Striking Hollywood actors and writers with disabilities join the picket line

BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- Writers and actors with disabilities joined the picket line alongside other union members outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank Thursday.

They're all hoping that the months-long strike will end soon, so they can all return to work.

"We can wait this out. They're wondering who's going to wait longer - we can wait longer," actor Jack Patterson said. "It is a scramble to make ends meet during this time. But as I said, for actors with disabilities, the employment rates are so low we're used to being in that situation."

"It's been a struggle that is in solidarity with all the other actors and writers in this business," said actor Mark Povinelli. "We're all fighting for the same respect and dignity. It's something that actors with disabilities have been fighting for since the beginning of cinema. We're in this fight long-term."

Actors on the picket line who spoke to Eyewitness News said they want to be included in the discussion when it comes to not only creating and writing about characters with disabilities, but also playing them as well.

"People with disabilities make up 25% of this country," actor Nicole Cyrille said. "When it comes to scripted characters it's 3%. And of that 3%, performers with disabilities only get the opportunity to play 1 to 2% of those."

As talks continue between the studios and unions, the sentiment among the striking members at the picket line is inclusion.

"I think a lot of what happens for disabled folks is not just the physically getting into a space, but also being thought of in terms of who might play the next door neighbor, who might play the school teacher on the acting side," writer David Radcliff said. "Or in the case of building a writers room, what are the voices that we might want in this space to tell more realistic stories."

Disney is the parent company of this station.