TELLING IT LIKE IT IS: 'Star Trek' Stars React To the SAG-Aftra Strike On Social Media

Image: Katie McTiernan/Getty Images.

JULY 17, 2023 - As you probably already know, SAG-AFTRA joined the WGA on Friday, June 14th in striking against streaming companies in hopes of fair pay, better contracts, more regulations around the use of AI, and much more. What you may not know, is just how involved many of the Star Trek actors are in this strike. 

Michelle Hurd, who plays Raffi in Star Trek: Picard, sits on the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee. If you watched SAG-AFTRA’s official announcement of the strike you probably saw her on stage along with the union’s president, Fran Drescher. Michelle took part in SAG-AFTRA’s attempted negotiations with AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers). After the negotiations went south and AMPTP began speaking out against SAG-AFTRA Michelle came forward about the dismissive and rude way AMPTP negotiated, calling out their blatant lies about the nature of the negotiations. She has also spoken out about the need for better health care for actors and how much most actors in Hollywood struggle. This whole article could be about everything Michelle Hurd has done in support of actors, however there are more performers to cover.

Since WGA first started protesting, Anthony Rapp, who plays Staments in Star Trek: Discovery, has been very vocal in his support. His Twitter page is a wonderful resource if you wish to learn more about the causes of the strike and how to help. Since SAG AFTRA has begun striking, he has become even more vocal, sharing resources for actors and calling out hypocrisy from AMPTP. In addition to all of that, on Instagram and Twitter he shared a very cute photo of him and his baby, Rai, at the strike.

Raising a Labor Activist pic.twitter.com/NtuXCBtXBx

— Anthony Rapp SAG-AFTRA National Board Member (@albinokid) July 14, 2023

Many other Star Trek actors have been spotted on the picket line. Blu Del Barrio, who plays Adira in Discovery has been attending WGA protests since May 2nd when they first began. Jess Bush, who plays Nurse Chapel in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds shared a photo of her and Jesse James Keitel, who guest-starred Captain Angel in that series, at a protest outside NBC Studios in Rockefeller Center. Nöel Wells who plays Tendi in Star Trek: Lower Decks attended the WGA strike at the beginning, posting photos of her and Mike McMahan, creator of Lower Decks, at the strike with a sign that said, “Boldly Here for Each Other.”

❤️🤙🏻🖖🏻 pic.twitter.com/zrJSunMeX2

— Noël Wells (@RealTomHankz) May 19, 2023

Though not all actors are attending protests, many are being vocal on social media. Jack Quaid, who plays Boimler in Lower Decks, has been very vocal about his support of the strike on Twitter, with my current favorite of his tweets about the strike saying ”If we must strike… THEN WE SHALL STRIIIIIIIIKEEEEEEEEE!!!!!”  Mary Wiseman, who plays Tilly in Discovery encouraged her fellow SAG-AFTRA members to vote in favor of the strike. Anson Mount, who plays Captain Pike in Strange New Worlds, has been using his newfound free time to educate people on the strike, tweeting, “Since I’ll be ceasing my promotion of all projects I’m associated with, I’ll take this opportunity to answer some questions you may have about the strike.” Many other Star Trek actors such as Jeri Ryan, Wilson Cruz, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheton, Gates McFadden, Nana Visitor, Armin Shimerman, and many more have shown their complete and utter support of the strike and what it stands for. 

As you know, my union has joined the Writers Guild in the largest labor walkout the ent. industry has seen in over 60 years. Since I’ll be ceasing my promotion of all projects I’m associated with, I’ll take this opportunity to answer some questions you may have about the strike.

— Anson Mount 🖖 (@ansonmount) July 14, 2023

If you want to learn more about SAG AFTRA’s Strike and/or how to help visit their website. You can support the WGA by going here.