Picket lines formed outside the long-running series’ rehearsal space yesterday, as DWTS is technically a WGA-covered production. While reality stars and performers are not unionized (yet), DWTS reportedly employs one writer among their 500-person staff, mostly to write the jokes between hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro. The production reportedly plans to rehire that person whenever the strike ends (they did the same thing in ‘07-‘08), but this workaround isn’t cutting it for the guilds, who specifically targeted SAG-AFTRA members Walsh, Mira Sorvino, and Alyson Hannigan for their continued involvement.
But it sounds like Walsh, at least, didn’t actually know that DWTS was under the scope of the picket at all. “I am taking a pause from Dancing with the Stars until an agreement is made with the WGA,” he said in a statement shared by Deadline today. “I was excited to join the show and did so under the impression that it was not a WGA show and fell under a different agreement. This morning when I was informed by my union, the WGA, that it is considered struck work I walked out of my rehearsal. I have been and will always stand with my union members of the WGA, SAG and DGA.”
“Beyond our union artists, I am sensitive to the many people impacted by the strike and I hope for a speedy and fair resolution, and to one day work again with all the wonderful people I met at DWTS who tolerated my dancing,” he continued.
No word from Hannigan or Sorvino yet, but it seems like the picket is working as the production is reportedly considering pushing back its planned September 26 premiere. Maybe Walsh can use the extra time to hone his foxtrot.
