'Shazam' star Zachary Levi says his comments about strike rules being 'so dumb' were 'taken out of context'
- Zachary Levi responded after comments he made about the SAG-AFTRA strike rules received backlash.
- Levi said his words were "taken out of context and he "fully" supports the union, the WGA, and the strike.
"Shazam" star Zachary Levi reacted after comments he recently made regarding the SAG-AFTRA strike received backlash online.
"It's come to my attention that an offhand remark I made in jest last weekend is being taken out of context," Levi said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, People magazine, and Vanity Fair on Friday. "So let me be very clear. I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike."
He continued: "I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago. This strike is necessary to protect ourselves, our writers, and all those working in production who make the industry move."
"But we also cannot forget our fans during this strike," Levi said. "Fans that spend their money and energy traveling far distances to talk with us about our work that means so much to them, we should be able to engage. Our business exists and succeeds because of the fans, and I think it's imperative we appreciate them for their support of our careers."
SAG-AFTRA members joined the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who have been on strike since May, on the picket lines on July 14 after failing to reach a fair deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the studios and streamers, over TV, theatrical, and streaming work.
This marked the first time in 53 years that actors and writers were on strike together against Hollywood.
While on strike, actors showing solidarity with the union won't be permitted to attend premieres, festivals, or award shows, all of which are considered forms of publicity. They also aren't allowed to discuss past projects.
This led to a joke made by Levi while appearing at Comic-Con Manchester last week. Addressing fans, Levi said that he was limited in what he could discuss at the event.
"I'm not allowed to talk about — this is so dumb — I'm not allowed to talk about any of my previous work," Levi said in a viral clip posted by the TikTok user @moviemaniacs.
"I'm not allowed to talk about movies that I may be a superhero in. I'm not allowed to talk about TV shows that I may have been a nerd who worked at a Best Buy. I'm not allowed to talk about any animated princess movies that I was fantastic in — as the best prince ever!" Levi continued, referencing his roles in the "Shazam" movies, "Chuck," and "Tangled."
"I'm not allowed to talk about those things," he said.
Zevi's "so dumb" remark was widely criticized. However, the actor previously voiced his support for his union during a recent Instagram livestream.
But around the start of the actors' strike, Levi took to Twitter to voice his frustration over some of the rules in place, which would prevent members from exploring alternate income options in place of withholding their labor.
"@sagaftra should reassess some of their stipulations regarding actors monetizing previous work that DOESN'T benefit the studios, like podcasts & conventions," he said. "These are ESSENTIAL supplementary income sources for SO many people."
In another tweet posted in response to a discussion regarding appearances at conventions, Levi said that the strike is "only supposed to disrupt the studios, not the writers/actors."
"To stifle their ability to support themselves in a way that doesn't benefit the studio AT ALL is antithetical to the entire situation, which is supposed to be about protecting & supporting the artists," he said.