Sean Astin, best known for his role as Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, was elected national president of SAG-AFTRA on Friday, defeating challenger Chuck Slavin and stepping into one of the most influential labor positions in Hollywood as the performers’ union prepares for fresh contract negotiations.
Astin, 54, secured roughly 79% of the vote in the election among the 160,000-member performers union. His rival, background actor Chuck Slavin, ran as an independent and received about 21%. After the results were announced, Astin said he felt "proud and determined,” adding that celebration felt premature and that the moment demanded work.
Astin succeeds Fran Drescher, who led SAG-AFTRA through a 118-day strike in 2023 that yielded new protections around artificial intelligence and streaming bonuses tied to viewership. Many members, however, have said those gains were a first step and that more work is needed as studios consolidate, global production patterns shift and AI technologies evolve.
Astin’s running mate, Michelle Hurd, an actor known for her role on Star Trek: Picard, was elected secretary-treasurer with about 65% of the vote. The two ran together under a slate called "The Coalition," which united candidates from the union’s two major political factions. Drescher endorsed Astin during the campaign, calling him a "constant source of support and guidance."
Astin described his approach as more moderate than Slavin’s and said he is hopeful about the next round of negotiations. "I have a very good feeling about going into this next negotiation, because it’s clear to me that it’s in both parties’ interest to achieve a good deal," he told members. "The truth is that no union and no management should ever want a strike — that is the tool of last resort."
Slavin issued a statement after the vote saying that, while the outcome was disappointing, his commitment to advocating for transparency and member rights remained unchanged.
Union leaders and members expect the next bargaining cycle to focus on several persistent and emerging issues: the continuing impact of streaming on residuals and pay structures, protections against the use of performers’ likenesses and work being replicated by artificial intelligence, and measures to prevent the offshoring of jobs as productions seek lower costs abroad. Astin has said he plans to build on the gains from the 2023 strike while pushing for stronger AI safeguards and policies aimed at keeping more work in the United States.
SAG-AFTRA represents performers across film, television, radio and new media. The union’s leadership change comes as Hollywood navigates further consolidation among studios and distributors and as technological advances prompt new contractual questions about rights, compensation and creative control.
Astin, who has appeared in a wide range of film and television projects beyond his role in the Lord of the Rings films, said the election marked a new chapter for membership engagement. "Now is the time for the optimism," he said. "When you elect a new president, it’s a new chapter and a new page is turned. There is no reason not to charge forward as a union with our members."
The immediate calendar for SAG-AFTRA’s bargaining cycle and the timeline for formal negotiations with studios and producers were not announced Friday. Union officials have historically engaged in months of preparations, membership outreach and committee work before formal talks begin. Industry watchers say the outcomes could shape labor relations across entertainment as streaming economics and AI tools continue to reshape production practices.