Hollywood is on strike. Actors and performers from the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), alongside writers from the Writers Guild of America (WGA), have combined to picket film and TV studios — the first time both unions have joined forces since 1960. And support and solidarity hasn’t been confined to the United States.

On Friday, around five hundred people joined Brian Cox, Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis, Hayley Atwell, Imelda Staunton, and Rob Delaney at a London rally in solidarity with striking writers and actors in the United States. Organized by Equity, the British performing arts and entertainment trade union, the rally took place in London’s Leicester Square Gardens in front of a statue of William Shakespeare and surrounded by cinemas, street performers, and sculptures of figures from the world of art and entertainment. The dispute is over concerns ranging from the lack of residual payments from streaming services to the threat that unregulated artificial intelligence (AI) poses to the profession.

Acclaimed actor and comedian Rob Delaney, who hosted the rally, spoke to us about the strike, the struggles of actors and writers, and the importance of solidarity.