Breakthrough in Hollywood actors' deadlock: report

Hollywood's feuding producers and actors' unions could be close to ending their nine-month contract stand-off after weeks of back channel talks, it was reported Monday.

The Los Angeles Times said that leaders from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) were "very close" to resolving the sticking points which have held up a deal.

Members of Hollywood's biggest actors' union have been working without a formal contract after the two sides failed to agree a new deal to replace a previous agreement that expired on June 30 last year.

Multiple attempts to broker a new deal -- including failed talks in February -- have foundered since then. SAG is seeking bigger royalties from sales and showings of work screened on the Internet.

However the Los Angeles Times, citing people familiar with the situation, reported Monday that SAG's interim executive director David White and a group of top entertainment executives had been meeting regularly in recent weeks.

The Times report said that although some points were yet to be resolved, the two sides had reached agreement over the most contentious issue: the expiration date of the new deal.

Neither SAG nor the AMPTP could immediately be reached for comment.

The possibility of a potentially devastating actors' walkout was raised in December, when hardline union leaders announced that a ballot of members would be held to seek authorization for a strike.

However that announcement was met with anger by moderates within SAG, who successfully forced out lead negotiator Doug Allen, raising hopes of a deal.