Why Adam Driver, George Clooney and More A-List Actors Will Attend Venice Film Festival Amid Hollywood Strikes

Adam Driver, George Clooney and a bevy of A-list actors are expected to attend the 80th Venice Film Festival, and when they do, they will not be crossing the picket line due to an interim waiver granted to them by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).

Before encouraging SAG-AFTRA members to attend festivals and promote their projects, the union released a statement admonishing those who have called out members attending upcoming festivals and red-carpet events, like the one in Venice.

“Some of our fellow members have been subject to negative comments for participating in projects with an Interim Agreement, particularly when it comes time for them to promote their work, including at festivals,” the statement read. “Whether from within or without our organization, not only are remarks of this nature unhelpful to performers, but by dividing us, they do the AMPTP’s [Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers] work for them.”

“To be crystal clear,” the statement continued, “once an agreement is in place, we fully encourage all of our SAG-AFTRA members to work under that agreement AND to promote work made under that agreement. The more projects that get made with the Interim Agreement, the weaker the AMPTP becomes. So, let’s lift up our fellow performers who are out there working.”

In short, A-list celebs, like Driver, can promote their projects in Venice because their films are indie movies and were not produced by AMPTP members. The Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) have been on strike since May 2, and the actors joined them on July 12.

According to Variety, Driver is slated to attend the red carpet to promote Michael Mann’s Ferrari, in which he portrays the title character Enzo Ferrari. Other celebrities expected to attend include Caleb Landry Jones, Jessica Chastain and Mads Mikkelsen.

Clooney and his wife, Amal, touched down in the City of Water looking stylish as ever. They walked hand in hand when they landed there on Tuesday. Amal on Thursday is set to be honored at Diane von Furstenberg’s 14th Annual DVF Awards.

The Venice Film Festival begins Wednesday and ends Sept. 9.

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