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 In an unprecedented statement, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA)
accused the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of
"graceless pressure tactics."
The 160,000-member union said it was responding to widespread
reports in Hollywood that the Academy was pressuring actors not
to appear or present at award ceremonies other than the Oscars,
which take place on Feb. 24.
The SAG statement was issued as the Academy is still without a
host for the Oscars just six weeks ahead of the ceremony and is
looking for big name presenters to draw in viewers.
Organizers of the Oscars, the last in a long round of award
shows and red carpets in January and February, are trying to
revamp the show after ratings for the most prestigious honors in
the movie business hit an all-time low in 2018.
The Academy on Monday did not respond to a request for comment
on SAG's statement, which was released two weeks before actors
hold their own SAG awards show in Los Angeles on Jan. 26.
SAG said it had received "multiple reports" of pressure from the
Academy, as well as experiencing first-hand what it called
"attempts to control the awards show talent pipeline."
"The apparent attempt by the Academy to keep our members from
presenting on their own awards show is utterly outrageous and
unacceptable," SAG said in a statement.
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"Actors should be free to accept any offer to participate in
industry celebrations," it added, describing the Academy's tactics
as "self-serving intimidation."
The Oscars look set to go ahead without a host for only the second
time in its 91-year history after comedian Kevin Hart dropped out
last month two days after being announced when past anti-gay tweets
surfaced. A brief attempt to bring him back, championed by comedian
Ellen DeGeneres, failed earlier this month and no replacement has
been announced.
The U.S. television audience for the 2018 Oscars hit an all-time low
of 26.5 million viewers, prompting the Academy to pledge to shorten
the show by about 30 minutes to three hours and to hand out some
awards during commercial breaks.
Nominations for the 2019 Oscars will be announced on Jan 22.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
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