The Lord of the Rings actor Sean Astin is seeking to replace SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher in the upcoming union election.
Astin has submitted a bid to lead the 160,000-member organization, Deadline confirmed Friday. Also on his ticket are Michelle Hurd for secretary-treasurer, Joely Fisher for president of the Los Angeles Local Board, Lisa Ann Walter for first vice president of the Local Board, and David Jolliffe to return for second vice president.
If elected, Astin would follow in the footsteps of his mother Patty Duke, the Valley of the Dolls and The Miracle Worker actress who became the second woman to ever run the then-Screen Actors Guild in 1985. She held the position for three years.
Astin has previously served on five separate SAG-AFTRA negotiating committees, including the most recent contract won after a historically long, 118-day strike in 2023. He is also a member of SAG-AFTRA National and LA local boards, and a National convention delegate.
So far, the full picture of the race is unclear. Current SAG-AFTRA President Drescher could not be reached for comment on whether she plans to seek another term.
Whether Drescher or someone else, the person leading the guild next year will have a herculean task ahead of them as SAG-AFTRA returns to the negotiating table with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which collectively bargains on behalf of the major Hollywood studios.
This will be the first contract negotiation cycle after the 2023 strike, regarding an industry that has been hit hard by a global production contraction that has resulted in far less work. There are still some concerns the union is seeking to address, primarily regarding technological advances in artificial intelligence over the past three years.
SAG-AFTRA political hopefuls have until 5 p.m. Friday to submit their nominating petitions. A full list of candidates is expected next week. Election ballots will be collected from August 13 to September 12.
The Hollywood Reporter was first to report the news of Astin’s bid.
