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Now union boss: actress Fran Drescher
Photo: NBC / Getty Images
In these days, when GdL boss Claus Weselsky can be seen so often on the screens, this news could be a little change: Fran Drescher, known from the 1990s as the leading actress in the TV comedy series »Die Nanny«, became president of the SAG-AFTRA union elected.
Two factions faced each other
The union, which is the successor to the traditional Screen Actors Guild, is the largest organization for the representation of actors and actresses.
Drescher defeated Matthew Modine, whose best-known role was that of the Private Joker in the film "Full Metal Jacket" (1987).
Fran Drescher received 16,958 votes, Modine 15,371.
The two stars represented two factions of the union that have been facing each other for a long time.
Drescher belongs - like her predecessor Gabrielle Carteris, who retired after two terms of office - to the group "Unite for Strength".
The opposition "Membership First" led by Modine campaigned for a sharper line in the contract negotiations with the major film studios.
The division of the organization was also made clear by the fact that the "Membership First" candidate Joely Fisher prevailed over Drescher's list colleague Anthony Rapp for the office of treasurer.
"Together we will steer through these difficult times," said Fran Drescher in a statement after the election.
"If you voted for my competitor, I want you to know that we have never been far apart in our goals." She promised to listen and "fight like hell" to get what the members want .
In the recent pay dispute between "Black Widow" star Scarlett Johansson and the Disney group, the outgoing union leader Carteris had clearly sided with the actress.
One of the supporters of Fran Drescher was Tom Hanks.
Sharon Stone, however, ran on the "Membership First" list.
Past Chairs of the Screen Actors Guild have included Ronald Reagan, Charlton Heston, and the late Ed Asner.
The organization, which merged with the radio and television actors' union AFTRA in 2012, has more than 116,000 active members.
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