Liz & Dick Lindsay Lohan Director's Chairs Portrait - H 2012
The Hollywood union that represents most crewmembers on movies on television programs said Wednesday that it’s monitoring hours and working conditions on the Lifetime movie Liz & Dick in the wake of reports over the weekend that star Lindsay Lohan suffered from exhaustion and dehydration from overwork and that two crewmembers went to the hospital for the same reason.
IATSE’s division director of motion picture and television production Mike Miller said in a statement that the organization “ha(s) had union representatives on the set since last Friday [June 15] and will continue to monitor the hours and working conditions there.”
STORY: Unions Investigating ‘Liz & Dick’ After Lindsay Lohan, Crew Allegedly Overworked (Exclusive)
The Hollywood Reporter first reported on the investigations by IATSE and actors union SAG-AFTRA on Tuesday.
Miller added, “The IATSE is on top of the situation on the set of Lifetime’s Liz & Dick. We take very seriously the safety and well-being of our crews and are dedicated to seeing that they are protected from hazardous working conditions.”
The statement came just hours after the actors union SAG-AFTRA said that its representatives had visited, “and will continue to visit,” the set of the biopic about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
PHOTOS: Lifetime’s ‘Liz & Dick’: New Images of Lindsay Lohan, Grant Bowler
Lifetime has referred requests for comment to producer Larry Thompson, who did not immediately respond. However, earlier in the day, Thompson said in a statement to THR, “An AFTRA rep visited us on the set late yesterday afternoon and was TOTALLY fine with everything.”
SAG-AFTRA, however, said that it “will ensure that all applicable penalties will be paid” — but a spokeswoman subsequently told THR that the union was not, at least at this time, asserting publicly that penalties (such as for alleged violation of union rules regarding working hours) are in fact due.
Bookmark The Hollywood Reporter’s Labor Page for the most in-depth coverage of entertainment unions and guilds.
Email: jhandel@att.net
Twitter: @jhandel
