Actor, writer and producer Josh Gad was among the thousands of WGA members and supporters who mobilized to picket across Hollywood studios on the first day of the writers’ strike.
“A living wage for all writers is essential; I don’t think it’s something that should have to be fought for,” Gad told TheWrap outside of Fox Studios in Los Angeles. “I think that it’s something that should just be understood as a right that these incredible writers who write the words that we as actors are privileged to say.”
The “Frozen” actor also expressed his concern for the “long term” and looming threat of AI, suggesting some sort of language that protects writers from artificial intelligence potentially replacing their jobs.
“It’s more about a lot of writers that I’ve been privileged enough to work with coming in and doing many rooms, and doing some other things that they, frankly, don’t get paid what they should be getting paid for,” Gad continued. “It’s something that I think if we don’t fight for it now, we’re not going to have another chance to fight for it. So I stand with all these guys, and walk them all to get paid what they deserve.”
Gad also noted he was one of the “lucky ones,” as he will continue working as an actor during the strike, adding that he got in his scripts on time. As far as how the strike might impact projects he’s involved in, Gad said to check back with him in a month or two into the strike.
“This whole thing sucks,” Gad said. “I’m old enough to remember the last strike, and it wasn’t pleasant — I was on a show that was canceled — it’s never a fun thing. It’s never something that we want to do; it’s something that just feels essential.”
