STORY: Hollywood actors have agreed to extend talks with major studios, averting a potential second labor strike in the entertainment industry this summer, on top of the ongoing walk-off by the Writers’ Guild of America. The SAG-AFTRA, or Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, represents Hollywood actors, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers represents major studios. They said they would unanimously extend their contract past its expiry date on Friday, through to July 12. It gives both sides more time to work out a deal. A-list stars including Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep, said this week they were ready to walk off the job if negotiators failed to reach a “transformative deal” on higher base pay and safeguards around the use of artificial intelligence. In a message to members on Friday, SAG-AFTRA’s negotiators said no one should “mistake this extension for weakness”. Instead, they said the extension was reached in order to “exhaust every opportunity” for a contract they all “demand and deserve”. Negotiations come at a difficult time for Hollywood studios, which are struggling to make streaming services profitable. Writers, actors and producers also worry the rise of generative AI could threaten their jobs.