The duo also revealed some of the AI specifics in the new contract and the battles to come.
DEADLINE:What was the turning point that brought this deal together?
FRAN DRESCHER:We got the protections we needed in AI.
Fran Drescher & Duncan Crabtree-IrelandGetty
We got the funds that we needed for the new revenue stream.
That was the two biggest outstanding pieces.
The money was in place earlier, it was the protections that we really were holding out for.
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DEADLINE:No doubt.
It was on the table Day 1 and it was on the table on Day 118 of the strike.
DEADLINE:So how did you seal that deal, so to speak?
CRABTREE-IRELAND:Its clear that the direct engagement of CEOs was essential to reaching the deal.
That really gave us the power we needed.
DEADLINE:How so?
Running out of time to get a TV season and summer slate off the ground.
Running out of time to get people back to work.
How real was all that to you?
Thats really what drove us.
And if we didnt have the right protections, we werent going to be able to make a deal.
And thats really good for all of us.
We were prepared to go the distance on this.
They heard us, so thank God.
DEADLINE:Youve indicated youre already thinking about down the line, the next contract.
Do you see it like that?DRESCHER:Without question?
This is not something thats coming down the road.
This is something thats currently happening.
DEADLINE:How will that work?
There are now the consent requirements that apply if an actor is deceased.
Just with those examples, I think you could see its a very robust set of protections.
That was our approach.
And nor was that topic specifically ever discussed during those meetings.
We came all the way to you.
Whats was your take on that, was it true?
CRABTREE-IRELAND:Well, I mean, I dont think thats correct.
In fact, where this deal has landed.
I think its very favorable.
So, did they come all the way to us?
Its not going to wear us down.
Its just going to cause more harm to the industry and its unnecessary.
Some of the attacks were open, many were whispering campaigns.
DRESCHER:The people that know me were not surprised that I was going to rise to the occasion.
Duncans actions in the negotiating room were a non-issue, never discussed.
For me, the pendulum swung from being you know, overly aggressive to frivolous to everything in between.
DEADLINE:It seems there was a lot of underestimating and undermining here…
CRABTREE-IRELAND:I agree.
I think they didnt think they were going to go on strike in the first place.
DRESCHER:I dont think so either.
We came in with a strike authorization vote that was unprecedented.
We did that and then I really think that they believed at the end of that we were stop.
DEADLINE:But you didnt, why?
CRABTREE-IRELAND:Because the thing was, it wasnt good enough for our members at that point.
So, we couldnt do that and so we went on strike with the WGA.
I did, all of us did.
DEADLINE:How did that manifest itself?
CRABTREE-IRELAND:This was a negotiation for the future.
For the future of our members and our industry.
And members stayed strong at our picket lines.
Id say the last few days have been as strong as ever.
Our members did not get weakened.
They did not get discouraged.
They knew that we were fighting a battle we were going win.
Ultimately the studios and the streamers had to recognize.
So, there was a lot of elements that came together to really help us get here.
Represented by not only our amazing staff and chief negotiator, but experts.
This time called for that.
Im just grateful that the AMPTP recognized where we were coming from heard us and met the moment.
It was for things that our members really needed, that were really important.
And they ultimately did.
