Leaked Email Sparks Controversy Among Hollywood Guilds
In a leaked email that has caused an uproar within the Hollywood community, Linda Montanti, chair of the Directors Guild of America’s (DGA) Western AD/UPM Council, strongly advised against the election of ten writer-directors to the guild’s board. The email criticized the candidates for being primarily writers and members of “fringe groups.” The leaked email, which has circulated widely, has outraged many members of the industry.
The leaked email took many industry insiders by surprise, as it demonstrates the internal tensions escalating within Hollywood’s guilds. The DGA is not officially endorsing Montanti’s actions, as DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter reached out to the affected members to assure them that Montanti’s move was not supported by top DGA leaders.
The leaked email was sent just two days before the DGA’s National Convention, where Montanti urged DGA voters not to support the candidacies of several multihyphenates who are members of both the DGA and Writers Guild of America (WGA). The list included prominent figures such as writer-producer Boots Riley, Oscar-winning writer-director Sian Heder, actor-filmmaker Justine Bateman, actor-writer Paul Scheer, and “Chernobyl” creator Craig Mazin.
The leaked email has further intensified the ongoing tensions between the WGA and DGA. While the WGA has been on strike against major studios and streamers for four months, and SAG-AFTRA has been on strike since July 14, the DGA reached a new three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in June. Montanti’s email has exposed the rigidities within the DGA and the divide between its established players and the more “activist” stances of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
The leaked email and its pointed message about fellow DGA members have sparked outrage and concern among industry insiders. The email has been widely shared with members of the Writers Guild of America via private channels. The DGA spokesman called the comments made in the email about members “unacceptable” and emphasized that it was not part of a coordinated effort by DGA leaders.
DGA President Glatter personally called the names on the list to address the issue and express her disapproval. She followed up with an email to over 200 writer-director DGA members, acknowledging the tensions between the two guilds and the need to repair trust and build open communication.
The leaked email, which characterizes some of its writer members as “pot-stirring,” has generated controversy within the DGA. Many industry insiders are concerned that the email reflects a resistance to activism within the guild and an attempt to isolate writer-director members.
While all eight individuals named in Montanti’s email declined to comment, the controversy surrounding the leaked email has sparked discussions and debates within Hollywood’s guilds. The leaked email has shed light on the internal tensions and divisions within Hollywood’s creative community and the challenges faced by multihyphenate members who straddle both the DGA and WGA.