Fran Drescher Is Still SAG-AFTRA President Despite Ongoing Union Strikes
Despite ongoing union strikes by writers and actors, actress Fran Drescher was re-elected as President of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Election results revealed that Fran received 81% of the votes while her challenger, Maya Gilbert-Dunbar, only had 19%.
Joely Fisher, SAG-AFTRA’s Secretary and Treasurer, also retained his position after winning over his challenger, Peter Antico, with 70% of the votes.
It’s a tumultuous win because of the ongoing strikes in Hollywood that haven’t happened in the last 63 years. Actors and writers have been rallying for months, demanding higher wages from shows that are available through streaming services.
After her landslide victory, Fran released a short message that she was honored to be president for another term and to have the opportunity to serve her union. Moreover, the actress said, “These are dynamic times, and as one member body, we will weather the storms, stand on our principles, and make sure our major contributions to this collaborative art form shall never again be diminished but rather be exalted.”
The 65-year-old Queens native has been president since 2021. The actress has been leading the union’s massive walkouts since the 1980s. It involved making a stand and advocating for performers’ protection against the threat of artificial intelligence.
Fran is well aware of how the industry works given that she has enjoyed a successful career in television, cinema, and Broadway. She and her then-husband, Peter Marc Jacobson, created the sitcom The Nanny where she was the lead. Fran reportedly took home $1.5 million for every episode, allowing her to grow her net worth to $30 million.
Fran isn’t just the epitome of success in front of the camera. Off-screen, she has established a name for her anti-capitalist point of view. She has also thrived and survived some horrific experiences, like being raped at gunpoint and overcoming womb cancer.
In their late 20s, robbers broke into their home, and Fran and a female friend were raped at gunpoint. Peter was also attacked and tied up. He had to witness his wife’s ordeal. It took years for Fran to recover from the traumatic incident, and it took her longer to share her experience with the public.
Fran’s private life did not escape controversy because when she and Peter, her husband of 21 years, announced their divorce. Their separation led her to receive a lot of backlash and criticism which only ended when it was revealed that Peter was gay.
Fran has admitted that she didn’t know about Peter’s gender orientation. She met Peter when she was just 15 years old. According to her, they had an active sex life so there were no telltale signs that could have led her to discover Peter’s sexual preferences.
During one of Fran’s interviews last year, she revealed that she will never marry again and will grow old with Peter whom she still loves. It appears the affection is mutual. Due to her experience, Fran has become a strong and vocal advocate for the LGBT community.
