SAG-AFTRA strike impact: Disney's Haunted Mansion premiere held without its lead stars on red carpet

In an unprecedented event due to the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strike in Hollywood, a movie premiere was held without its lead stars.

Many other premieres and entertainment events have been canceled in Hollywood as a result of the striking members of the Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA.

The premiere of the Disney movie Haunted Mansion was held at Disneyland on Saturday, July 15, 2023, without the movie’s leading stars. The film’s director and producers were present on the red carpet, but otherwise, Disney had to make do with making its theme park characters, including its classic villains, posing for the media.


Disney’s Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Maleficent, Snow White’s Evil Queen, and Cruella were on the red carpet, along with influencers and other guests who were not actors.

None of the Haunted Mansion cast members like Tiffany Haddish, LaKeith Stanfield, Danny DeVito, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, Chase W Dillon, Dan Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Hasan Minhaj, Marilu Henner or Lindsay Lamb were present at the premiere.

The premiere was held in front of the Disney theme park's Haunted Mansion ride. The movie’s director Justin Simien, producers Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, executive producers Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman, and composer Kris Bowers walked the red carpet, but the cast skipped it in solidarity with the union.

In view of the strike, the New York premiere of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer was canceled. The film’s UK premiere and red carpet went as planned in London, but the actors’ exited the venue just before the SAG-AFTRA strike was declared.

FAQs

When did the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike begin?
The SAG-AFTRA strike of 2023 began on July 14, 2023, when thousands of Hollywood actors joined the screenwriters in a strike for better pay and working conditions.

When did the WGA strike begin in 2023?
The Writers’ Guild of America strike began on May 2, 2023, after Hollywood writers’ contracts expired.