Writers and actors strut their stuff on the red carpet at the Academy Women’s Luncheon, presented by Chanel, in Los Angeles on a Wednesday morning, finally able to discuss their projects after the news broke that SAG-AFTRA had reached a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios and streamers to end their historic strike just the night before.
Actress and comedian Sherry Cola expressed her excitement, stating, “We stood strong and fought the fight for 118 days. I’m just thrilled that me and my fellow performers can now celebrate our projects and keep doing the work that we love doing. I’m very grateful to be a part of this industry right now and to keep representing and telling these stories.”
Screenwriter and director Patty Jenkins, who had been waiting to begin work on an upcoming Star Wars script as a gesture of solidarity with the actors, shared her newfound excitement about being able to start production on her script, stating, “I was hearing about things, but when you can actually go into production on something, it changes things.”
Celebrities in attendance at the event presented by Chanel included Kristen Stewart, Eva Longoria, Lupita Nyong’o, Riley Keough, Rita Wilson, Lily-Rose Depp, H.E.R., Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow, Molly Gordon, and Ashley Park.
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Academy President Janet Yang expressed her joy at being able to mention Annette Bening’s name in the same sentence as her film “Nyad,” released last month, as she welcomed the former Academy Actors Branch governor to present this year’s U.S. Gold Fellowship for Women recipient, Erica Eng. She said, “The energy in this room is electric. We are all eager to get back to work, and we at the Academy are deeply thrilled that our industry is once again united.”
Annette Bening called SAG-AFTRA’s success “extraordinary” and spoke about the importance of supporting one another. She stated, “It’s crucial that we continue to support one another. That’s why programs like the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women are so important. Because it’s through fostering the next generation of talent that our industry continues to thrive. By elevating new voices and ideas, our collective efforts can progress.”
The U.S. Gold Fellowship for Women is a one-year program that offers mentorship, support, and exclusive networking opportunities to emerging women filmmakers with a prize of $35,000. This year’s international fellow is July Jung.
Actress America Ferrera, who was honored at THR’s inaugural Latin Power event in Miami, delivered the keynote address during the luncheon, emphasizing the concept of fellowship within the entertainment industry. She stated, “Fellowship is community, and we’ve all decided to invest in fellowship just by being here this day. Our grandmothers and our great-grandmothers dreamed of rooms like this. Women from different backgrounds telling stories, celebrating each other, even as we stand together to demand more space, more resources, and more opportunity.”
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood also expressed her enthusiasm for the end of the strike, stating that it signals an opportunity for all members of Hollywood to find a more unified way to move forward. She emphasized the importance of working together and repairing any existing issues to ensure a more cohesive and supportive industry for all members.
