Dwayne Johnson Makes 'Historic' 7-Figure Donation to SAG-AFTRA Relief Fund for Working Actors

The actor has made a "major, historic" donation to the tune of seven figures to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. This donation will reportedly help "thousands" of working actors keep their heads above water.

The actor, who regularly sits toward the top of the highest-paid actors in the business, is putting his money where his clout is to help those actors who aren't bringing in as many commas on their paychecks.

While a specific figure wasn't offered, SAG-AFTRA Foundation head Courtney B. Vance said the actor made the donation to the Emergency Financial Assistance Program right after the strike was called. The Foundation's executive director Cyd Wilson called it the "largest single donation" ever by an individual at one time.

Vance and Wilson sent a letter to 2,700 of the union's highest-paid earners on July 13 as the union was going on strike to discuss the financial needs weighing on their lower-earning members. The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is not part of the union, but is associated with it.

Vance and Wilson told Variety it was a matter of "here we go again" after their Emergency Financial Assistance Program stepped up to help many of the union's 160,000 members during the COVID-19 shutdowns.

The men said that they are normally able to cover their programs with regular donations, but it's in situations like this that things change.

"When we hit a crisis like this and we're going to spend millions and millions of dollars in financial assistance," Wilson told Variety. "This is when we need our high profile talent who can afford it, who are in a situation to help others."

The men say Johnson's team reached out almost immediately to help. They're not inclined to disclose his exact donation, but hope that it "sends a huge message to other folks to do the same thing."

"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,'" said Vance of Johnson. They estimate 7-10,000 members will be in need of their services as the strike drags on.

"I want to thank Dwayne for his tremendous generosity, compassion, and initiative to step up in this significant and meaningful way for our community," said Vance. "On behalf of the thousands who will be helped by his historic donation, thank you, thank you, thank you."

He also wants to encourage anyone and everyone who can to consider donating, as well. "It is a call to arms for all of us to know that we just have to step up however you can," he said. "If your step up is $10, step up. Because that $10 is going to help somebody. If it's $10,000, if it's $10 million, step up, because we have to."

"Everyone knows what happens when you go on strike, when you stand for something -- as the saying goes, if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything," he continued. "You can't stand unless you have support underneath you, on the side, up top and up front. So Dwayne is letting everyone know, 'I'm here. What are you going to do?'"