MATTHEW MODINE AND JOELY FISHER ANNOUNCE THEIR CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT & NATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER OF SAG-AFTRA

(May 27, 2021 Los Angeles) – Today, actor and activist Matthew Modine announced he will run for President of SAG-AFTRA in the forthcoming August 2021 SAG-AFTRA Election. He will be joined on the Membership First ticket by actress Joely Fisher who has announced her candidacy for National Secretary-Treasurer, a position once held by her mother Connie Stevens for four years.  The candidates remarked in a joint statement: “we are so excited to begin changing the direction of our Union.  We’ve witnessed the weakening of our contracts with every negotiation. Our financial participation has not kept pace with the extraordinary profits being made by our employers. We intend to change that.”

“The union spends exorbitant amounts of our own members’ money attempting to convince us that our contracts have been successfully negotiated, the truth is they fall far short of the economic conditions facing performers today,” said Modine.  Matthew adds, “I’m running to ensure that each of the locals across the United States are truthfully and transparently represented.”

Joely Fisher explains that, “Last summer, I received several official union postcards in the mail bragging that the union has achieved historic gains. I then discovered how misleading they were, and I was outraged.  I posted a video that went viral which laid out the deal points plain and simple. It was in that moment, I determined that I wanted to get back in the boardroom to help restore truth and transparency for our members. The union must be preserved for future generations.” Fisher served as a National Board Member in the early 2000’s and currently serves on numerous committees.

Matthew Modine points out that “one of the biggest issues on the minds of our membership today is the catastrophic failure of our SAG-AFTRA Health Plan during the Pandemic.” Fisher went on to say, “11,750 participants and their dependents including 8,200 seniors (the elders of our tribe) were abruptly dropped from their insurance plans.  Matthew and I are determined to replace the Health Plan Trustees with more qualified advocates.  We’ll move to ensure sufficient funding is directed into the Health and Pension Plans during future negotiations.”

Other issues of significance in the campaign include improving residuals and fixing the so called ‘split pension’ problem, fiscal responsibility, codifying the sexual harassment protections, addressing the massive pension disparity issue, contract enforcement, and improving the conditions facing background performers, dancers, stunt performers, broadcasters and each of the member categories.

What the candidates say about each other: 

Fisher, “I am thrilled to be working alongside Matthew Modine. Matthew is the consummate actor, an incredible family man and a true gentleman. He has a unique wisdom which makes him the right person to lead the union into the future.   Together, in a true partnership, we will guide with strength, dignity and grace.”

Modine, “Joely is no stranger to the office of National Secretary-Treasurer. Her iconic mother, Connie Stevens, served in this role for the union from 2005 to 2009. I am absolutely thrilled to be running alongside my dear friend, a wonderful artist with a career to be envied. Joely has the passionate understanding of the needs and difficulties performers face today. Her wisdom and humanity are balanced by her beautiful power of persuasion.”

Modine and Fisher agree low voter turnout continues to be an issue and look to inspiring all Union members to get out the vote and make their voices heard. Ballots are distributed to dues- current members in all 50 states on August 3rd. Every two years, the 160,000 member- strong SAG-AFTRA union holds elections for new National and Local Board seats.  

For more information and an outline of the issues and proposed solutions the complete MembershipFirst platform can be viewed at www.membershipfirst.com.

About Matthew Modine 
Matthew Modine “Is one of the best, most adaptable film actors of his generation.’ – Vincent Canby, New York Times.

Modine is an award-winning actor whose contributions to the arts have been recognized across the world. Matthew has worked with many of the film industry's most respected directors, including Oliver Stone, Matt and Ross Duffer, Sir Alan Parker, Stanley Kubrick, Robert Altman, Alan J. Pakula, John Schlesinger, Tony Richardson, Robert Falls, Sir Peter Hall, Abel Ferrara, Spike Lee, Tom DiCillo, Mike Figgis, Jonathan Demme, John Sayles, and Christopher Nolan.

Matthew’s recent projects include star turns in Foster Boy with Shane Paul McGhie and Louis Gossett Jr, Executive Produced by Shaquille O'Neal, Miss Virginia opposite Uzo Aduba, Breaking News in Yuba County opposite Allison Janney, Awkwafina, Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall, Juliette Lewis, and Ellen Barkin; Wrong Turn and Netflix’s Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal directed by Chris Smith.

Matthew Avery Modine was born March 22, 1959, as the youngest of seven children in Loma Linda, California, the son of a bookkeeper and drive-in theater manager. His iconic roles as Private Joker in Full Metal Jacket, the title character in Birdy, high school wrestler Louden Swain in Vision Quest, oversexed Sullivan Groff on Weeds, and Dr. Martin Brenner on the Netflix global phenomenon Stranger Things have cemented his legacy.

Matthew Modine serves on the boards God’s Love We Deliver, Bicycle for a Day, Plastic Oceans, Wounded Warrior Project and Water Keeper Alliance.

About Joely Fisher 
In Joely Fisher's recent unflinching memoir Growing Up Fisher, she comes clean and bares her soul about growing up in what she describes as The Fishbowl.  Triple threat, Joely Fisher stands out as a star of television, musical theatre, and motion pictures.   She had a "sensational and sexy" turn as Sally Bowles in Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall's critic darling revival of Cabaret on Broadway as well as the National touring company.  Joely made her Broadway debut as "Rizzo” in Tommy Tune’s Grease!.  Most recently, Fisher earned rave reviews in Key Largo at the Geffen opposite Andy Garcia.

However, it was her 5 seasons as "Paige Clark" Ellen's best friend on the groundbreaking ABC show, Ellen that introduced her to audiences around the world and earned her a Golden Globe nomination.  Other television credits include starring opposite John Goodman Normal, Ohio and Wild Card for LIFETIME. In 2005, Joely joined the cast of the hit television series Desperate Housewives.  Fisher returned to television opposite Brad Garrett for FOX's ‘Til Death.

Joely's film credits have placed her opposite some of the finest actors in film, like Jim Carrey in The Mask, Steve Martin in Mixed Nuts, Nick Nolte in I’ll Do Anything and starring with Matthew Broderick in the $100 million-grossing Disney film Inspector Gadget.  Recently seen in Tribes of Palos Verdes opposite Jennifer Garner as well as The Disappointments Room and By the Rivers of Babylon. Most recently, Joely starred alongside Stefanie Scott and Judd Nelson in Lifetime’s wildly successful movie Girl in the Basement.  She has spent the last decade reinventing herself as writer and director.

Her lifelong humanitarian efforts include her unyielding support of the LGBTQ+ community, the rights of Indigenous People, and most recently the christening of Alcott Center’s Fisher Place a sober living house in South Central LA that bares the family name.  Joely has been married more than 2 decades to cinematographer and director Christopher Duddy. Together they have five children Cameron, Collin, daughter Skylar Grace born in June 2001, True Harlow 15 yrs. old and in 2008 they adopted Olivia "Luna."

Social Media
Matthew Modine
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Joely Fisher
IG: @msjoelyfisher
Twitter: @MsJoelyFisher
Facebook: Facebook.com/JoelyFisher

MembershipFirst
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