Expect the actors’ strike to affect Star Trek conventions
Actors who are members of SAG are now on strike, and that includes Star Trek actors.
While it’s understandable that the strike would affect an actor’s ability to perform on a series or in a movie, what might come as a surprise is that it also affects how they can appear at fan conventions, including the upcoming San Diego Comic Con and 57-Year Mission Convention which is set to take place in Las Vegas next month. As Trekmovie shared, the strike doesn’t allow actors to participate in any promotion or publicity for previously completed film and television projects. They cannot appear at promotional events or on panels, and they cannot give interviews.
This doesn’t prevent studio executives, producers, or directors who are not members of the WGA or SAG from appearing at the conventions. And trailers for new series can be released and key art can be shown. So any plans for actors to appear on the panels may be jeopardized, especially the upcoming panel with Kevin and Dan Hageman and Kate Mulgrew for Star Trek: Prodigy.
Star Trek actors are already questioning how this will affect their ability to participate at the conventions.
Anson Mount (Captain Pike of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) told his Twitter followers that convention owners are trying to work out the parameters with SAG. And Armin Shimerman admitted that he spoke incorrectly when he said actors wouldn’t have a conflict at conventions. He said he had a call into the union and expected definitive answers by the end of next week.
Creation Entertainment, who is behind the 57-Year Mission Convention, has asked fans not to ask actors any questions about The Vampire Diaries franchise at the Vampire Diaries convention this weekend. Instead, they suggest asking creative and fun questions. So it’s possible Star Trek actors may still attend conventions, but fans will not be able to ask them any questions about the series or movie they’re working on. That would definitely be a challenge, but at least photo ops and autographs are still allowed. So if you have tickets to one of these upcoming conventions, you might not be able to ask any of your burning questions, but you’d still be able to go home with an autograph and a picture.