British actress Elizabeth Hurley announced late Sunday she would pay a fine of $100,000 to the US actors' union which accused her of strike breaking.
Hurley, the "face" of Estee Lauder cosmetics group, had apologized in October to the Screen Actors' Guild (SAG), and offered it a contribution of 17,000 English pounds after being booed as a strike breaker at the premiere of her film Bedazzled in Los Angeles.
More than 200 actors were on strike in protest against being paid only once for making a commercial instead of each time it appeared on the screens, as was the case previously. They accused the actress of making an ad for Estee Lauder in July in the middle of the strike.
Hurley, 35, claimed that as she spent most of her time in Britain she was unaware of the strike. But last week the union ordered her to pay an extra 50,000 pounds.
"Although I am deeply disappointed that the trial board disregarded the evidence showing that I never received notice of the strike, I will abide by their decision," Hurley said.
"Although I have a right of appeal, my legal challenges would not serve to benefit those who truly suffered most through the strike.
"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 added.
If the British actress had been expelled from the powerful Screen Actors' Guild she would have been unable to continue working in Hollywood. – AFP.
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