Selena Gomez has deleted an Instagram post after being accused of breaking strike rules.
The 31-year-old singer and actress stars as an amateur sleuth in the Hulu/Disney+ show Only Murders in the Building alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short.
On Tuesday (August 29), around the time the latest episode of the TV series premiered, Gomez posted what appeared to be a behind-the-scenes clip on her social media.
The Instagram post was reportedly captioned with the statement: "Missing and wanting," and included a tag for the show’s official account.
Check out the now-deleted post below:According to Variety, the post was deleted after 15 hours and had generated 1.1 million likes.
Although the 'Love You Like A Love Song' singer's caption didn't actively promote the series to her 428 million followers, it still prompted a debate among fans as to whether she broke strike rules - which prohibit actors working on or promoting their projects for the duration of the action.
One person on Twitter wrote: "I truly don't think she did this with malicious intent but the fact of the matter is she is not actively thinking about the strike every day in the way that lower paid actors have to because their actual livelihoods are at stake…which really reveals her privilege."
However, another user said: "People saying she just didn't know this was a promotion as if actors didn't get very detailed and clear instructions about what counts as a promotion from sag aftra..."
A third user remarked that Gomez needs to be "banned" because "she tagged the show promoting it to one of the biggest audiences on social media whilst leaving it up for 15 hours and continuing to be active after comments told her to delete".
A fourth person quipped that she will be "on those picket lines" soon.
SAG-AFTRA is made up of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and represents more than 160,000 media performers. It is the largest performer and broadcasters union, and many of its members are celebrities.
The acting strike began two months after the Writers Guild of America's strike commenced, with the WGA hoping that the addition of actors would improve the fight for better wages, among other demands.
It is the first time since 1960 that both actors and writers have picketed film and television production companies, a move that has shut down Hollywood. Many stars have thrown their support behind the strike, including Jane Fonda, Adam Sandler, Aubrey Plaza, Bryan Cranston, and Brian Cox.
Under the rules, no member can "accept new work for the promotion of struck companies or their content," they must also "refrain from posting on social media about any struck work," whether they are being paid for it or not, and cannot "participate in conventions such as Comic-Con on behalf of or to promote" the corporations that they are striking against.
If the rules are broken, disciplinary action could be anything from a reprimand to a fine, or even full removal from the union.
The third series of Only Murders in the Building is airing on Hulu every Tuesday, kicking off on August 8 and ending on October 3.
Neither Gomez nor other members of the cast have given promotional interviews as per strike rules.
.jpg_2qGvfH?tr=h-40)
.jpg_2qGvfH?tr=h-184)
