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The Walking Dead: Loses Lawsuit Requiring it to Pay Stunt Performers & Walkers for ‘Talking Dead’ In Memoriam Clips

Die-hard fans of The Walking Dead stick around each night to watch Talking Dead.  The show is a recap of the events on The Walking Dead, a series of cast member interviews, behind-the-scenes clips, and, of course, the “In Memoriam” segment.  This segment looks back and remembers at the characters who died on the show, including significant and memorable walkers.

As a result of those moments on the show and the use of the clips, a case was brought against The Walking Dead by SAG-AFTRA claiming that those actors were not being compensated for their appearances on the show.  As a result of arbitration and a confidential settlement, those same stunt performers and actors are now set to be compensated.  However, because of the nature of the makeup used on the walkers, not all of the actors are identifiable. The union is asking the stunt and actor community for help in identifying them so that they can be paid.

If you are an actor or stunt performer and your clip was reused in the “In Memoriam” segment of Talking Dead from February 29, 2016, through the present, you are eligible for compensation. According to Deadline, the union says its auditors, “discovered and reviewed reused clips that contained identifiable stunts and performers, noting that all of the stunt performers identified in the clips are being compensated at their day pay rates plus late payments for each clip. Under terms of the agreement, individual checks will be sent to SAG-AFTRA on or before November 20, and after verification that the full amount has been paid, the union will mail the checks to the performers.”

In a message to their members, SAG-AFTRA said: “We are sending out this communication because the union’s auditors also found clips with an identifiable stunt, but where not all stunt performers in the scene were identifiable. Because of this circumstance, SAG-AFTRA negotiated as part of the agreement an opportunity for the ‘unidentified’ stunt performers to come forward to SAG-AFTRA and identify themselves in any such clips. Because the agreement was reached before September 30, 2020, the earnings can be counted toward SAG-AFTRA Health Plan eligibility for 2021.”

SAG-AFTRA is urging stunt performers and actors, who know that their clips were used on Talking Dead, to contact the union and the producers’ representative if they have relevant information to prove that they are the unidentified performers featured in the reused clips in the segments.

What do you think about the resolution of this suit? The Walking Dead certainly seems to be in the news very often for lawsuits.

 

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