SAG Prez Fran Drescher Slammed Over Tone Deaf Pic With Kim Kardashian in Italy Amid Looming Strike
The 3rd National President of the SAG-AFTRA is dragged online after posing with the ‘American Horror Story’ star at a promotional event for Dolce and Gabbana amid the union’s negotiation with major studios.
AceShowbiz –Fran Drescher‘s recent trip to Italy doesn’t sit well some Hollywood actors. The actress, who currently serves as the National President of the SAG-AFTRA, has landed in hot water for attending a promotional event for Dolce & Gabbana in Puglia amid the union’s negotiation with major studios.
On Sunday, July 9, the former “The Nanny” star attended a fashion show for the Italian brand where she posed for pictures with Kim Kardashian. In one of the snaps, the reality TV star puckered up as she took a photo with her so-called “fashion icon.”
“My fashion icon! Always on my mood board! I seriously love this woman! The oh so gorgeous @officialfrandrescher,” so Kim captioned their photo. The two ladies also posed for a group shot with other celebrities at the event, including Kim’s mom Kris Jenner, actresses Helen Mirren, Angela Bassett and Kerry Washington as well as model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
Fran was soon blasted by actors for her Italian trip and photos with Kim, which many deemed “tone deaf” amid the union’s looming strike. “Narcos: Mexico” actor Lenny Jacobson tweeted, “Negotiating our possible strike from Italy seems like a strange strategy @frandrescher @sagaftra.”
“Look – I’m not saying one can’t have a personal life,” actress Briana Cap wrote on Twitter on Monday. “And I’m not saying one can’t take a vacation. But we are in the middle of the most crucial negotiation in decades and our WGA siblings are on day 70 of fighting for their lives. The optics here are *truly* awful. Do better.”
A senior executive at an AMPTP member studio also weighed in on the matter, remarking, “How tone deaf can one be.”
In response to the criticism, SAG-AFTRA has since defended Fran’s decision to take the quick trip as part of her work as a longstanding “brand ambassador” for the high-end Italian fashion line. “President Drescher is working as a brand ambassador for Dolce and Gabbana on location in Italy. This was a commitment fully known to the negotiating committee,” they said in a statement.
The statement continued to read, “She has been in negotiations every day either in person or via videoconference. President Drescher is managing a physically demanding schedule across three time zones, overseeing negotiations and working on location daily as well as managing her parents’ needs in [Florida]. She is returning to the States and will be on the ground in L.A. tomorrow [July 11], and will continue to chair our negotiations.”
The union is currently negotiating for a new film and TV contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers after its previous deal expired at the end of June. In a letter sent to SAG-AFTRA ahead of the end of the contract, more than 400 actors, including Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, warned that they’re “prepared to strike” in order to achieve a “transformative deal.”
On Tuesday, it’s reported that Endeavor boss Ari Emanuel and CAA chief Bryan Lourd offered to step in to help find a pathway to a deal between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP. Ari reportedly contacted SAG-AFTRA leadership last week to prevent a total shutdown if the actors join the writers on strike, and Bryan made similar calls.
Meanwhile, the WGA has been on a strike since May 2.
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