Dwayne Johnson makes “major, historic” donation to help actors during SAG-AFTRA strike
We don't know how much money he gave, but it will reportedly help "thousands" of actors keep food on the table
Aux News SAG
We heard just last week that Dwayne Johnson is apparently getting $50 million to star in the upcoming Prime Video holiday movie Red One, which would be the biggest paycheck an actor has ever gotten for a single production—not counting any bonuses—and would also solidify Johnson’s regular position at the top of the list of highest-paid actors in any given year (not counting the year George Clooney topped the list by selling his tequila company). But The Rock isn’t just sitting on his gold and jewels like a dragon in a fantasy novel, waiting for some adventurer to come in and haul off his treasure hoard. No, he’s actually doing at least one nice thing with it!
According to Courtney B. Vance, head of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation (a non-profit organization that is not officially part of the union but, among other things, helps SAG-AFTRA members with financial relief during hard times), Johnson made a “major, historic” donation to the foundation’s Emergency Financial Assistance Program right after the strike was called. How major and how historic? Well, nobody will say the specific number, but it’s in the seven figures, and foundation executive director Cyd Wilson says it’s the “largest single donation” they’ve ever received from one person at one time. So it’s pretty major and pretty historic.
Wilson also told Variety that Johnson’s donation will help “thousands of actors keep food on their table, and keep their kids safe, and keep their cars running,” explaining that most SAG-AFTRA members don’t even get paid enough acting to cover health insurance and have to work second or third jobs to pay their bills, so big donations like this during the strike can help them avoid “financial ruin.” Wilson also noted that it’s “not lost” on him that Johnson is being “very humble about this,” and that is worth pointing out.
The man is a former wrestler and has always been a proud self-promoter, so it’s nice that he did this good thing for striking actors just for the sake of doing a good thing (the SAG-AFTRA Foundation also hopes that this will inspire other rich actors to open their wallets, which would be good). Plus, we can all probably agree that we’ve been a little tired of seeing this guy lately, since Dave Bautista is a better wrestler-turned-actor and John Cena tends to be a funnier wrestler-turned-actor, but this could go a long way in making us like him again. Not far enough for us to reappraise Black Adam, but far enough that we might be a little more excited to see him in a Fast And Furious movie again.
37 Comments
It’s the least candy-ass thing he’s ever done.
good one
Right. He’s annoying and hugely full of himself and I can’t really stand him generally, but this is a good move, I have to give credit. This is what people with immense wealth should be doing all the time.
Dang. Now I feel a little bad making fun of how overpaid he is based on how consistently his movies have bombed throughout his career.But if producers want to redistribute the wealth through him, more power to him I guess.
Starting with Fast Five his movies have definitely not “consistently” bombed. He has at least ten or so movies that turned a significant profit in the last decade, where he was the main star.
both things can be true. he is overpaid and his products are middling. but if you’re going to give someone money for producing work that doesn’t warrant it, it’s good you give it to someone who will share.
$ 10,000.00?
figures don’t include cents. He donated no less than *pinkies up* one million dollars
They never mentioned the currency. Could be 1,000,000 rupiah.
I know this is stupid, but I’ve had a bad day, and I just want to know the number.
At least is a minimum 1 mill?
IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT THE NUMBER IS!
(sorry, I couldn’t resist. I hope today’s better!)
Well, it’s somewhere between $1,000,000 and $9,999,999, which narrows it down from infinity.
Can’t just say he did a good thing and leave it at that. Tom “cult cocksucker” Cruise would’ve gotten a snark free write up if he’d have done the same.
It doesn’t matter how long the strike goes on. Rocks millions and millions of dollars will keep the blue collar actors eating pie for years.
What about those that prefer strudel?
Whatever he’s cooking, they’ll smell it.
It doesn’t matter what you prefer!
Strudel is just swirly pie.
What about Pancakes?
If I join SAG-AFTRA can I also get pie?
his one good contribution to the art so acting so far. It seems like a PR push as much as general care for his industry others, but he can afford it and helps the folks struggling so good-o!
Came for “decided to quit acting so studio executives wouldn’t pay one guy 50 million dollars for boiler plate tough guy trash worse than Rambo, First Blood Part III.”Leaving disappointed.
Hey! HEY! Listen here, you ingrate: Red Notice provided work for hundreds of green screens.
Okay, Dwayne has earned himself a month’s reprieve from endless “third best wrestling actor behind Bautista & Cena” comments.
Are you forgetting Rowdy Roddy Piper?
He had one great performance that he never really capitalized on. Same with Andre. Those three are the top three.
What about Jesse Ventura and Hulk Hogan?
What about them?
That’s too far. I’m gutted.
Good on him. Hopefully this has earned him enough good will to get a break from being this site’s third favorite guy to bash on.
based
He’s got a big ego and has been wayyy too conservative in picking his roles, but he is a good guy. Everyone (except Vin Diesel) has nice things to say about him, going back 27+ years to wrestling.
Is Dave Bautista a better actor than Dwayne Johnson? I’m not so sure.He’s definitely not as insufferable, I’ll give you that.
This is nice to hear, good for him. I hop it inspires others to do similar, even if it is just for similar attention and goodwill. I am tired of the Rock and his ego, his craven branding for his stupid energy drinks and tequila, displayed prominently in lame social media posts. But after being humbled by the shitshow of Black Adam and his sudden lack of other franchise prospects, and retreating to a live action Moana and a return to F&F, maybe he is going to be less annoying.
This is just like that time he helped out the striking wrestlers in their union.Oh. Wait…
What a guy