Two weeks ago, SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood’s actors guild, joined the WGA on the picket lines. It will likely be a long battle with studio execs, who have bristled at things like paying their workers a decent wage, upping residuals, and ensuring that AI doesn’t take their jobs. Those involved need some help. And lo and behold, among those coming to the rescue are Dwayne Johnson.
As per Variety, guild president Courtney B. Vance and executive director Cyd Wilson recently drafted a letter to the 2,700 highest paid members, asking them to donate to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. First set up in the early days of the pandemic, the non-profit works to provide aid to the union’s 160,000 members. In the letter, they said they usually rely on donations to help those struggling.
“But when we hit a crisis like this and we’re going to spend millions and millions of dollars in financial assistance,” the letter read, “this is when we need our high profile talent who can afford it, who are in a situation to help others.”
It didn’t take long for Johnson to reach out to Vance and offer a “historic” sum, the size of which is not being made public.
“It was a love fest. It’s like, ‘Man, you’re stepping up in a way that is allowing others to know the dire necessity of it,’” Vance told Variety of the call. “This is him saying, ‘In such a time as this, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere, whatever you need me to do.’ And that sends a huge message to other folks to do the same thing.”
SAG-AFTRA Foundation grants deliver up to $1,500 per member, though that sum can go up to $6,000 in cases of medical emergencies.
Johnson has always seemed like a nice guy, though even he’s not immune to bouts of depression. He’s also one of Hollywood’s highest paid actors, who’s even getting his own Fast and Furious spinoff. So good for him for helping out those trying to eke by while those even richer and more powerful than they are get booed in public.
(Via Variety)