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SAG-AFTRA asks striking actors to avoid certain popular characters as Halloween costumes

SAG-AFTRA, studios suspend negotiations
SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood studios suspend negotiations 03:07

SAG-AFTRA is asking members to stick to the basics this Halloween as the actor's strike nears its 100th day. 

On Thursday, the guild asked that actors not dress up as popular characters from struck content —such as "Barbie," Marvel superheroes or "Wednesday Addams"— to not break strike rules.

Instead, the Screen Actors Guild told members to choose costumes inspired by generalized characters and figures like ghosts, skeletons or spiders. 

Other costume options included characters from non-struck animated television shows, according to the guild. 

"Let's use our collective power to send a loud and clear message to our struck employers that we will not promote their content without a fair contract," the guild said. 

If members decide to dress up in costumes inspired by struck content, the guild asks that they don't post it to social media. 

The guidance comes as the Screen Actors Guild continues striking against Hollywood Studios

SAG-AFTRA demands include general wage increases, protections against the use of actor images through artificial intelligence, boosts in compensation for successful streaming programs, and improvements in health and retirement benefits.

The Screen Actors Guild has more than 160,000 members, although the strike only affects the union's roughly 65,000 actors. 

The Writers Guild of America ended its strike against the studios on Sept. 27. Members of the WGA ratified the agreement earlier this week to end the strike that began on May 2.

Editor's note: Paramount Pictures, one of the studios involved in the negotiations, and CBS News are both part of Paramount Global. Also, some CBS News staff are SAG-AFTRA or Writers Guild members, but their contracts are not affected by the strikes

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