BBC News Online: Entertainment

Hurley fined for strike-breaking ad

The 35-year-old star has had the fine imposed by the trial board of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) for breaking a five-month strike by appearing in a perfume advertisement for Estée Lauder.

Ms Hurley said she was unaware of the strike because she was based in the UK and the union had not informed her of the industrial action.

"Although I have a right of appeal, my legal challenges would not serve to benefit those who truly suffered most through the strike," she said.

"I hope that by paying the fine imposed by the trial board, rather than appealing the decision, I will be helping the families of guild members who were harmed by the strike and are in need of assistance."

She did not gain financially from the advert because of an all-in deal with Estée Lauder and said she would never would have appeared in it had she been aware of the strike.

Opening-night picket

She has already made a payment of £17,000 to the guild's strike relief fund, so the board has agreed to her paying the difference of £53,000.

The actress was confronted by an actors' picket at the US première of her new movie Bedazzled in October.

Protesters demonstrated with banners reading "Elizabeth Scably".

The SAG ended the strike against advertisers over pay in October.

It was joined in the action by members of the American Federation of Television and Radio artists (AFTRA).

At the centre of the actors' row with advertisers were "pay-for-play" residuals - money paid to actors which depends on how often their commercials are broadcast.