Viola Davis Steps Back from 'G20' Over SAG

Aug 02, 2023

The action thriller is one of more than 100 films and series to secure an interim agreement from the actors guild to move forward amid the strike

Erin Clack is a Senior Writer-Editor for PEOPLE. She has been writing about fashion, parenting and pop culture for more than 15 years.

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Viola Davis is taking a stand in solidarity with the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.

The actress, 57, has stepped back from filming the action thriller G20, despite the project getting the union's interim agreement necessary to begin production without violating strike terms, according to Deadline.

"I love this movie, but I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike,” the Air star said in a statement to the outlet. “I appreciate that the producers on the project agree with this decision. JuVee Productions and I stand in solidarity with actors, SAG/AFTRA and the WGA.”

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Davis' decision could set a precedent for other Hollywood stars, as she's one of the first big names to back away from a production for the duration of the strike. Last week, Tobias Menzies made a similar move, revealing to Deadline that he'd joined Brad Pitt in stepping away from the Apple movie Apex.

“They’re not shooting with any SAG actors, so I’m stood down,” the British actor said.

SAG-AFTRA announced on its website on Friday that G20 was approved for a waiver. The movie — which Davis was set to produce and star in — got the green light from the actors guild, despite the involvement of Amazon Studios, because it originates from the non AMPTP [Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers]-affiliated MRC and will only be distributed by Amazon.

According to Deadline, the actors guild so far has granted more than 100 interim agreements to films and shows — among them, Apple TV+’s series Tehran, the Civil War drama The Gray House and Glenn Close's The Summer Book.

SAG-AFTRA's national executive director and chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, spoke about the waiver process to Deadline, explaining that for each potential exemption granted, the union considers several factors, including, "fundamentally, are there AMPTP fingerprints on the project or not? If there aren’t and we verify that through our staff, who review these things, then they’ll be eligible for an interim agreement.”

He added, "If there are AMPTP connections to the project, then they won’t be. That’s the big picture answer."

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The strike kicked off on July 13 when SAG-AFTRA announced negotiations had failed with the AMPTP. Actors joined writers, who are also striking, on picket lines the following day.

As a result, many Hollywood productions have stopped filming as actors follow strict rules to “cease rendering all services and performing all work covered by the TV/Theatrical Contracts." That includes “principal on camera work,” such as acting, singing and dancing, as well as promotion of their projects through any avenue, including interviews and red carpet appearances.

Following the SAG strike, highly anticipated movies including Deadpool 3, Beetlejuice 2 and Wicked joined the list of delayed shows — including Stranger Things, Abbott Elementary and Cobra Kai — that had already been halted after the WGA strike.