2023-07-26 12:21:00
The “Fast and Furious” actor has been very generous in supporting the revolt of actors and screenwriters that is currently disrupting Hollywood filming.
By Marc Fourny American actor Dwayne Johnson in Los Angeles, California, November 3, 2021. © Jim Ruymen/UPI/MaxPPP Posted 07/26/2023 12:21 PM
It’s called putting your hand in your pocket… Dwayne Johnson wrote a check for at least a million dollars to support the artists currently on strike in Hollywood. The exact sum has not been revealed, but the donation is at least “in seven figures”, specifies the site of Variety.
“This is the largest individual donation we have ever received,” revealed the management of the SAG-AFTRA union, which defends the interests of artists. “This check will help thousands of actors whether it is to feed themselves, ensure the safety of their children or make their car run…”
The union, which joined the strike launched by screenwriters last May in mid-July, recently sent a letter to the 2,700 wealthiest stars of the profession to encourage them to make a donation to the emergency fund, managed by a foundation , in order to help their colleagues in difficulty due to work stoppages.
Dwayne Johnson would then have reacted quickly by joining the movement. “At such a time, I am with you, whatever your needs,” he privately told leaders of the movement. Other stars would also have participated in the kitty, for example Jamie Lee Curtis who made a check for 25,000 dollars last week for the same cause.
Meryl Streep and DiCaprio stand together
In general, the actors of the list A – the best paid in the profession – remain discreet on the subject for the moment. Difficult, for them, to join the pickets of the Sag-Aftra or the Writers Guild of America in front of the major studios or the headquarters of Netflix, recalls Variety…
Their gesture could not only cost them dearly professionally by branding them with a hot iron, but also risks being misunderstood by the general public in view of their personal fortunes and their tailor-made contracts with the studios.
But some stars did not hesitate to take a stand, such as Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence, who signed a letter showing their solidarity, or Leonardo DiCaprio in a message on Instagram. Last Tuesday, several celebrities like Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) et Jessica Chastain (Interstellar) even went to demonstrate in Times Square, New York.
A strong gesture
In this context, Dwayne Johnson’s check is a strong gesture. The former wrestler, aka “The Rock”, is now a pillar of the Hollywood industry. Both actor and producer, known for collecting muscle films and box office hits with franchises Jumanji or Fast and Furious, he is at the head of a fortune estimated at 300 million dollars and remains one of the highest paid actors in the world. By getting wet, he doesn’t necessarily take a lot of risks, but he could encourage other megastars to imitate him, discreetly or not.
READ ALSO“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”: Tom Cruise at war with artificial intelligenceVariety recalls that 87% of Sag-Aftra member actors earn less than $26,000 a year, forcing them to have several other odd jobs to qualify for health insurance. The foundation then allows them to hold on, especially in times of crisis, going so far as to distribute up to 1,500 dollars to their members, or even more.
For the time being, the union has agreed to authorize the continuation of around forty filming during the movement, films or series produced by independent studios, knowing that the strikers are mainly targeting major studios and streaming platforms in asking in particular for a better contribution and guarantees on the use of artificial intelligence.
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