In an earlier post we mentioned the fact that Jon Voight has been banned from attending the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Awards, even though he’s nominated, as punishment from the Guild for reducing his level of membership in the organization. Just stupid on the Guilds part.
Now, Jon Voight is shooting back at SAG with a full page ad in Variety magazine telling his side of the story. The good folks at IMDB give us this:
In a letter which appeared in trade publication Variety, Voight says he initially considered financial core status to work on a pal’s financially-strapped movie, and went ahead with his plans after SAG used “scare tactics” to shut down his friend’s film. He writes,
“The SAG board chose to bring me once again what they think is shame, and apparently to warn other actors off joining financial core, by announcing to the press that I was not invited to the ceremony to which my fellow actors nominated me for a union film. All this because of my willingness to uphold the right to our personal pursuit of freedom and liberty… My sorrow comes only for a union that can be a great force, that can accomplish much good, and protect, promote, and nourish the actor in his individual pursuits, but does not yet understand that there will be come that will be happy to follow the union in all its rules and regulations, but there many be some that will differ, and follow a destiny of their own choosing, and that is their right…
The directors at SAG could have easily avoided this whole mess by using some common sense and inviting Voight to the awards (since he’s nominated). Instead they decide to play hardball… and now make the whole Guild look like fools. Bad move.
