Sean Astin, famous for his role as Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings, has been elected national president of the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) as of Friday in Los Angeles. The 54-year-old actor assumes leadership of the 160,000-member union just as the entertainment sector faces a host of challenges including industry consolidation, overseas production shifts, and emerging artificial intelligence concerns.
Union Leadership Election and Immediate Priorities
In the recent vote, Astin defeated Chuck Slavin, a background actor and independent film performer, to become the new president. Astin’s campaign, under the banner of The Coalition, represented a partnership between Membership First and Unite For Strength, two political factions within SAG-AFTRA, while Slavin ran independently.
Astin addressed the weight of this new responsibility by stating,
“I feel proud and I feel determined. People keep saying to me, ‘I hope you have time to celebrate’ and celebrating feels like a foreign thought. This doesn’t feel like a moment for celebration. It feels like a moment to say thank you and get to work.”
—Sean Astin, SAG-AFTRA President
Slavin, responding to the election results, expressed his continued dedication, saying,
“while the outcome is disappointing, my commitment to advocating for transparency and member rights remains unshaken.”
—Chuck Slavin, Performer
Building on Previous Contract Successes and Future Goals
Astin takes over from Fran Drescher, who led the union through a 118-day strike during the summer 2023 contract negotiations. Those talks resulted in protections against certain uses of artificial intelligence and introduced streaming bonuses tied to viewership data. Despite these advances, many union members hoped for stronger gains in the upcoming contract, which Astin now faces.
Astin shared optimism for the next round of talks, saying,
“I have a very good feeling about going into this next negotiation, because it’s clear to me that it’s in both parties interest to achieve a good deal.”
—Sean Astin, SAG-AFTRA President
He emphasized that both sides should avoid work stoppages if possible, noting,
“the truth is that no union and no management should ever want a strike – that is the tool of last resort.”
—Sean Astin, SAG-AFTRA President
Negotiation Strategies and Industry Priorities
Astin’s approach differs from Slavin’s, who advocated for a strike authorization vote before negotiations to increase the union’s leverage. Astin’s strategy tends towards moderation, focusing on securing fair terms through dialogue. Key issues on his agenda include strengthening AI protections in the new contract and working with government leaders to counteract production moving abroad and to incentivize keeping work in the United States.
