Appointed as Actor's Union Chair in May This Year
"Hard to Live in New York City on Actor's Salary"
Plans to Meet Lawmakers This Month
Brooke Shields, a world-renowned American actress who was called the ‘Chaekbatchim Goddess’ in Korea during the 1980s, has taken on the role of chairperson of the Actors' Equity Association (AEA, a labor union) and has begun voicing demands for better treatment, including salary increases for actors. Although she lacks experience in union management, she emphasized that she will represent the voices of union members as if they were her own children.
In an interview with The Washington Post (WP) on the 3rd (local time), Chairperson Shields said she would work to ensure that union actors can earn sufficient income. Since taking office as union chairperson in May, she stated, "Many people have not yet recovered from the pandemic," adding, "The current salary levels on Broadway are insufficient to live in New York City."
Actor and Chairperson of the Actors' Equity Association (AEA·Labor Union), Brooke Shields [Image source=AP Yonhap News]
Broadway is still struggling as audience numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Before the pandemic, hit shows like 'Hamilton' and 'The Lion King' generated over $100 million in revenue in a single season, but the pandemic brought this to a halt. Chairperson Shields has appeared in five Broadway musicals, including 'Chicago' and 'Grease,' since she was 29 years old.
The Actors' Equity Association, represented by Chairperson Shields, is a long-established union in the performing arts industry representing about 51,000 theater and musical actors and theater operators across the United States, from Broadway to San Francisco. Shields said, "I feel our union needs to appear strong and be able to speak out on areas that require change," adding, "There must be good value in what we demand; otherwise, it would be no different from asking a restaurant to clear a table."
The fact that a world-famous model and actress has taken on the unpaid, four-year term as union chairperson has attracted significant attention not only within the industry but also in the U.S. labor movement. Born in 1965, she officially joined the union in 1978 while filming the movie 'Pretty Baby' at the age of 11. WP reported, "In a climate where major labor figures such as Sean Fain, former chairperson of the United Auto Workers (UAW), and Sean O’Brien, chairperson of the Teamsters (transport union), are gaining attention for plans to revive the American labor movement, Chairperson Shields has emerged."
Chairperson Shields’ top legislative priority is to pass a bill that allows tax deductions for costs incurred in producing and staging theatrical performances. Originally, these costs were eligible for tax credits, but due to changes in tax policy during the Donald Trump administration, union members have had to pay thousands of dollars in taxes annually. Shields plans to meet with Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Washington D.C. later this month.
In addition, Shields will personally sit at the union negotiation table. Next month, she will negotiate with Disney management over issues such as salary increases, workplace safety guarantees, and job security for 1,700 union members performing at Disneyland in California. She is also leading strikes at Broadway theaters demanding wage increases.
At the same time, Chairperson Shields plans to visit not only major cities like New York and Chicago but also smaller cities such as Birmingham, Alabama, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, to deliver the message that the arts can be a driving force in revitalizing local economies. She expressed concern, saying, "It has always been a big question for me why arts and education are the first targets for budget cuts politically," adding, "Without changing this perception, our country will gradually become one we do not want."
With her two daughters recently entering college and leaving home, she emphasized, "Above all, I am now in a state where I can devote my energy." She also mentioned that, due to her limited experience in union management, the beginning feels like going back to college. However, she said, "The union is like a parent. When you cannot strongly voice your concerns, the union intervenes and speaks on your behalf," adding, "I became a union member when I was a young girl, and my mother told me that if I couldn’t help myself, I could go to the union and they would help me."
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