Aaron Paul has revealed that he does not receive any residual payments from Netflix for his role in Breaking Bad.
From 2008 to 2013, Paul played Jessie Pinkman in the acclaimed series, and would reprise the role for the streaming movie El Camino.
At the moment, actors and writers are striking at the same time in Hollywood for the first time in over 50 years.
Since 2 May 2023, several productions both in film and television have been impacted by the strike of the Writers Guild of America, who were subsequently joined by The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists who have also gone on strike.
The two main issues the actors have are residual payments and the emergence of AI that could potentially replace performers.
READ MORE: Adam Driver SLAMS Netflix and Amazon over strikes while promoting Ferrari
“I don’t get a piece from Netflix on Breaking Bad to be totally honest and that’s insane to me,” the actor told Entertainment Tonight.
“Shows live forever on these streamers and it goes through waves.
“I just saw the other day that Breaking Bad was trending on Netflix, and it’s just such common sense, and a lot of these streamers, they know they have been getting away with not paying people just fair wage and now it’s time to pony up.”
Under the current residual format, actors are only given payments when one of their shows or movies airs on actual television which does not extend to streaming platforms.
Bryan Cranston takes on Disney CEO
One of the targets for the anger of the performers is Disney CEO Bob Iger, who claimed that the strikes were "disturbing" and explained that the demands from the actors were simply too high.
In 2021 alone, Iger earned $45 million, according to Variety.
Paul's Breaking Bad co-star Bryan Cranston is one of a number of actors who are protesting, and Iger was the target of an impassioned speech on Broadway.
"I know, sir, that you look (at) things through a different lens," the Breaking Bad actor said.
"We don't expect you to understand who we are. But we ask you to hear us, and beyond that to listen to us when we tell you we will not be having our jobs taken away and given to robots. We will not have you take away our right to work and earn a decent living. And lastly, and most importantly, we will not allow you to take away our dignity.
"Our industry has changed exponentially. We are not in the same business model that we were even 10 years ago.
"And yet, even though they admit that that is the truth in today's economy, they are fighting us tooth and nail to stick to the same economic system that is outmoded, outdated. They want us to step back in time. We cannot and we will not do that."
Related TV Show
Breaking Bad
Drama / Crime
2008-2013
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