As PWMania.com previously reported, Hollywood is currently essentially shut down due to the ongoing strike of SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and WGA (Writers Guild of America) members seeking higher wages and better working conditions. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins recently stated his support for the members and how the strike is beneficial to pro wrestling. You can read those comments by clicking here.
In an update, WWE Legend and Hollywood heavyweight Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently made a seven-figure donation to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, a non-profit organization affiliated with but not part of the union that works to provide financial assistance to the union’s 160,000 members through the foundation’s Emergency Financial Assistance Program.
Courtney B. Vance, President of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, and Executive Director Cyd Wilson recently spoke with Variety about how they drafted a letter to 2,700 of the union’s highest-earning actors on July 13 as SAG-AFTRA leadership declared the union would go on strike. The letter outlined the financial difficulties that many people would face as a result of the work stoppage.
Soon after sending the letter, The Rock’s team contacted him to say he wanted to assist, so he and Vance jumped on the phone.
“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 Rock about his contribution to the fund. “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.”
The exact amount of Rock’s personal seven-figure donation is being kept confidential, according to Vance, but he was heartened by Rock’s generosity. To give you an idea of the magnitude of Rock’s donation, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s grants are worth up to $1,500 per individual member, but in extreme cases where there are health issues or other situations that indicate an actor is in serious danger, a lifetime member can receive up to $6,000 in emergency financial assistance. As a result, Rock’s seven-figure donation has the potential to help thousands of actors, with Wilson estimating that 7,000 to 10,000 members will require these services.
“It is a call to arms for all of us to know that we just have to step up however you can,” Vance adds. “If your step up is $10, step up. Because that $10 is going to help somebody. If it’s $10,000, if it’s $10 million, step up, because we have to. Everyone knows what happens when you go on strike, when you stand for something — as the saying goes, if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for everything — you can’t stand unless you have support underneath you, on the side, up top and up front. So Dwayne is letting everyone know, ‘I’m here. What are you going to do?’”
When asked how she reacted when she learned of Rock’s donation, Wilson revealed that it is the Foundation’s largest single donation from one individual at one time.
“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 check is going to help thousands of actors keep food on their table, and keep their kids safe, and keep their cars running,” Wilson said. “And it’s not lost on me that he’s very humble about this, but it is a way to get us started. This is how we did this during COVID — some of the biggest stars in our industry stepped up. For him to step up like this is really going to get us started in the fundraising that we’re going I need to do, because everything we’re hearing and seeing, we feel we have to be prepared that this could go on through the end of the year. We’re going to have to be able to help these people in the long run. We have 160,000 SAG-AFTRA performers and that’s a lot of people that are going to need our help. This donation is the kickstart we needed in the first week of what we think will be a long haul.”
Vance added, “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, thank you, thank you.”
