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Online : 5BuddyTV, November 17, 2007
To show their support for the writers, numerous actors from various television shows have joined the picket lines, and not excluded from the bunch are the stars of the CW's hit series, Smallville.
According to Kryptonsite, show actors Michael Cassidy (Grant Gabriel), John Glover (Lionel Luthor) and Phil Morris (John Jones) joined the striking scribes in front of the Universal Studios lot earlier this week, and the three stars' appearance was confirmed by co-creator Al Gough.
“It was a great afternoon at Universal as over 2500 writers and actors joined the fight for our collective futures [professionally speaking]. We had John Glover, Michael Cassidy and Phil Morris out there supporting the cause,” Gough said in statement given to Kryptonsite. “Others from the cast wanted to be there, particularly Michael Rosenbaum [who plays Lex Luthor], but the show is still in production and most of the cast lives in Vancouver. We know they were with us in spirit, as we are all in this together.”
Early last week, Gough released a statement explaining the current status of Smallville in light of the strike. He said that they were able complete a total of 15 scripts prior to the strike, with the 15th episode ending with a cliffhanger.
“To the best of my knowledge, the studio plans to produce all of them,” Gough said. “If there isn't a quick resolution, then the season ends in February. It is our wish that this strike will be resolved quickly so that we can get back to doing what we love -- writing.”
Gough also explained the reasons behind the strike, naming the dispute of over residuals on the internet and new media as the “biggest sticking point.” Until now, writers are not entitled to anything from the money made out of episodes downloaded from the web.
“Screenwriting isn't like other professions. There is no guarantee of employment week to week or year to year. It is a feast or famine business, and when the music stops, you may not still have a chair,” Gough said. "Miles [Gough, Smallville co-creator] and I have been writing together for 15 years now. Each year I wonder if this is when it all comes crashing down.”
Gough also urged fans of the show to be understanding of the situation, and said that although the writers did not want to strike, they decided to push through with it with the aim of “fighting for will determine not only our future in the digital age, but the future of generations of writers to come.”
At this time, both old and new episodes of Smallville are being aired. According to Kryptonsite, only one more new episode, "Gemini," will air this year, with the others scheduled to hit the screen early next year. However, this is still subject to change depending on the strike.
Credit : BuddyTV.com
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