Sean Penn is REFUSING to work on his new series Gaslit until every cast and crew member received the COVID-19 vaccination
Sean Penn is taking a stand in a way that may shake up the whole movie and TV industry, refusing to work on his new show Gaslit until every cast and crew member is vaccinated from COVID-19.
The actor's line in the sand comes just days after he premiered his new directorial effort Flag Day, which he also stars in, at the Cannes Film Festival.
Penn is offering to facilitate the vaccination effort at no charge to the cast and crew, according to a report from Deadline.
Sean insists: Sean Penn is taking a stand in a way that may shake up the whole movie and TV industry, refusing to work on his new show Gaslit until every cast and crew member is vaccinated from COVID-19
Cannes: The actor's line in the sand comes just days after he premiered his new directorial effort Flag Day, which he also stars in, at the Cannes Film Festival
Production started back in late April in Los Angeles, with Penn reportedly only having a few weeks left until he wraps on the series.
Gaslit's studio, NBCUniversal has made vaccination mandatory for production members in 'Zone A,' which includes cast members and others in close proximity to the cast.
The studio has also made an on-site vaccination clinic available to cast and crew, and they will return within 21 days to administer the second dose.
Wrap: Production started back in late April in Los Angeles, with Penn reportedly only having a few weeks left until he wraps on the series
Apparently these measures aren't good enough for Penn, who himself is fully vaccinated, though the report insists he's not trying to embarrass the studio.
Penn is making these demands because he believes any one person on set who is unvaccinated puts the entire production at risk.
While Zone A production members are required to be vaccinated, other crew members can still come into proximity and potentially spread the virus.
Vaccinated: Apparently these measures aren't good enough for Penn, who himself is fully vaccinated, though the report insists he's not trying to embarrass the studio
Penn becomes one of the first major stars to demand more of a studio or a production when it comes to COVID-19 safety.
His demands are especially timely in Los Angeles, where the show films, where the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus has caused cases to rise steadily over the past month.
Filming on the series takes place indoors in Burbank, though, aside from Zone A members, vaccination is not mandatory.
Major star: Penn becomes one of the first major stars to demand more of a studio or a production when it comes to COVID-19 safety
Gaslit is a modern take on the Watergate political scandal of the 1970s, 'centering on untold stories and forgotten characters of the time.
Penn plays John Mitchell, President Nixon's Attorney General, while Julia Roberts plays his wife Martha.
The series also stars Dan Stevens, Betty Gilpin, Allison Tomlin, Darby Camp, Shea Whigham and Anne Dudek.
New show: Penn plays John Mitchell, President Nixon's Attorney General, while Julia Roberts plays his wife Martha
