Photo:MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty

Haunted Mansion

MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty

Disney characters walked the red carpet at theHaunted Mansionpremiere atDisneylandon Saturday instead of the film’s stars due to theSAG-AFTRA strikeinitiated on Thursday.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Maleficent, the Evil Queen fromSnow White and the Seven Dwarves(1937) and Cruella de Vil posed on the carpet for photos with guests, who also gained private access to ride the titular attraction,The Hollywood Reporterreported.

Director Justin Simien was the only one from the film to attend the premiere, tellingVarietythat he was “sad” his cast couldn’t walk the carpet with him. (Press was initially told that the filmmaker would not be speaking with any reporters for interviews.)

“I feel very ambivalent about it, but at the same time, I’m just so proud of this cast and I’m so, so proud of Katie Dippold who wrote the script, and so much of why I did this was to honor her words and to honor their work,” Simien toldTHRat the premiere.

“If they can’t be here to speak for it, I felt like I had to be here to speak for it,” he explained. “It’s sad that they’re not here, at the same time, I totally support the reason why they’re not here. And I’m happy to be the one to ring the bell in their stead.”

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According toTHRandVariety, LaKeith Stanfield,Tiffany Haddish,Jamie Lee Curtis,Danny Devito,Rosario Dawson,Owen Wilson, Dan Levy, Hasan Minhaj, Chase W. Dillon, Marilu Henner, Lindsay Lamb were originally supposed to walk the red carpet at the premiere of their upcoming film. Instead, however, in observance of the strike’s stipulations, they did not.

Disney

Haunted Mansion

After SAG-AFTRA — the union that comprises the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists —announced it had initiated a strikeon Thursday, members received instructions on what is and isn’t permitted.

This includes promoting new projects, such as tours, personal appearances and attendance at premieres and screenings. Interviews are also off the table, as well as podcast appearances and promotion on social media.

source: people.com