SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher announced on Thursday that Hollywood actors are going on strike. She harshly slammed the excessive salaries of Hollywood CEOs in her speech, calling them “disgusting.” The announcement was made after negotiations with studios came to a halt.

Also read | Matt Damon to Meryl Streep: Top SAG-AFTRA actors protesting in writer’s strike

She emphasized the striking contrast between the difficulties encountered by working performers who frequently struggle to make a livelihood and the significant wealth collected by these CEOs, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. She also made clear that tens of thousands of actors are willing to stop their jobs and join the Writers Guild of America’s continuous picket line.

Who is Fran Drescher?

Francine Joy Drescher, aged 65, is a multi-talented American actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader. She is presently the third president of SAG-AFTRA, a powerful union in the entertainment sector.

Drescher is most known for playing Fran Fine, a character she created and produced with her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson for the television sitcom The Nanny (1993–1999).

Also read | Who is Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA?

She made her on-screen debut in a supporting role in the 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever before moving on to noteworthy Wes Craven productions like American Hot Wax and Stranger in Our House. Through roles in comedy movies such as Gorp (1980), The Hollywood Knights (1980), Doctor Detroit (1983), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), and UHF (1989), she became well-known during the 1980s. In parallel, Drescher developed a presence on television with cameos in a number of shows.

Drescher’s diverse professional background includes her skills as an actress, comedian, and writer. She also actively represents the interests of other industry professionals as a leader in SAG-AFTRA and as an activist for a number of causes.

She married Peter Marc Jacobson in 1978. Drescher started running for president of the SAG-AFTRA union in 2021. She ran as a member of the “Unite for Strength” group and ran on a platform emphasizing the demands and worries of union members. She ran against actor Matthew Modine in the election.

Also read | Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan Series Finale: Release date, cast, plot, trailer and more

SAG-AFTRA made an official announcement on September 2, 2021, stating that Fran Drescher had won the election and would take over as president.