The star-studded cast of “Oppenheimer” walked out of the film’s London premiere early on Thursday, in solidarity with the Hollywood actors’ union, which called its first major strike in more than 40 years.

Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Cillian Murphy, and Florence Pugh walked the red carpet outside the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square cinema, but then exited before the movie’s showing. Director Christopher Nolan told the audience inside the theater that the actors had left to “write their picket signs” in support of the strike.

The strike, which began at midnight on Thursday, is the first time that both Hollywood’s actors and writers have been on strike simultaneously since 1960. It comes after months of negotiations with Hollywood studios failed to achieve a new film and television contract.

SAG-AFTRA, which has approximately 160,000 members, is seeking better pay and working conditions for its members, including residuals from streaming services and the use of artificial intelligence.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the group which represents all the major Hollywood studios, said in a statement that the strike was “the union’s choice, not ours.”

In a news conference on Thursday, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher criticized the studios, saying they “plead poverty, that they are losing money left and right, while they give millions to their CEOs. They stand on the wrong side of history at this very moment.”

The strike is expected to have a significant impact on the film and television industry, as it will prevent actors from working on new projects. It is also likely to lead to delays in the release of some films and television shows.

It is unclear how long the strike will last, but both sides have said that they are committed to reaching a fair agreement.