The 'Nanny' actress wins against her rival, the 'Stranger Things' actor, in a race to replace Gabrielle Carteris as the new president of the SAG-AFTRA union.
- September 4, 2021
AceShowbiz - Fran Drescher has been named the new president of the SAG-AFTRA union after beating Matthew Modine to the position.
"The Nanny" star ran for the role on the United for Strength slate and will succeed former "Beverly Hills 90210" star Gabrielle Carteris, who has led the union since 2016.
In a campaign video, Drescher said she would bring "positivity and optimism" to the president gig.
"Together we will navigate through these troubled times of global health crisis and together we will rise up out of the melee to do what we do best, entertain and inform," she said in a statement after her election win. "Only as a united front will we have strength against the real opposition in order to achieve what we all want: more benefits, stronger contracts and better protections. Let us lock elbows and together show up with strength at the negotiating table!"
"Stranger Things" actor Modine was running for the role for the second time on the rival Membership First slate. And while he lost out on the top spot, his running mate Joely Fisher was named the new secretary-treasurer of the organisation.
While it's not unusual to have two people from rival factions in the top positions, it could lead to some tension as Fisher argued during an interview with Variety last month (Aug21) that Drescher lacked experience for the presidential gig.
"Fran Drescher is a shiny object," Fisher said. "She's an accomplished human being. She's a survivor. She's talented. She's a producer. She's a lot of things. Should she be leading the union? Absolutely not."
