George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and more donate generously to actors' fund

As the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) strike enters its fourth week, some of Hollywood's highest-earning celebrities have come together to support their fellow actors facing economic hardship. 

The strike, which has brought US film and television production to a standstill, is the first double strike involving both writers and actors since 1960.

A dozen prominent stars, including George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, have each generously donated $1 million or more to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation's actors' support fund. 

Others, such as Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, and Oprah Winfrey, have also made significant contributions. In just three weeks, the nonprofit foundation has managed to raise over $15 million to aid "thousands of journeymen actors" facing financial difficulties.

Courtney B. Vance, the president of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that the entertainment industry is in crisis. The foundation is currently processing an unprecedented number of applications for emergency aid as actors struggle to make ends meet without their paychecks.

The aid program initiated by the foundation aims to provide essential support to actors in need. The funds will help them cover living expenses, pay for utilities, provide for their families, access life-saving prescriptions, and handle medical bills. Despite the perception of actors as highly paid individuals, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher revealed that 86 percent of the union's 160,000 members earn less than $26,500 annually.

The strike's impact has been far-reaching, leading to the shutdown of movie productions, cancellations of glitzy premieres, and delays of events like the Emmys. Additionally, actors have been prohibited from promoting their TV shows during this challenging time.

The unions' demands center around better pay in the streaming era and addressing concerns about the potential threat posed by artificial intelligence to their careers and livelihoods. Studios, on the other hand, argue that they must cut costs due to economic pressures.