Golden Globes boycott on cards
This year's Golden Globes have been cast into doubt
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Saturday, 05, Jan 2008 11:40
Actors are to boycott this year's Golden Globe awards in an expression of support for writers who are currently on strike.
After consultation with those nominated for this month's ceremony, it was decided that no Screen Actors Guild (SAG) members would appear as presenters or acceptors.
The decision casts the awards, which are due to take place on January 13th, into doubt but organisers remain hopeful that a resolution can be reached.
SAG president Alan Rosenberg said: "After considerable outreach to Golden Globe actor nominees and their representatives over the past several weeks, there appears to be unanimous agreement that these actors will not cross WGA picket lines to appear on the Golden Globe Awards as acceptors or presenters.
"We applaud our members for this remarkable show of solidarity for striking Writers Guild of America writers."
The strike began on November 5th last year after the collapse of negotiations between writers and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) regarding the appropriate remuneration for their work when it appears online or on DVD.
Responding to the actors' decision to snub the Globes, behind only the Oscars in terms of importance in Hollywood, WGA West president Patric M Verrone expressed his thanks for their show of support.
“We are grateful to our brothers and sisters in SAG for their continued solidarity and support," he said.
"The entire awards show season is being put in jeopardy by the intransigence of a few big media corporations. We urge the conglomerates to return to the bargaining table they abandoned and negotiate a fair and reasonable deal with writers to put this town back to work."
Reports suggest the awards may now be cancelled, although the ceremony organisers Hollywood Foreign Press Association say they remain confident it will take place as planned.
"The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been placed in an extremely difficult position with the ongoing Writers Guild strike," President Jorge Camara said.
"We are making every effort to work out a solution that will permit the Golden Globes to take place with the creative community present to participate. We hope to announce a resolution to this unfortunate predicament on Monday."
Atonement stars James McAvoy and Keira Knightley are among those nominated for this month's awards.