As we know by now, Hollywood has been in shutdown mode with the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strikes. There is not a clear end in sight, and more actors have been speaking up. The latest is Billy Porter, the legendary actor most recently noted for his incredible performance in Pose. He discussed things generally but took aim at a specific person, as well: Disney CEO Bob Iger. Iger makes about $27 million a year, and his overall net worth is reported to be $350 million. His wealth made him even more of a target when he came out in July condemning the strikes, saying they were “disturbing.” So, when discussing the changing landscape of movies and TV, with the strikes and payment, Porter had two words: “F*** you.”
Almost no one has been on Iger’s side. A very wealthy CEO of a huge corporation that utilizes the services of so many on strike, bashing those beneath him? Not very smart! But Billy Porter wants people to know that not everyone in Hollywood is even close to being as well-off as the likes of Iger, and this is partly why he is choosing to speak up. That, and it seems that the strikes have now had a huge impact on him directly.
Porter mentioned how a lot of people are viewing the strikes as “millionaires trying to get more millions.” This, of course, is not the case. He brought up six-cent checks. Some people have gone to social media to post actual photos of their wildly small checks from streaming services. I believe this has opened a lot of people’s eyes. Porter noted how there are over 150,000 people in their union, with maybe just 2% working consistently. This doesn’t square with many people’s notions that everyone involved in Hollywood is super rich, but even with someone as well-known as Porter, the struggles are becoming real.
Porter said he is glad he has been overseas but plans to join the picket lines when he is back in the States. He says he has to sell his house because he doesn’t know when work will pick up again. To give people perspective, he said, “The life of an artist, until you make f***-you money — which I haven’t made yet — is still cheque-to-cheque.” Who knew Porter didn’t have f you money yet!? But there are so many people struggling through the strikes that we will never hear about. For Porter to give a little glimpse into the realities of the entertainment industry is very helpful for their cause.
It makes sense that someone who has become as unapologetic as Porter would be vocal against critics like Iger. So many of us have been trying to battle the super-rich in our own worlds but feel like nothing will come of it. It’s somewhat comforting to see these extreme hierarchies under attack in Hollywood.
(featured image: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)
