Generous Hollywood stars unite to raise US$15 million for striking actors

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An impressive display of unity and generosity has risen from the brightest luminaries of Hollywood, each contributing an amount of US$1 million (P55 million) or more, as they respond to the call from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation to support their colleagues amidst the protracted actors and writers strikes.

The Foundation, on Wednesday, unveiled a truly extraordinary accomplishment – they have successfully amassed a whopping US$15 million (P835 million) in a mere three weeks. The astonishing achievement was made attainable by procuring an ever-burgeoning group of benevolent contributors, each bestowing a million dollars towards the Foundation’s Emergency Financial Assistance Program. The continuously growing list stands as a powerful testament to the unwavering backing and commitment exhibited by these notable figures.

As noted by deadline.com, individuals who bestowed US$1 million each to the Foundation included notable names such as George and Amal Clooney, Luciana and Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness, Dwayne Johnson, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, Julia Roberts, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Meryl Streep and Oprah Winfrey. The chain of seven-figure benefaction was instigated by Johnson, according to the same report.

The Foundation expressed immense gratitude in a press statement, stating, “Thanks to the support of some of Hollywood’s top-earning stars, the Foundation is preparing to bring aid and hope to thousands of journeymen actors facing tremendous economic hardship.”

The current predicament faced by the entertainment industry is a crisis like no other, and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation is currently processing an unprecedented number of applications for emergency assistance – more than 30 times what they generally handle. Foundation president Courtney B. Vance revealed, “We received 400 applications in the last week alone. Our Emergency Financial Assistance Program is here to ensure that performers in need don’t lose their homes, have the ability to pay for utilities, buy food for their families, purchase life-saving prescriptions, cover medical bills and more. It’s a massive challenge, but we’re determined to meet this moment. For more than 38 years, the Foundation has been a safety net for our community during its most challenging times, and much like the Covid pandemic, this work stoppage magnifies the precarious living conditions and financial distress of many actors living paycheck to paycheck.”