Los Angeles Actor Discovers His Altered Image is Being Used in a New York City Healthy Eating Campaign

Most actors would do just about anything to have their picture plastered all over New York City subways, since thousands of people see your image every day. 

But Los Angeles actor Cleo Barry, who is featured in advertisements all over New York, isn’t happy.  For one thing, his head is cut out of the ad.  For another, the ad has literally cut off his leg — it’s an advertisement for eating healthy, with Barry’s missing leg said to be a result of Type 2 Diabetes. But Barry has both of his legs, and he doesn’t suffer from diabetes.  Yet the ad is all over New York City subways (I just saw it yesterday).

Barry was paid $500 to pose for some pictures in Manhattan several years ago, and as part of the deal agreed to let the photos be used by a stock photo agency and gave permission for the photos to be altered.  So legally there isn’t an issue that the photo is being used, and hence Barry’s right leg came off and a pair of crutches were added in the background to drive home the fact that drinking too much sugary soda can lead to Type 2 Diabetes.  Read more

SAG-AFTRA Merger Documents

Last night, SAG and AFTRA released the merger documents which go into detail all the specifics of the proposed merging of the unions.

The full printed merger documents will be mailed to each voter with the ballot, which will need to be returned before March 30th.

There will also be a new joint website to provide members all the information they’ll want to consider before voting. The website will include complete merger details, FAQs, and a comprehensive calendar of events to alert members nationwide to meetings and other opportunities for learning about the plan. They’ll be giving that link to us soon.  Read more

More Details About the SAG AFTRA Merger

Deadline is reporting some new details of the potential SAG and AFTRA merger, including initiation fees, yearly base dues and AFTRA not budging on it’s ‘open-door’ policy.

The new initiation fee for the combined union will be $3,000. Currently, AFTRA’s fee is $1,600 with SAG at $2,230.

The base dues – what you pay if you don’t work at all or only make the minimum amount – will be $198, or $99 every 6 months most likely.

The worst part of the merger is that AFTRA will not remove it’s ‘open-door’ policy until the merger is complete.  Read more

Equity UK Survey: Coming Out Still a Struggle for Gay Actors

A survey conducted by the actors union, Equity, revealed that only 57% of gay actors felt they could be open to their agents about their sexuality.  A third of those surveyed admitted they had experienced homophobia, with 57% of it coming from other performers.

While 81% said they had come out in the professional lives, over 94% said they are open about their sexuality to other performers.  However, the process of revealing their sexuality is still an emotionally difficult challenge.  Because of the way the theater industry functions, actors are constantly surrounded by new people, thus increasing the number of times they have to come out to people they don’t know.  Read more

Actors Working: Catch Carla Vila on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

Carla Vila is appearing on Grey’s Anatomy tonight!

Check Carla out as ‘Angela’ in tonight’s episode called ‘This Magic Moment’ at 9 pm on ABC! Her scene is with Jason George.

She’s also working again on Southland this coming Monday!

Check out her website, IMDB and Facebook page!

Tune in and support your fellow actor!

Want your Film or TV appearance posted on Daily Actor? Click here!

 

 

And the First SAG Screener of the Year is…

The Help!

The film received 4 SAG Nominations:

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Viola Davis

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Octavia Spencer

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Jessica Chastain

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture  Read more

Ready to start the New Year?

Hi guys -

After the seemingly long and endless holiday break (at least for me it was), we’re all excited to get back to work – acting wise, I mean.

What are your resolutions or goals for the year?

Let me know by leaving a comment here or emailing me at Lance@dailyactor.com

I’ll write up a column with some of them and include your twitter handles, facebook pages or websites if you want them included. 

Let’s all hope for a great year!

Broadway Review: ‘Lysistrata Jones’

With a book by Douglas Carter Beane and music and lyrics by Lewis Flinn, Lysistrata Jones, based on Aristophanes Greek comedy, follows the awful Athens University basketball team who haven’t won a game in years. When Lysistrata jones transfers to the school, she joins the cheerleading squad and then challenges the girls to stop “giving it up” to their player boyfriends till they win a game.

Go see this show now!

Because it’ll probably be closing very soon.   

The show was originally staged last summer in a church gym in downtown New York. It had great reviews and was quickly scheduled to move to the Walter Kerr Theatre where it opened on December 14^th. But, in the move uptown, it lost its magic.  Read more

18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Award Nominations

The nominations for the 18th Annual SAG Awards were announced this morning while I was patiently sitting in an airport waiting to board my flight to JFK.

Congrats to all the nominees!

But, I just have one WTF as I go through the list: Glee was nominated as in the Ensemble category? The cast is fine with Jane Lynch, Heather Morris and Matthew Morrison being the standouts but nominating the cast for best ensemble? Seriously?

Check out the nominations below!
Read more

Hollywood Managers Challenge Talent Agencies Act

According to the Talent Agencies Act (which is a California law), actors are only allowed to gain work through licensed talent agents.  Managers on the other hand, are only allowed to provide advice generally on a client’s career.

It seems like this law would be hard to enforce, but there have been cases where talent will make claims of TAA infractions to get out of paying manager commissions.

Rick Siegel, former manager of Rosa Blasi, fought a case that went all the way to the California Supreme Court in 2008; however, the court did not overturn the TAA or its penalties. Siegel also lost an appeal made against his lawyers for failing to argue what he felt were key points in the case. Now he’s back again, but this time he’s receiving the support of countless managers. A full list of the managers has been posted by The Hollywood Reporter.  Read more

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