The View fans saw Secret Invasion star Dermot Mulroney walk off the talk show on Friday June 23 to support the ongoing Writer's Guild of America strike.
The actor joined hosts Joy Behar, Ana Devarro, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin to discuss his new Disney+ project, but at the end of the segment, he asked Joy if they were about to cut to break. As she confirmed she was, he said: "Symbolically and in support and solidarity with the writers, I am going to walk off your show."
"I hope to see you on the picket lines," he added, as you can see in the video below.
The moment was applauded by the audience, and ABC producers chose to leave the moment in when it aired for viewers at home on Friday.
"I have such respect for ‘The View,’ a news program with a heart, it was there that I felt comfortable enough to draw attention to the ongoing WGA strike for fair wages and working hours, as I find it incredibly important to continue to support the union." Dermot later told Variety in a statement.
Fans loved the support shown to the WGA, with one writing on the show's Instagram account: "Love the support Mr Mulroney and The View Ladies have shown to the writers!"
Another added: "This is a CLASSIC exit. Politely, gracefully and professionally. I support the writer's strike 100%."
© ABCThe View has stayed on air during the strike because the majority of its staffers are not union members. The show is also mostly unscripted and means the hosts do not rely on staff writers; the few that do work on the show have not crossed the picket line. The writers have been on strike for over 50 days now in a dispute over fair pay.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) called on their members to head to the picket lines after failing to reach a new contract deal with the studios before the writers' current deal expired in early May.
"The companies' behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing," the WGA said in a statement. "No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership."
The guild told its members that all script writing is to cease at once, which means writing work will immediately halt for movies, television and streaming.
Late night shows including Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert all felt the impact immediately ,while awards shows have also pivoted ,with the MTV TV and Film Awards live show being canceled, and the Tonys going ahead with no scripts.
