More than 100 women, including Ellen Barkin and Allison Janney, have voiced support for Matthew Modine’s campaign for SAG-AFTRA presidency, following a joke at a SAG-AFTRA meeting that some decried as misogynist.
With voting set to conclude on Aug. 28, the campaigns have featured vitriolic attacks between supporters of Modine, secretary-treasurer Jane Austin and incumbent president Gabrielle Carteris for several weeks.
The latest incident took place on Aug. 16 at a town hall meeting featuring Austin, Carteris and Modine, organized by the UnionWorking group. During the Q&A portion, Modine responded with a joke when asked why he’s the best choice by saying, “Because I’m the only man running…?”
Modine then explained that he was the only man who had been invited to participate in the town hall. Two other candidates – Abraham Justice and Queen Alljahye Searles – were not invited by the organizers.
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In recent days, Carteris supporters have included altered images of Modine’s campaign ads on social media. Los Angeles board member Rob Archer tweeted, “Misogynistic jokes aren’t funny any more, Matthew.”
The Modine supporters, including Rosanna Arquette, Frances Fisher, Diane Ladd and Daphne Zuniga, said in their statement, “We, the undersigned, having known, worked with, or served with Matthew Modine throughout our careers resoundingly condemn the recent social media attacks made by his political opponents in an effort to assault and malign his character following his appearance at the recent non-partisan UnionWorking ‘Presidential Town Hall’ event.”
“His support of feminist principles and determined efforts to create workable union policies pertaining to sexual harassment within our industry, as well as his advocacy for protection of female members in Heartbeat Law states – currently ignored by our union leadership – illustrate his support for women.”
“We deplore the politics of personal destruction,” the letter added. “As a matter of political discourse, it’s acceptable to argue facts – but it is simply wrong to personally attack and impugn any opponent’s character. We therefore reject, out of hand, in the strongest possible terms, ths ugly mischaracterization of Matthew Modine’s words by members of Unite for Strength and their political allies.”