TV SHOWS
Matt Walsh Exits “Dancing with the Stars” Amid WGA Strike
Courtesy of koko_iwasaki/Instagram
Actor Matt Walsh has decided to temporarily step away from the current season of “Dancing with the Stars” due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike.
Walsh, best known for his role in “Veep,” announced Thursday that he would suspend his participation in the dance competition show until the WGA reaches a resolution with Hollywood studios.
“I am taking a pause from ‘Dancing with the Stars’ until an agreement is made with the WGA,” Walsh said in a statement. “I was excited to join the show and did so under the impression that it was not a WGA show and fell under a different agreement. This morning when I was informed by my union, the WGA, that it is considered struck work I walked out of my rehearsal.”
So far, the WGA strike has lasted four and a half months and coincides with a concurrent strike by members of SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union. Both strikes have disrupted television and film productions.
Walsh expressed his support for the actors and writers on strike and expressed his desire to return to “Dancing with the Stars” in the future.
“I have been and will always stand with my union members of the WGA, SAG, and DGA,” he continued. “Beyond our union artists, I am sensitive to the many people impacted by the strike and I hope for a speedy and fair resolution, and to one day work again with all the wonderful people I met at DWTS who tolerated my dancing.”
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers returned to the negotiating table in the hopes of coming to a resolution.
TMX contributed to this article.
