Dear Gossips,

The Emmy nominations happened on the same day as the SAG-AFTRA deadline which passed without a deal. We already know that the union agreed to strike well in advance should a deal not be reached. So they’re doing a vote today at 9am PT to make it official-official. If and when that happens, it’ll be the first time that the actors and the writers are on strike at the same time since 1960. Sarah will have more on the strike situation later today.

You know who was on the negotiating committee for the actors? Sheryl Lee Ralph, freshly nominated for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Abbott Elementary. She told THR yesterday that:

“We’re fighting for our art. We’re fighting for what we love, and what we know people love. We’re not big million-dollar companies. No, we’re people, and we want to enjoy what we do, and we want to make a living at it. That’s what this is about.”

And she knows what she’s talking about because it’s only been in the last three or four years that Sheryl’s career, she’s now 66 years old, has gone to the next level. So she understands that the actors’ membership is so much more than just the household names.

“We’re talking about plain, old, ordinary, working class people who in 40 years have not gotten a cost of living raise. And somehow they’re making people who are just fighting to live look like the bad guys.”

I’m posting about this because there are people out there who think that these are movie star problems, a case of the rich vs the rich. But as Sarah has said repeatedly on this site, it doesn’t matter what the profession is – this is labour vs management, this is about corporations treating workers like they’re just numbers on a spreadsheet; it’s relatable to anyone who’s ever been employed by a corporation. As Sheryl said:

“I know that should there be a strike, it will hurt. It might hurt some people more. It might hurt some people less, but if we are able to get an understanding with the larger corporations who do not necessarily understand how we do art because they crunch numbers, and if they think that artificial intelligence is better than a human being, we need to pause and talk about this. If they think that you should be happy with what you’re making? No, I’d be happy if I was making what you’re making.”

To go back to the Emmys, Sheryl’s in what’s probably my favourite category after yesterday’s nominations. In addition to Sheryl, the nominees for Supporting Actress Comedy are:

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
Juno Temple, Ted Lasso
Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso
Jessica Williams, Shrinking

YES Ayo Adebiri! And come through Jessica Williams!

Back in early April, after I’d binged Shrinking, I wrote that Jessica Williams is the MVP of that series. She makes everyone better, including Harrison Ford (who is considered an Emmys snub – he’ll be fine), and that it would be a goddamn crime if she’s nominated. And now here she is, recognised for the best work of her career.

This is how Jessica reacted to the news – she squealed, and then she was off to picket!

Yours in gossip,

Lainey

Sheryl Lee Ralph Gossip

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