Actors lend support to writers strike

Eva Longoria and Seinfeld star Julia Louis-Dreyfus have lent their support to the writers' strike which is threatening to cripple Hollywood.

As strikers converged on the Los Angeles set of Desperate Housewives, Longoria handed out pizzas to the protesters during a break.

Meanwhile, Louis-Dreyfus took to the picket line with the strikers as they attempted to disrupt filming.

The strike by the 12,000-strong Writers Guild of America (WGA) begin after a disagreement over royalties.

The union is seeking extra payments for their work when it is re-used on other platforms such as DVDs, the internet and mobile phones.

Longoria told reporters: "It's in the best interest of the entertainment community to begin a meaningful dialogue as soon as possible."

Production on at least six TV sitcoms have reportedly stopped because of the action.

Stars of the US version of The Office did not show up for work on Tuesday, while cast members from ER came out to back strikers at the Warner Bros studios.

In New York, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Show with David Letterman are both airing re-runs after their scriptwriters walked off the job.

It is the first strike since 1988, when industrial action lasted 22 weeks.

Studios are said to have stocked up on dozens of movie scripts in the hope they can ride out the strike.

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