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Stars from both the Orange is the New Black and Gilmore Girls casts are not holding back in their frustrations with Netflix amid the ongoing actors strike. Netflix is one of the many streaming platforms under target from both SAG-AFTRA and the Writer’s Guild of America in the ongoing actor and writers strikes, calling for fairer wages, namely in regard to the residuals they receive from projects on said streamers. Both guilds are also raising concerns over increasing use of artificial intelligence in regard to production and losing their jobs.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke with Gilmore Girls alum Sean Gunn, now better known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, on the frontlines of one of the picketing groups of actors in Los Angeles.
When asked about why he was protesting, the Kirk actor expressed his frustration at Netflix for their lack of fair compensation with residuals from their various programming, namely that of Gilmore Girls. Despite getting streamed “over and over and over again,” Gunn explained he sees “almost none of the revenue“.
The New Yorker also spoke with 10 members of the Orange is the New Black cast in a detailed breakdown of their frustrations in regard to their streaming residuals. John Bennett actor Matt McGorry revealed he had to keep his day job all while acting on the acclaimed show, while season 4—7 actor Beth Dover revealed that starring on the show cost her money due to being filmed away from her home. See what some of the cast said below:
Kimiko Glenn: [In 2020, I got a foreign-royalty statement from SAG-AFTRA that listed the episodes of the show I was on and tiny amounts of income (four cents, two cents) from residuals] I was, like, ‘Oh, my God, it’s just so sad.’ So many of my friends who have nearly a million followers, who are doing billion-dollar franchises, don’t know how to make rent. [I developed] a panic disorder. [One day at yoga], I was coming out of Savasana, and, when I opened my eyes, there’s a face right in front of me, like, ‘Hi, can I get a picture with you?’ [I was living in subsidized housing and had to take the subway or pay for a taxi, because the show didn’t pay for transport] The cab rides wouldn’t have been such a big thing if we were paid enough that it didn’t feel like we were spending our paychecks on it. [Not being able to afford awards shows preparation] sounds like champagne problems, but it’s expected of you.
Alysia Reiner: And the reward for Netflix does not seem in line with the reward for all of us who took that risk. I can go anywhere in the world, and I’m recognized, and I’m so deeply grateful for that recognition. Many people say they’ve watched the series multiple times, and they quote me my lines. But was I paid in a commensurate way? I don’t think so.
Emma Myles: The first thing we say to each other when we see each other, is, like, ‘Yeah, it’s really f—-d up—all my residuals are gone!’ It’s always the first thing to come out of our mouths, because it’s so crazy and unjust. And everyone thinks we’re kajillionaires. I would explain to people [when I was cast], ‘Yeah, it’s for Netflix,’ and they were, like, ‘Oh, with the envelopes? That’s cute.’ They could and would pay us the absolute bare minimum, and there was really no wiggle room. We knew that it was insanely popular. We’d walk out of our houses in whatever neighborhood we were living in, and people were going crazy. [I was working for a financial firm and acting in live simulations for aspiring financial planners, one of whom paused during a phone call and said] ‘You sound exactly like the Amish meth head on Orange Is the New Black. Has anyone ever told you that?’ Everyone was under the impression that an entire bus of people was basically getting fired [with season 5’s prison riot]. Those looks on our faces as inmates are being loaded onto those buses—‘Where are we going?’—that was not acting. That was real. They were, like, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll call you when it gets closer to that time.’ And they didn’t call me for two years. When you’re a kid, you have this idea: once I’m on something that people actually see, I’ll be rich, and I’ll have a house that has a bathtub. And you look around after being on a hit show, and you’re, like, Wow, I’m still in the same one-bedroom apartment. Was this how it was supposed to be?
Diane Guerrero: [I kept my day job as a bartender, where people recognized me.] How could you tell this complete stranger how much you’re getting paid for being on a television show? Because everyone’s reaction would be, like, ‘Oh, my God, I love you on that show! But also, what are you doing here?’ It was this incredulity that was teetering on offensive. As an actor, [the potential to be promoted to series regular is] a carrot that is always getting held in front of you. If you dedicate enough, and if they like your character enough, you get the possibility of maybe one day being a series regular.
Unnamed Actor: As the seasons progressed, we started to get more disgruntled about money, mostly because of how incredibly popular the show was. And then it felt, like, Well, my friends on network shows are incredibly wealthy.
Beth Dover: They’re telling us, ‘Oh, we can’t pay you this much, because we’re pinching pennies.’ But then Netflix is telling their shareholders that they’re making more than they’ve ever made. We have not been fairly compensated by any stretch of the imagination. We need to update the system. They’re finding ways to cut our wages, and so the middle-class working actor is screwed.
Taryn Manning: As the show got more and more known, my budget went down and down and down for any type of hair and makeup for awards shows. It was a miserable time in my life, even though it was a big success. Just so much doubt. Never knowing if you were a moment away from being killed off.
Lea DeLaria: [Netflix’s now-CEO Ted Sarandos hosted a party before a SAG Awards and gave a toast bragging more people watched Orange is the New Black than Game of Thrones.] I remember all of us thinking, ‘Give us the money!’ But we were always saying, ‘Give us the money.’ We were keenly aware that we weren’t being paid. [For my residuals, ] I get twenty dollars! I would love to know: How much money did Ted make last year? I think some of this was because we were a female-centric show. I don’t think there’s anybody out there who doesn’t know that women are paid unequally to men. We can point at this show and really see it.
Marie-Lou Nahhas: When I came on [in season 7], the baggage of the frustration was already there.
Tara Hermann (writer/executive producer): We were working in outlaw country. [We were free to say or show most anything, except erect penises and, in some international markets, swastikas]. We didn’t have to answer to corporate sponsorship. In a way, that’s why I always felt, like, O.K., so maybe the payouts aren’t as lucrative, but the offshoot is we get all this creative freedom. [We had a meeting in which we were told the actors would be getting a raise.] They were sure to explain that the pay bump wasn’t contractually obligated but a compensation they felt was overdue. I remember saying that I’d hoped the raise would put our cast on par with our sisters at ‘Game of Thrones’ or any big HBO show. But I don’t think it did. [After the finale, ] Jenji and I were brought to a conference room, and they finally shared the numbers with us: a hundred million users had seen at least one episode, and I want to say at least half had completed all six seasons. From an artistic standpoint, those numbers are breathtaking. And, from a business perspective, absolutely staggering. After revealing the numbers, the executive asked us, ‘How does hearing this make you feel?’ Jenji was silent and looks to me, and I said, ‘Like I want to renegotiate my contract.’
Why Netflix Will Need To Be One Of The Biggest Areas To Change
Netflix was arguably one of the first to not only introduce the concept of a streaming service, but to also popularize it in the mid-2000s, though Orange is the New Black would be their first major venture into creating original content along with the Kevin Spacey-led House of Cards. Considering the possibility of success was not guaranteed at the time, and still isn’t today, it’s understandable there’d be some hesitation on Netflix’s part to invest too much money in a project.
That being said, the past decade has seen Netflix come a long way from testing a new kind of media to helping revolutionize it. As much of the creatives note above, namely writer Tara Hermann, the idea that Orange is the New Black scored more viewership than HBO’s landmark Game of Thrones at some point in its run while actors went without proper compensation, residual or otherwise, is sure to be disheartening to hear for those who have enjoyed the platform’s titles. It also makes Netflix one of the key areas needing change in the ongoing calls for better compensation.
With a decade gone and eight streaming platforms introduced as direct competition, ranging from the home of new Star Wars content Disney+ to such recent introductions as Max and Peacock, Netflix remains one of the biggest figures in the market. Though with their recent cost-cutting efforts towards production, cracking down on password sharing and toying with various pricing plans, including ad-supported ones, it will be interesting to see if they can once again revolutionize the streaming field by making better deals with the creatives they work with.
Sources: The New Yorker & @THR/Twitter
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