Fran Drescher is preparing to run for president of SAG-AFTRA now that Gabrielle Carteris has decided not to seek reelection for a third term.
The actor, known for starring in “The Nanny” and her work in many other TV series and movies, is running on a similar platform as Carteris through Unite for Strength, the faction that has held the top leadership post at SAG-AFTRA since 2009.
Representatives for Drescher could not be immediately reached for comment. A SAG-AFTRA representative declined to comment. News of Drescher’s planned run was first reported by Deadline.
SAG-AFTRA’s formal list of candidates for its upcoming officers election will be revealed next week. The final ballots will be tabulated on Sept. 2.
In 2019, Carteris prevailed in her quest for a second term in a hard-fought election against Matthew Modine. Modine represented the Membership First party that led the Screen Actors Guild in the early 2000s. The political dynamic within the performers union changed significantly after the 2012 merger between SAG and AFTRA.
Carteris first became president in April 2016 following the death of then-president Ken Howard.
Drescher first debuted on screen in a small role in “Saturday Night Fever” starring John Travolta, but she became a household name for co-creating, producing and starring in “The Nanny” on CBS. The actor played Fran Fine, a stylish nanny from Queens who looks after the family of a rich British producer Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy). The show earned an Emmy award during its run from 1993-1999.
Recently, Drescher has starred in the animated film series “Hotel Transylvania” and made her Broadway debut in 2014’s “Cinderella.” She’s also a passionate healthcare advocate, after her own cancer diagnosis in 2000, and an LGTBQ rights activist.