CNN Senior Data Reporter Harry Enten reported that Hollywood actors and writers are absolutely clobbering the studios in public opinion over the SAG/AFTRA and WGA strikes.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher announced the actors were going on strike in July, joining the Writers’ Guild of America in grinding Hollywood to a halt over issues like Artificial Intelligence and compensation in the streaming era.
On Friday morning’s edition of CNN This Morning, Enten delivered some hard news for the studios — polling shows the public behind the writers and actors by crushing margins — although less so among Republicans:
HARRY ENTEN: Today is day 50 of the actors strike. I’ll note that, of course, the writers have been on strike for over 100 days now. But it’s day 50 of the actors strike. And I will note, you know, we were saying, okay, the public opinion in the labor dispute, look at this! Writers versus the studios. Look at the writers. 72% versus the studios at just 19%. You look at the actors versus the studios, you have a slightly tighter margin there, but still overwhelming support for the actors, 67% to the studios’ 24%, overall on this one, the studios are not favored. The writers and the actors are overwhelmingly favored.
PHIL MATTINGLY: I hesitate to ask this question, but this is also your area of expertise. Does this break down along partisan lines in any way?
HARRY ENTEN: Yeah, I know, right? Who would have ever thought that I might have some interest in the politics of this all? So favor in their strikes — and I think this is kind of interesting, right? — so if you look at the writers right here, you see 89% of Democrats favor the writers. 58% of Republicans favor the writers. A majority of both, which perhaps is something you might not necessarily expect, given that, you know, Republicans, historically speaking, haven’t been that favorable to unions.
But take a look at the actors. You see Democrats 89% to 88%, very little drop off. But look at Republicans, writers to actors. Look at this drop off among actors. Just 43% of Republicans favor the actors. Maybe it’s something, “oh, we don’t like those Hollywood elites. We don’t like those actors out there.” Something perhaps is going on out there. Democrats very consistent in their support. Republicans see this drop off.
The other little nugget that I think is really interesting here, is compare this to what we saw about 15 years ago when the writers, of course, were on strike. And what do we see here? From 2007 to 2023 — this is the public overall — look at this jump in support in favor of the writers, 12 points more favorable towards the writers this time around than last time around. And the no opinion. Look at this, dropped off from 16% to 3%. So it’s not just that Americans are favoring the writers more. It’s also that they care more.
Watch above via CNN This Morning.
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