“Lord of the Rings” star Sean Astin leads SAG-AFTRA prez race as AI contract negotiations loom

Sean Astin is running for president of SAG-AFTRA against Chuck Slavin in an election that concludes September 12, positioning himself as the frontrunner to succeed Fran Drescher. The winner will lead the 160,000-member performers union through critical 2025 contract negotiations with major studios, facing mounting challenges from AI threats, runaway production, rising healthcare costs, and an industry still recovering from 2023’s 118-day strike.

What you should know: Astin brings Hollywood star power and extensive union experience, while Slavin represents a more aggressive negotiating approach as a rank-and-file candidate.

• Astin, known for roles in “The Lord of the Rings” and “Rudy,” has served on the union’s national and local boards and five negotiating committees, with endorsement from outgoing president Drescher.
• Slavin, a New England local board member and background actor, advocates for obtaining strike authorization before negotiations and criticizes the previous contract’s AI protections as insufficient.
• Both candidates support stronger AI protections, better streaming residuals, and efforts to keep productions in the U.S., but differ significantly in their negotiating philosophies.

The big picture: The election serves as a referendum on Drescher’s leadership during the historic 2023 strike that secured AI protections and streaming bonuses, though many members believe more gains are needed.

• “These are critical times for the industry, for the studios, and also for the union,” said David Smith, an economics professor at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, highlighting the evolving dynamics around AI and streaming economics.
• The industry faces continued challenges with studios moving productions overseas and the growth of nonunion content on platforms like YouTube and Instagram.

Key differences between candidates: Astin emphasizes conflict resolution and collaborative negotiation, while Slavin advocates for a more confrontational approach with studios.

• “The greatest positive I have is in conflict resolution,” Astin said. “I’m very good at helping people see issues from the other person’s point of view, even if they won’t necessarily change their opinion.”
• Slavin criticized Drescher’s approach, saying “I wouldn’t go in with a plushie like Fran did, I would go in with a strike authorization,” referring to her habit of carrying a heart-shaped plush toy into meetings.

Campaign controversies: Both candidates face criticism that could impact voter decisions.

• Slavin has been criticized for past social media posts, including a March 2024 comment about illegal migrants that he later characterized as “political satire” that “obviously didn’t land.”
• Astin faces criticism for starring in “The Lord of the Rings,” which Slavin calls “one of the largest runaway productions of all time” filmed as a nonunion production in New Zealand, though Astin notes SAG-AFTRA didn’t have jurisdiction over the location at the time.

AI protection priorities: Both candidates plan to strengthen artificial intelligence safeguards, building on the groundwork established in the 2023 contract.

• Astin said the previous contract “set a floor for where the union can improve on AI, establishing a set of guardrails to expand and strengthen,” and hopes watermarking technology can help actors get compensated when their likenesses train AI models.
• Slavin wants to explore giving background actors residuals or royalties if their images are scanned, characterizing the existing AI deal as a result of “giving in too early on the issue.”

What’s at stake: The next president will shape how Hollywood’s performers navigate an industry transformed by streaming, AI, and changing production patterns.

• The winner will lead negotiations for a contract covering 160,000 members facing job scarcity, with many actors struggling to find work in an industry that hasn’t fully recovered from the 2023 strikes.
• Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. Discovery have sued AI company Midjourney over copyright issues, highlighting the ongoing legal battles over AI use in entertainment.