Rock's Record-Breaking $1 Million SAG Donations Outshined by George Clooney, Ryan Reynolds, and Blake Lively's Unexpected Contributions

George Clooney, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Dwayne Johnson Shutterstock (4)

In response to Dwayne The Rock" Johnson's $1 million donation to the SAG-AFTRA fund, additional Hollywood A-listers are now stepping forward to contribute. According to SAG-AFTRA Foundation president Courtney B. Vance, the entertainment industry is currently facing a crisis and the foundation is experiencing a significant increase - 30 times the usual number - in applications for emergency aid. In just the past week, they have received 400 applications. Despite the immense challenge, the foundation remains determined to rise to the occasion.

The SAG Foundation has raised over $15 million for their emergency financial assistance program since the actors' guild went on strike last month. Some of Hollywood's highest-earning actors, including George and Amal Clooney, Luciana Barroso and Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, Julia Roberts, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Meryl Streep, have made significant donations. Following Dwayne Johnson's lead, who recently made a seven-figure contribution, other celebrities are also donating. Johnson's donation is the largest single donation the organization has ever received from one person, according to Cyd Wilson, the foundation's executive director.

In his statement on Wednesday, Vance expressed his gratitude for the incredible and immediate response from the community to help their fellow performers. He highlighted Johnson's role in kick-starting the campaign and also thanked Streep and George for their generous donations, emails, and calls-to-action that inspired others to give. Vance announced that as a result of the latest donations, the SAG Foundation has exceeded their initial goal. However, he emphasized that the fundraising efforts will continue to address the ongoing and overwhelming needs of the community.

Streep shared her past experiences as a waiter, cleaner, typist, and time spent on unemployment, emphasizing the importance of giving back. She expressed her support for those who will face challenges in a prolonged strike against powerful corporations that seek to strip away humanity and dignity from the acting profession. Streep commended her fellow actors for their immediate contributions to the Emergency Financial Assistance Program.

On the other hand, George issued his own statement on July 13 prior to the strike. He expressed readiness to negotiate a fair deal with AMPTP and proud support for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and fellow actors experiencing difficulties during this historic moment. George recognized the influence of icons like Bette Davis and Jimmy Cagney, emphasizing the need for our generation to give back.

He expressed gratitude to Vance, specifically, for his determination in organizing this effort and bringing attention to the current human toll. He emphasized the importance of collaboration to alleviate the pain and suffering experienced by those currently unemployed.

Since July 14, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has been on strike due to an ongoing disagreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The guild's concerns revolve around fairer wages, streaming residuals, artificial intelligence, and other issues that the AMPTP could not agree upon when negotiating a new contract.

SAG members joined the picket lines two months after the Writers Guild of America (WGA) initiated their own strike against the AMPTP due to similar conflicts. This marks the first simultaneous strike of both actors and writers unions since 1960. In addition to making substantial donations, numerous celebrities have demonstrated their support for the strikes by either participating in picketing outside studios in New York City and Los Angeles or openly sharing their personal experiences in the industry.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last month, Mandy Moore, famous for her role as Rebecca Pearson on the critically acclaimed show This Is Us, discussed the possibility of actors being able to survive on residuals if they are fairly compensated. However, she noted that this is not usually the case. Moore expressed gratitude for her fortunate position as a successful working actor but acknowledged that in the past, many actors in similar positions were able to sustain themselves by relying on residuals or at least covering their expenses. As an example, she mentioned receiving minimal streaming residuals of only 81 cents for the popular NBC series.

Robert Carradine, known for his role in Lizzie McGuire with Hilary Duff, provided concrete evidence of the strike's importance. He posted a photo on Instagram last week, revealing that he received absolutely no residuals, amounting to $0.00, for the show in August 2019. This was despite the fact that the entire series is accessible for streaming on Disney+.