The audacity!
Aaron Paul is calling out Netflix amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, claiming he hasn’t made a dime from Breaking Bad being on Netflix! Even though it’s *constantly* trending!
The actor stepped out on the picket lines outside Sony Picture Studios with co-stars Bryan Cranston and Jesse Plemons last week to speak out on the problems in the industry. That’s when he complained to Entertainment Tonight Canada:
“I don’t get a piece from Netflix on Breaking Bad to be totally honest and that’s insane to me, you know what I mean.”
If it wasn’t already obvious why this is so frustrating, he added:
“Shows live forever on these streamers and it goes through waves. And I just saw the other day that Breaking Bad was trending on Netflix, and it’s just such common sense, and I think a lot of these streamers, they know they have been getting away with not paying people just fair wage and now it’s time to pony up, and that’s just one of the things we’re fighting for.”
We all know those execs are making bank on the show! So the actors (and writers, for that matter) should be, too! Ugh!
Related: Stephen Amell Criticizes SAG Strike With Controversial Comments!
It stands to reason Aaron isn’t making much — if anything — from the drama’s spinoffs either, including Netflix’s original sequel film El Camino and Better Call Saul, which is also airing on the platform. The BoJack Horseman alum isn’t the only one pissed off, either! Cranston also gave a speech, telling the crowd of picketers:
“We’re here at Sony, this is the studio that produced our shows and it is done specifically to be here to let them know that we’re here and we’re raising our voice.”
He continued:
“We’re not making them the enemy, they’re not villains. These are people that we all will be working with once again at some point, we just want them to see reality and fairness and come back to the table and talk to us and we may find that we have much more in common than they realize.”
He went on to tell ET Canada:
“The AMPTP is focused on making a lot of money by way of our art. We want to make a lot of art and hopefully make some money at it, so they’re looking for a bottom line. So when they see red ink at the bottom they want to cross that out by laying off people by any means necessary. […] Their attempts to instill AI as a normal operating procedure is literally dehumanizing the workforce and it’s not good for society, it’s not good for our environment, it’s not good for working class families, it’s just not good.”
The actors have been on strike since July, joining the WGA — which has been striking since early May. Among many things, performers are asking for better pay and protection from having their likenesses exploited by AI technology. If even the biggest stars are getting screwed over, just think of how bad it must be for lesser-known actors! Jeez. Hear everything the Breaking Bad cast had to say (below):
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