What Celebrities Said About the SAG-AFTRA Strike at the TIME100 NEXT Gala 2023

At the TIME100 Next Gala 2023 in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday evening, the bustling red carpet was filled with honorees who made this year’s list highlighting changemakers across different industries including entertainment, health, climate, business, sports, and more. After snapping a few photos on the red carpet, some celebrities shared their thoughts on the SAG-AFTRA strike lasting as long as it has, and what they hope for their fellow strike members.

The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA recently hit its 100th day on the picket lines, demanding fair wages, a higher percentage of streaming residuals, and protections from AI and digital recreation in Hollywood.

On TIME’s red carpet, the Wildcat and Stranger Things actress Maya Hawke said she was proud of the union’s resilience. “I stand with my union. I’m really proud of them for sticking out and waiting for a good deal. I think we need a fair deal from studios, and it means a lot to me to feel this connectivity with our SAG members and our WGA allies.”

Tyler James Williams, who won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series earlier this year for his role in Quinta Brunson’s sitcom Abbot Elementary, said the strike is about supporting everyone in the union—not just the famous stars. “We’re still fighting for what we deserve,” he tells TIME. “This strike has been about actors you know in the forefront, but we’re also really fighting for the ones you don’t know about much yet. We can’t really leave the table until we have a solid deal for all of us, and it’s about time, so we’re gonna keep pushing until we get what we need.”

Writer and comedian Adam Conover, a member of the SAG-AFTRA union, is also a member of the contract negotiating council of the WGA, the Hollywood screenwriters’ union that recently struck a deal with studios to end a five-month strike. He has previously said that the unions are ready to fight “as long as it takes” to reach a fair agreement. On the TIME red carpet, he added: “because over 10,000 banded together and said, ‘We are not gonna give you more work until you meet our demands,’ we won. We showed that when we work together, we can actually change things.”

Everything Everywhere All At Once actress Stephanie Hsu says it was inspiring to see the unions coming together this summer. “Along with everybody else, I hope we reach a deal soon, and I trust that everyone at the table has our best intentions to make sure we get back to work as soon as possible.”

Write to Moises Mendez II at moises.mendez@time.com.