Zachary Levi Clarifies Salty Strike Comments: ‘I Fully Support My Union’

Zachary Levi is confirming his support for SAG-AFTRA, as well as his love for the fans.

After the Shazam! Fury of the Gods star called the rules of the ongoing actors strike "so dumb" onstage at Manchester Comic-Con, he has since released a statement clarifying his stance.

"It's come to my attention that an offhand remark I made in jest last weekend is being taken out of context," he said in a statement shared with The Messenger. "So let me be very clear. I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike."

"I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago. This strike is necessary to protect ourselves, our writers, and all those working in production who make the industry move."

"But we also cannot forget our fans during this strike. Fans that spend their money and energy traveling far distances to talk with us about our work that means so much to them, we should be able to engage," added Levi. "Our business exists and succeeds because of the fans, and I think it's imperative we appreciate them for their support of our careers."

Levi, who has previously shown his support for the SAG-AFTRA strike, prefaced his appearance at last weekend's fan convention with a note that he's not allowed to discuss his roles in Shazam!, Chuck and Tangled due to the rules of the strike.

"I'm not allowed to talk about… this is so dumb. I'm not allowed to talk about any of my previous work," he told the audience.

"I'm not allowed to talk about movies that I may be a superhero in. I'm not allowed to talk about TV shows that I may have been a nerd who worked at a Best Buy," added Levi. "I'm not allowed to talk about any animated princess movies that I was fantastic in, as the best prince ever. I'm not allowed to talk about those things."

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) entered the fourth week of its strike on Friday after failed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the trade association representing major streamers and studios.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) previously called a strike on May 1, making it the first double strike for both Hollywood unions since 1960, when Ronald Reagan was SAG President.

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) reached a deal with the AMPTP in early June, which has since been ratified.