"Arrow" star Stephen Amell has weighed in on the SAG-AFTRA strike, saying that it is a "reductive negotiating tactic."
"I feel like I'm insulated in Hollywood because that's where I live. he actor said during an appearance at Raleigh's GalaxyCon. "I support my union, I do — and I stand with them but I do not support striking. I don't."
Amell continued: "I think that it is a reductive negotiating tactic, and I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating. I think that the thinking as it pertains to shows — like this show that I'm on that premiered last night — I think it is myopic, and I stand with my union."
Amell is among the first to voice opposition to the strike, which started on July 14 after SAG-AFTRA's contract expired, and negotiations failed with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
The union clarified that crucial matters, such as streaming compensation and concerns about artificial intelligence, are of such significance to actors that they deemed a labor stoppage necessary to secure the best possible agreement.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher expressed disappointment that the strike had to be called, stating that the union had hoped to avoid reaching this point.
"We are the victims here," she said in a speech at the time, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "We are being victimized by a very greedy entity. I am shocked by the way the people we have been in business with are treating us.
"I cannot believe it, quite frankly, how far apart we are on so many things. How they plead poverty, that they're losing money left and right while giving millions to CEOs. It's disgusting — shame on them."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.