– Ellen Pompeo stands in solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA Strike
– The Grey’s Anatomy actress urges her Netflix colleagues to recognize their privilege and support
– Pompeo emphasizes that asking for residuals isn’t “greed” but a matter of survival for many actors
Ellen Pompeo recently showed her support for the striking members of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) in a series of tweets. The Grey’s Anatomy star encouraged her fellow actors who have gained success on streaming services like Netflix to embrace their privilege and stand in solidarity with their fellow actors who depend on residuals to make a living.
In her tweets, Pompeo explained her stance, “Every actor on a successful series that has benefited from Netflix MUST stand with their brothers and sisters at SAG who aren’t as fortunate.” She also added that actors need “revenue sharing from these cable giants that now run streaming platforms.” Pompeo believes that the actors in successful shows play a significant role in making Netflix and other platforms as popular as they are, and therefore they deserve a share of the streaming profits.
Pompeo, who herself has worked on the long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, shared her personal experience. She said she “made very little money on Grey’s Anatomy the first few years,” and the residuals she earned from reruns made a significant difference in her life. Additionally, she mentioned that the money she made from Grey’s Anatomy allowed her to take risks with her career, resulting in her subsequent success.
The actress also addressed that asking for residuals should not be identified as “greed,” which she emphasized, was not the case. Instead, she called it “survival” for several actors, as many of them depend on residuals to pay their bills and support their families.
Ellen Pompeo concluded her message by urging her successful industry peers to come forward and voice their support for the SAG-AFTRA strike, stating that it was crucial for actors who make it to acknowledge their privilege and give back to the community that has supported them throughout their careers.