As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes continue in Hollywood, star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has made the largest single donation to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, according to its president and executive director.
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is a non-profit organization associated with SAG-AFTRA, but not a part of it. The Foundation aims to help provide financial relief to the union’s 160,000 members via an Emergency Financial Assistance Program.
When the SAG-AFTRA strike first became official, SAG-AFTRA Foundation president Courtney B. Vance and executive director Cyd Wilson sent a letter to 2,700 of the union’s highest-earning actors, explaining why donations to the Foundation could prove extremely beneficial to those in need. According to the pair, Dwayne Johnson stepped up almost immediately.
“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 said of his reaction to Johnson’s donation in an interview with Variety. “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.”
Dwayne Johnson’s donation will help up more than 7,000 SAG members
While Vance did not want to share the exact amount of Johnson’s donation, Wilson said that it was “the largest single donation” that the Foundation has ever received. The Foundation grants normally deliver up to $1,500 per individual member, but a lifetime member can receive up to $6,000 if situations are more extreme. According to Wilson, Johnson’s donation will help an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 members in need of financial assistance services.
“It’s the largest single donation that we’ve ever received from one individual at one time,” said Wilson. “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. And it’s not lost on me that he’s very humble about this, but it is a way to get us started.”
Wilson likened the donation and charity to how the Foundation operated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and said that even with Johnson’s donation, there will be more work to be done, as the group could see the strike going “on through the end of the year.”
“This is how we did this during COVID — some of the biggest stars in our industry stepped up,” Wilson said. “For him to step up like this is really going to get us started in the fundraising that we’re going to 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 also praised the ongoing efforts from SAG-AFTRA leadership — including national president of the union Fran Drescher — and once again thanked Johnson immensely for his help.
“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.”