Actors Union Elects Sean Astin

Sean Astin, best known for his role in The Lord of the Rings, has been elected president of SAG-AFTRA, assuming the office once held by his mother, Patty Duke. Astin won with close to 80% of the vote, defeating Chuck Slavin, while his running mate, Michelle Hurd, was elected secretary-treasurer with about 65%, surpassing Peter Antico. Voter turnout in the national election dropped to 17.34%, per the Hollywood Reporter, down from 22.84% in 2023. Outgoing President Fran Drescher did not seek reelection. The entertainment industry faces issues including consolidation, the moving of productions to overseas, and the rise of artificial intelligence—as well as union contract negotiations next year, per the Los Angeles Times.

Astin told the Times that supporters urged him to celebrate his election. "This doesn't feel like a moment for celebration," he said in an interview. "It feels like a moment to say thank you and get to work." Astin and Hurd campaigned on a platform focused on bringing more production work back to the US, improving access to health and pension plans for the union's 160,000 members, securing better residuals in contract negotiations, and enhancing protections against AI. Both served on the 2023 contract negotiating committee and the SAG-AFTRA national board under Drescher, who led the union through a 118-day strike, and their reign promises something of a continuation, per the Reporter.

Astin had told the Times earlier this month that "no union and no management should ever want a strike—that is the tool of last resort." His mother was president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1985 to 1988, per the AP. Local elections also took place, with Joely Fisher and Ezra Knight being elected to lead the Los Angeles and New York locals, respectively.