Dwayne Johnson, known as The Rock, recently made a "major, historic" gift to the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) Foundation Relief Fund, as reported by The Guardian. This fund offers union members who are participating in strike action emergency financial aid.
Johnson Donates 'Historic' Sum of Money
In a story published in Variety, Johnson's "seven-figure donation" was made in response to a letter issued by the president of the foundation, Courtney B. Vance. The letter was sent to 2,700 of the highest-earning actors working in the film business, including Johnson, known for his roles in the movies Black Adam, Jumanji, and the Fast and Furious franchise.
Cyd Wilson, executive director of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, said, "It's the largest single donation that we've ever received from one individual at one time. And what is amazing is that that one cheque is going to help thousands of actors keep food on their table."
Vance also voiced out his gratitude, saying, "I want to thank Dwayne for his tremendous generosity, compassion, and initiative to step up in this significant and meaningful way for our community. On behalf of the thousands who will be helped by his historic donation, thank you."
The Screen Actors Guild founded the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in 1985 as a non-profit organization to provide various services to union members.
Even before the strike started, the foundation was getting five to ten times as many requests for financial help as they would typically handle in a week. They expect that number is going to continue to climb, according to Wilson, who claimed that many SAG-AFTRA members risk financial ruin during the strike.
Backing From Another Hollywood A-Lister
SAG-AFTRA went on strike for many reasons. These include poor pay, the need for reassurance in the face of the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), and the potential use of an actor's likeness by such technologies.
Tom Cruise recently came forth to officially support the actors' strike, too.
Cruise reportedly showed up unannounced to a Zoom meeting between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) in support of the actors' union. He signed on to the campaign to urge the AMPTP to rethink its AI stance in the era of streaming media.
During their Zoom talk, Cruise allegedly brought up the guild's stance on stunt actors. The actor urged that the AMPTP allow artists to continue promotional tours after the strike ended because of the "fragile state of movie theaters" following the pandemic. He said that advertising movies is important for everyone involved, both the actors and the company.
Strike action has halted production on the actor's newest Mission: Impossible film, as well as dozens of other high-profile films such as the Avatar sequel, Gladiator 2, and Deadpool 3.
