“I am against any warI believe that the proxy war in Ukraine started much earlier, with the violation of the Minsk agreements,. My feeling is that NATO is out of control, NATO should start talking about diplomacy and it should have already done it months ago when the United States refused to start negotiations”. Thus the American star and militant pacifist and environmentalist Susan Sarandonawarded with the Golden Column for Lifetime Achievement at the Magna Graecia Film Festival, at the press conference.
”I believe the war is not about Ukraine but about Russia, is an attempt to weaken Russia for its relationship with China – underlines the actress – My heart is terribly broken and in pain to witness the devastation and deaths that are taking place both in Ukraine and in Russia. We need to start working with diplomacy to try to put an end to this war, an end that certainly cannot be achieved using cluster bombs which are against the Geneva conventions”, concluded Sarandon to the applause of the audience.
”Hollywood isn’t politics, it’s only busy making money, the only thing you can do to annoy Hollywood is grow old, get fat, make sure that the films you make or have made don’t make money. What is happening in the United States today is very important, now it is the unions who speak and express themselves, it is not the actors or screenwriters”, he said again speaking of the strike of US actors, who joined together on 14 last July at the protest of the authors and screenwriters to ask the big Studios and streaming platforms for better contractual conditions.
Contractual conditions not only economic but also the redistribution of rights and on the ‘boundaries’ of the use of artificial intelligence, in the face of a volume of production and turnover that has increased significantly in recent years. ”Today the business has changed but our contacts as actors have not – explains the actress – they reflect a level of business that is prior to streaming and artificial intelligence. It is no longer possible to go on like this. Most of the actors, let’s not look at those who are at the top, still don’t even enjoy health care and this is another big problem in the USA”.
”For this reason – Sarandon underlines forcefully – today more than ever, the actors at the height of their success must demonstrate their solidarity for all the others. To enjoy health care you have to earn 26 thousand dollars and 87% of the actors are not entitled to receive it, even those who work in TV series – he explains – With this streaming system, which came into force during the Covid pandemic, there have been eliminated all the royalties that were paid proportionally, every time they broadcast something”.
Another big problem, the actress explains, is that of artificial intelligence: ”Today the Studios require that actors, especially those who play small parts – she says – undergo a scan of their bodies in such a way that Studios become owners of the actor’s body so that they no longer have to hire him and therefore pay him for subsequent performances and this goes against all moral ethics. It is outright computer theft and absolutely unacceptable. Artificial intelligence should be used to replace the Chief Executive Officers – concludes Sarandon ironically – a profession for which so much imagination is not necessary ”.
”I have tried and am continuing to try to have Italian citizenship, unfortunately I am too old because the law that allowed one to become Italian citizens, through the parents, in my case through the mother’s way, came out when I was already 2 years old so the my brothers and sisters are Italian and I’m not”, he later revealed.
”I went to the American consulate – said the actress – I have all the documentation ready, if there is someone who can help me obtain citizenship, so be it – concluded Sarandon amid the laughter of those present in the room – I did a daughter with an Italian, I drink coffee like the Italians, what else can I do to become an Italian citizen?”. (by Alisa Toaff)
