The Know Daily - Thursday 9 November 2023

_{Read in 5m 14s ∙ Listening to Boney M}

The Euclid space telescope has sent back the first images from its new mission - and they show the Perseus galaxy cluster and Horsehead Nebula in “dazzling detail”, said The Guardian. The €1bn European Space Agency mission is aimed at uncovering the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, which together make up 95% of the universe but remain poorly understood.

🎬 That’s a wrap

US actors’ union Sag-Aftra has struck a “tentative deal” with Hollywood studios to end a months-long strike.

What’s the story?
“Hollywood let out a collective sigh of relief on Wednesday,” said Screen Daily, as the actors’ union reached an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and TV Producers. Following the “unanimous vote”, the 118-day walkout - the longest in the union’s history - will officially end today.

Why have actors been striking?
Sag-Aftra, which represents around 160,000 industry members, has been on strike since 14 July. A separate writers’ strike ended in September, when the Writers Guild of America stuck its own deal with studio bosses.

The actors’ union had fought for “increased base pay for residuals” and “guardrails around the use of artificial intelligence in film and television”, said The Guardian. The BBC pointed out that while Hollywood’s biggest stars earn millions, “many lesser-known performers often struggle to get by”. 

So what’s been agreed?
The full details of the deal have not yet been released. However, in a statement posted online, the union said it had achieved a deal of “extraordinary scope”, including protection from the threat of AI and “unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation”. 

Why is this a big deal?
The dual strikes had “wreaked devastation” across the entertainment industry, said Vanity Fair, “shutting down productions, bumping awards shows, forcing studios to postpone blockbusters [...] and putting thousands of crew members out of work”.

Delayed films include the latest instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise and Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White.

How has the deal been received?
Actors heaped “effusive praise” onto the agreement, reported The Independent, with many stars taking to Instagram and X to celebrate the news.

Union members will vote to ratify the deal in the coming weeks.