles without the protections that I had.
"I implore every actor to speak up on behalf of your crew and ask that execs & producers properly support the health/care/pay and prevent the necessity for a strike. Show up for the backbone of our industry. [It's] about time it's overtime!!! (sic)."
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