Writer-producer-directors Ryan Murphy and Greg Berlanti each launched strike funds to benefit their striking casts and crews. Murphy owns Ryan Murphy Productions and is the creator of American Horror Story; Berlanti owns Berlanti Productions and directed Love, Simon.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Murphy committed $500,000 to launch the Ryan Murphy Productions Assistance Fund, “which stands ready to support the exceptional casts and committed crews of Ryan Murphy Productions.”
According to Variety, Berlanti set aside $500,000 for his employees, and also donated $300,000 to the Motion Picture and Television Fund and the Entertainment Community Fund.
WGA members went on strike on May 2 in a dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers; SAG-AFTRA joined the WGA on the pickets lines on July 14. The two strikes stopped production on most TV shows and movies in the United States.
The Funds Set Up by Ryan Murphy and Greg Berlanti Help Thousands of Striking Workers
“Every story we’ve woven, each character brought to life, and every set constructed carry with them an inimitable thread of collaboration,” says Murphy on an Instagram post. “As my colleagues face the challenges brought forth by the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the imperative to support each other is even more pronounced. Together, we will navigate through this chapter and before long, we’ll once again create, inspire and innovate within the industry we love.”
Ryan Murphy Productions projects with cast and crew eligible for assistance include Nip/Tuck, Glee, Hollywood, Halston, The Prom, The Politician, AHS, Feud, Scream Queens, Ratched, American Crime Story, The Watcher, The Normal Heart, The Watcher, and Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
“I realize not knowing when your job might return creates a significant financial and emotional hardship for many,” Berlanti wrote in message obtained by Variety. “It is very important to me, and everyone at Berlanti Productions, that we are doing all that we can to help you during this moment.” The note continues:
“I am a proud member of the WGA and I support a fair deal that continues to provide sustainable lifelong careers for all of the incredible talent just entering this business. I also know how vulnerable so many are right now, and I want to make sure we are doing all we can to help others. If you have any other ideas of how we can help or be of service to you or those in our production families that are most vulnerable during this time, please let us know and we will do our best. Until then, know that we are very much looking forward to that time when we are all working together again.”
Greg Berlanti Commits $500,000 to Strike Relief Fund for Support Staff and Crew on His Shows https://t.co/9i4uGO4Gzj
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) September 8, 2023
Ryan Murphy Announces Assistance Fund for Out-of-Work Colleagues Amid Hollywood Strikes, Donates $500,000 https://t.co/V9Ch0qjwGz
— Variety (@Variety) September 8, 2023