As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes continue with seemingly no end in sight, members of those unions—as well as workers in adjacent entertainment fields—are feeling the sting of being without incomes. Fortunately, some of Hollywood’s highest-paid figures have stepped up to help, including showrunner Greg Berlanti, architect of the CW and DC’s Arrowverse.
Variety obtained an email message from Berlanti, addressed to “Fellow Co-Workers,” announcing his intentions to donate “nearly $1 million to current and former employees affected by Hollywood’s ongoing labor strikes and urging ‘other industry workers in a fortunate enough situation’ to do the same.” While we’ve heard of movie stars like the Rock and others sharing their wealth as part of strike relief efforts, Berlanti’s generosity comes the same week we learned his Greg Berlanti Productions was one of several “top creators” who’ve had their deals with Warner Bros. Television suspended due to the work stoppage; Deadline reported that JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot and Mindy Kaling’s Kaling International, among others, are also on the list.
Another prolific producer who announced a strike-relief fund today is American Horror Story’s Ryan Murphy, who is not part of the Warner Bros. empire (he has a deal at Netflix, but is planning a post-strike jump to Disney, according to Deadline). In an Instagram post, Murphy announced the Ryan Murphy Productions Assistance Fund that “will start at $500,000. This fund stands ready to support the exceptional casts and committed crews” that have contributed to the company’s many projects.
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