The Latest From Picket Lines As TV And Film Actors Join Writers On Strike

Leaders of a Hollywood’s actors union voted Thursday to join screenwriters in the first joint strike in more than six decades, shutting down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down. It’s the first time two major Hollywood unions have been on strike at the same time since 1960, when Ronald Reagan was the actors’ guild president. Hours earlier, a three-year contract had expired and talks broke off between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers representing employers including Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others. The strike - the first for film and television actors since 1980 - casts a shadow over the upcoming 75th Emmy Awards, whose nominations were announced a day earlier. Union rules prevent actors from doing any interviews or promotions around the awards, and they may not appear at the ceremony. The strike rules also prevent actors from making personal appearances or promoting their work on podcasts or at premieres. And they are barred from doing any production work including auditions, readings, rehearsals or voiceovers along with actual shooting. While international shoots technically can continue, the stoppage among U.S.-based writers and performers is likely to have a drag on those too. Joining us to discuss the strike is David Wagner, LAist reporter covering the SAG strike and Jonathan Kuntz, film historian and lecturer at UCLA.

‘Boundaries,’ ‘Triggers,’ and ‘Trauma’ – Are We Weaponizing Therapy-Speak?

Therapy-speak in relationships is on the rise as more people seek out talk therapy and the stigma lessens around mental health treatment. The latest example comes in the form of text messages that actor Jonah Hill's ex-girlfriend Sarah Brady alleges he sent her, in which Hill lays out his “boundaries” around who Brady can spend time with and what she posts on social media. Neither Mr. Hill nor his representatives have confirmed that he sent those texts, but the screenshots have been shared widely, raising concerns about how deeply so-called "therapy speak" is infiltrating relationships. As these words become more common, are people weaponizing them? Joining us to discuss is Mary Andres, professor of clinical education at USC. She also has a private practice in Venice where she works with couples.

When You Travel With Your Toddler, Who Benefits – You, Them, Or Neither?

Your little one’s first vacation is a big deal. They might be exposed to new people, food, and languages, and seeing them light up when the plane takes off is priceless. Or, they could fuss and whine the entire time – and both of you will miss home. While some parents count the days until they can bring their kids to Disney World, others don’t see the point, especially if their child is too young to remember it later on. But even if that’s true, memory experts say there’s plenty of other implicit benefits to traveling with your child: quality bonding, hands-on learning, and feeling a sense of wonder through your child’s eyes. So, is it worth it to bring your toddler on that big, expensive vacation? Joining us today is Jessica Sproat, childhood development specialist and developer of ‘Trail Collectiv’ app for family hiking, and Erika Velez, licensed clinical psychologist based in Miami.

FilmWeek: ‘The Miracle Club,’ ‘Theater Camp,’ ‘Bird Box Barcelona,’ ‘Earth Mama’ And More

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms.

• “The Miracle Club” Wide Release
• “Afire” American Cinematheque [Los Feliz] & Laemmle Royal [West LA]
• “Theater Camp” In Select AMC Theaters
• “Bird Box Barcelona” Streaming on Netflix
• “The League” Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]
• “Black Ice” In Select AMC Theaters
• “Earth Mama” Landmark’s Nuart Theater [West LA]
• “Final Cut” Laemmle Claremont, Laemmle Newhall [Santa Clarita] & Laemmle NoHo [North Hollywood]
• “Two Tickets To Greece” Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica] & Regal Edwards Theater [Long Beach]
• “Joke Man” Available on Digital & VOD Platforms July 18
• “The Jewel Thief” Streaming on Hulu

FilmWeek Feature: Larry Mantle Interviews Mission Impossible Stunt Coordinator Wade Eastwood

The “Mission Impossible” franchise has pulled off some of the biggest stunts in cinematic history. On many top ten lists of most dangerous stunts of all time is a scene from “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” (2011) in which Tom Cruise's death-defying Ethan Hunt scales a skyscraper using suction gloves and makes a nerve-wracking jump, which leaves him hanging by one foot. The latest installment, “Mission: Impossible–Dead Reckoning Part One,” is no exception with audiences leaving the theaters mystified at how Cruise drove a motorcycle off a cliff.

Stunt coordinator Wade Eastwood has been the stunt coordinator for the last three Mission: Impossible films. Eastwood has been in the industry for nearly 30 years and is credited with stunt work on some of the biggest recent blockbusters like “Interstellar,” “Inception” and “Troy.” Eastwood joins Larry on FilmWeek to discuss some of the biggest stunts he worked on for “Mission: Impossible–Dead Reckoning,” how he prepares actors to do death-defying feats, and whether or not the Oscars should add a stunt category to the awards.