Jason O'Mara has said a lot of people are suffering under the current working conditions in Hollywood and change is something actors have to fight for.
Speaking to Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1, O'Mara, who won a Best Supporting Actor IFTA for his role in The Siege of Jadotville, said that while everyone is hoping the dispute will be resolved in the next few months, it is very hard to predict.
The union representing about 160,000 Hollywood actors went on strike in July after failing to reach a deal with Hollywood's biggest studios including Disney and Netflix. Irish actors in the US will be joining the picket line today to highlight the need for change.
O'Mara, who has starred in numerous US TV shows including television series Terra Nova, Vegas and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., said the business model that SAG-AFTRA actors have been working under has become very different since the arrival of streaming.
The Dublin-born actor explained that residuals are like royalties and they have "all but disappeared".
O'Mara said this has really affected the jobbing actor as they can really "help even out" the highs and lows of an actor's career.
He said it is important they highlight the problems for this, and future generations.
He added that the studios always "cry poor" but they are massive and turning billion-dollar profits and paying their CEOs hundreds of millions of dollars.
"They have the money. But this is something we have to fight for and that is what we are going to do."
He said they want both parties to get back to the table and talk.
O'Mara also highlighted the threat of AI and said it is going to have an adverse effect even if they don't know yet the exact impact.
He said there is a need to have a framework in place to protect actors.
