Actress Anne Hathaway walked out of a Vanity Fair photo shoot on Tuesday morning in solidarity with the Condé Nast Union’s ongoing 24-hour work stoppage. The union, consisting of nearly 400 members working at Condé Nast, is protesting alleged unlawful negotiation practices.
Hathaway, who was unaware of the work stoppage upon arriving at the New York City photo shoot, left the set as soon as her team was informed by a SAG-AFTRA staffer about the ongoing protest.
Sources reveal that the actress had not even begun the photo shoot when she decided to support the work stoppage after being briefed on the situation. The union members, including employees from Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ, Allure, and other Condé Nast publications, gathered for a rally in front of the company’s offices in New York City. The protest coincided with the announcement of the 2024 Oscar nominations, taking place at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Anne Hathaway walked out of a Vanity Fair photoshoot this morning in solidarity with the Condé Nast union after being made aware of their walkout.
The strike comes after Condé Nast said it would lay off approximately 5% of its staff. The workers are protesting management’s… pic.twitter.com/8QFZGEGHth
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 23, 2024
Videos shared on the union’s social media platform depicted protesters holding signs with messages such as “Layoffs are out of fashion,” and chanting, “Say it loud, say it clear, winter’s extra cold this year,” in a play on Anna Wintour’s name.
The union had previously indicated potential walkout plans on social media, emphasizing their commitment to resisting alleged union-busting and layoffs.
Last week, Condé Nast merged Pitchfork with GQ, leading to layoffs at the digital music publication, including the departure of editor-in-chief Puja Patel.
Anna Wintour, Condé Nast’s chief content officer and global editorial director of Vogue, explained the changes in a memo, citing a careful evaluation of Pitchfork’s performance and the best path forward for the brand.
Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch had previously announced in November 2023 that the company would undergo layoffs of over 300 employees and implement cost-reduction measures to enhance efficiency.
