Hollywood stars are heeding the SAG-AFTRA Basis’s enchantment, donating $1 million or extra to assist fellow artists throughout the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strikes.
The inspiration mentioned Wednesday that over the previous three weeks it has raised greater than $15 million from a rising record of $1 million donors for the inspiration’s emergency monetary help program, together with:
George and Amal Clooney
Luciana and Matt Damon
Leonardo DiCaprio
Hugh Jackman and Deborah Lee Furness
Dwayne Johnson
Nicole Kidman
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Energetic
Julia Roberts
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Meryl Streep
Oprah Winfrey
“Because of the assist of a few of Hollywood’s highest-paid stars, the inspiration is poised to supply assist and hope to hundreds of daily-workers dealing with overwhelming financial hardship,” the inspiration mentioned in an announcement launched at the moment.
SAG-AFTRA Basis
SAF
“The leisure trade is in disaster and SAG-AFTRA is at the moment processing greater than 30 occasions the standard variety of requests for emergency help,” mentioned SAG-AFTRA President Courtney B. Vance. “We obtained 400 purposes within the final week alone. Our Emergency Monetary Help Program is right here to make sure that actors in want do not lose their houses, have the power to pay for utilities, purchase meals for his or her households, purchase life-saving prescriptions, cowl medical payments and extra. It is a problem. Super, however we’re decided to face this second.For greater than 38 years, the Basis has been a security internet for our neighborhood throughout its most making an attempt occasions.Just like the COVID pandemic, this work stoppage amplifies the precarious dwelling situations and monetary hardship of many actors dwelling paycheck to paycheck. “
Johnson helped begin the marketing campaign with a seven-figure donation, Vance mentioned, noting that Streep and George Clooney, two longtime supporters of the inspiration and leaders of the Home of Representatives, then “stepped up with $1 million in donations, emails and quite a few calls to motion rallying others to offer generously.” We crushed our preliminary aim of getting our employees come collectively, however we’re nonetheless not accomplished. We’ll proceed to fundraise in an effort to meet the huge wants of our neighborhood now and sooner or later.”
Streep and Clooney referred to as on the businesses to finish the strikes. The Writers Guild strike struck the Movement Image and Tv Producers Alliance on Might 2, adopted by SAG-AFTRA on July 14.
“I bear in mind my days as a waiter, janitor, printer, proper as much as my time on the unemployment line,” Streep mentioned in an announcement. “On this strike, I’m lucky to have the ability to assist those that will battle in lengthy enterprise to maintain Joliet. Collectively we are going to stand sturdy towards these highly effective companies bent on taking humanity, human dignity, and even humanness out of our occupation. I’m happy with my fellow actors who instantly provided to fund this system Emergency monetary help.
“We’re able to get again to the desk and do a good cope with AMPTP,” Clooney mentioned. Till then, I’m proud to have the ability to assist the SAG-AFTRA Basis and fellow actors who could also be struggling on this historic second. We now have stood on the shoulders of the likes of Bette Davis and Jimmy Cagney and it’s time for our technology to offer again. I can not thank Courtney sufficient. Kifaya for his willpower to unite this effort by highlighting the human toll that’s happening now, and the way we will work collectively to alleviate a number of the ache and struggling.”