Leslie David Baker announced Thursday that he will refund $100,000 to donors of his “Uncle Stan” spin-off series of “The Office” after postponing the project.
The 65-year-old actor stated his support for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) strikes that have slowed down Hollywood productions, saying his reprised role as Stanley Hudson will be stalled indefinitely until an agreement is reached. (RELATED: One Of The World’s Biggest TV Series, ‘The Chosen,’ Manages To Avoid SAG Shut Down By Asking Nicely)
“As you are all aware, SAG is now on strike and we will continue to be on hold indefinitely until an agreement is reached. We stand in solidarity with those in the entertainment industry and will do our part in supporting WGA and SAG during these times,” Baker wrote in an Instagram post.
Baker explained that the project “took longer than anticipated due to circumstances beyond our control.” He said that “into rail delays were caused by COVID lockdowns and pushed us back further than expected.”
All donations made to Baker’s 2020 Kickstarter campaign for “Uncle Sam” will be fully refunded. Baker assured that while the campaign page showed that $336,450.53 were donated in total, this amount is incorrect, according to People. The campaign actually received $110,629.81, People reported.
“We apologize about the delay in updates, we have been working behind the scenes to get everything on track and rewards fulfilled. We are just as excited as all of you to get this project out and truly appreciate all of your patience and support,” Baker wrote.
“Uncle Stan” is set to follow Baker’s iconic character, Stanley Hudson, coming out of retirement. Baker posted a short promotional video on his Instagram account on June 30.