Fran Drescher needs one factor to be clear: She took a selfie with Kim Kardashian on the Dolce & Gabbana vogue present in Italy this week for work, and never enjoyable. The SAG-AFTRA president, 65, made the remark whereas addressing her infuriated friends who criticized her at a SAG-AFTRA press conference on Thursday, July 13, hours after the union started its historic strike. “That wasn’t a selfie,” she pressed. “I’m a model ambassador for a vogue firm and so is Kim. I had solely met Kim seconds earlier than that publicity image was taken.” See the selfie in query HERE.
“It had nothing to do with being at a celebration or having enjoyable — it was absolute work,” Fran added. “We work. That’s what we do.” She additionally stated that she was in fixed communication with the SAG-AFTRA board, together with at 10:30 p.m. following the style present. “And if I couldn’t get by means of to them as a result of I used to be on a airplane, I used to be texting with them continually all through the airplane experience,” she stated. Furthering her level, Fran stated she labored “across the clock in three totally different time zones,” as she additionally has to look after her dad and mom’ “wellbeing” always, they usually dwell in Florida.
The night time earlier than the press convention, on Wednesday, July 12, SAG-AFTRA previously started its strike towards Hollywood’s greatest studios. They joined the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which was already 11 weeks into its strike towards the Alliance of Movement Image and Tv Producers. It’s the primary time in 63 years that each unions have been on strike concurrently.
SAG-AFTRA members didn’t mince any phrases when slamming the Nanny star following her look in Italy. “My union president chilling in Italy whereas we’re in the course of negotiations and about to go on strike,” Insidious: The Final Key actor Kirk Acevedo tweeted on July 11. “We’re asking to be higher compensated by the studios and Fran Drescher is mugging for cameras in Italy. The optics look f****** horrible.” Perry Mason actor Eric Lange added (through PEOPLE), “It’s astonishing that, on the eve of a possible strike, whereas individuals are shedding their properties, their medical health insurance, and so forth you’re partying it up with Kim in Italy. Astonishing and indefensible.” He has since deleted the tweet.
The SAG-AFTRA board, nonetheless, supported Fran’s attendance on the occasion. “President Drescher is working as a model ambassador for Dolce and Gabbana on location in Italy. This was a dedication absolutely recognized to the negotiating committee,” SAG-AFTRA stated in a press release to Variety on June 10. “She has been in negotiations daily both in particular person or through videoconference. President Drescher is managing a bodily demanding schedule throughout three time zones, overseeing negotiations and dealing on location each day in addition to managing her dad and mom’ wants in [Florida]. She is returning to the States and shall be on the bottom in L.A. tomorrow [July 11], and can proceed to chair our negotiations.”
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher slams Bob Iger’s “repugnant” strike remarks: “If I have been that firm, I might lock him behind doorways and by no means let him discuss to anyone about this, as a result of it is so apparent that he has no clue as to what’s actually occurring.” https://t.co/UacRrD06I4 pic.twitter.com/B7PpBMPAJn
— Selection (@Selection) July 14, 2023
On the heels of her obtained criticism, Fran went after Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, who known as the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes “disturbing” and unrealistic. “I discovered [his comments] terribly repungent and out of contact. Positively tone deaf,” she informed Variety, as seen within the above video. “If I have been that firm, I might lock him behind doorways and by no means let him discuss to anyone about this, as a result of it’s so apparent that he has no clue as to what’s actually occurring on the bottom with arduous working those who don’t make anyplace close to the wage he’s making. Excessive seven figures, eight figures, that is loopy cash that they make, they usually don’t care in the event that they’re land barons of a medieval time.”
