‘Indiana Jones’ Stuntman Lights Himself on Fire During SAG Strike
Stunt performer Mike Massa put on a show while supporting the SAG-AFTRA strike from Atlanta.
“We are tired of being burned by the AMPTP,” Massa and fellow stunt performer Elena Sanchez wrote via a joint Instagram post on Monday, July 24.
In the accompanying clip, Massa lit himself on fire in Georgia in protest of the labor dispute between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and SAG-AFTRA, siding with the actors who’ve been on strike since early July.
Stars React to the SAG-AFTRA Strike
“Wanted to give a huge Thank You to Paul Short, Adam Hart, Alex Smith, Cory DeMeyers and Philip Dido for giving their free time and resources to be my Fire team at the Atlanta SAG-AFTRA Stunt Rally,” Massa wrote via Instagram after a successful fire show, which was overseen by local firefighters. “We wanted to make a statement and I think we did! 🙌🏻🔥 It was great to see such a great turnout from our local Stunt community, local leadership, and actors who showed up to support us. It was a great day!”
Massa has worked as a stunt performer since the ’80s and recently served as both the stunt coordinator and Harrison Ford’s stunt double on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. On Monday, he joined forces with members of Atlanta’s stunt community to show solidarity with Hollywood actors on the picket lines.
A post shared by Elena Sanchez (@theelenasanchez)
The Atlanta group convened at a tracking vehicle company site and voiced their concerns over the AMPTP’s lack of support for the SAG-AFTRA union as the members continue to fight for better pay, streaming residuals and more.
“Eighty-seven percent of the 160,000 SAG-AFTRA members make less than $26,000 a year,” Sanchez said during the rally, according to WSB-TV. “Which means they do not qualify for health insurance.”
The eye-catching display comes amid both the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike and the SAG-AFTRA picketing in Los Angeles, which began in May and July, respectively.
Every Cast Reunion at SAG-AFTRA Picket Line
When the WGA strike kicked off, some TV shows and films were unaffected as they the scripts were already completed. However, when SAG-AFTRA took their stance against the AMPTP for similar labor issues, the entertainment industry all but came to a halt.
Some series — including daytime soap operas, which are protected under a separate union agreement — and U.K. productions have since been allowed to proceed as planned. Most of the TV and movie sets, however, have stopped shooting altogether.
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According to SAG-AFTRA strike guidelines, all members must quit promoting their projects, past, present and future, until an agreement is made between the union and AMPTP.
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