On Friday, the actor expressed his support for the ongoing strikes in a statement Instagram post dedicated to his acting coach Aaron Speiser.
“I want to talk about ACTING for a minute,” he wrote in the caption of the post. “As some of you may have heard, my guild @SAGAFTRA is on strike along with our fellow writers in the WGA. It is a defining moment for our profession.”
Smith then described an ongoing internal struggle to process all of his success in the industry over the years.
“[Thirty-three] I’ve been an actor for years, and there are still days when I feel like a Philly kid borrowing time, even though I know I’m extraordinarily blessed and fortunate to have been an actor full-time to have time,” he said, before thanking Speiser for his support and encouragement over the years.
Smith explained that Speiser recently invited him to an acting class where he met “a group of our talented next generation of actors.” He shared a picture with the group where he was all smiling.
SAG-AFTRA voted to go on strike earlier this month after negotiations with film and television studios collapsed. WGA members have been on strike since May. It is the first time since the 1960s that both unions have gone on strike at the same time. Hollywood writers and actors are striking, among other things, for better wages and conditions in the streaming age and for protective measures by studios when using artificial intelligence.
The ceremony was originally scheduled to air on September 18.