Ryan Murphy and Greg Berlanti Set Up Funds to Support Cast and Crew During Strikes

Amid the fifth month of the ongoing WGA strikes, television giants Ryan Murphy and Greg Berlanti have shown their support with significant funds to their cast and crew.

After a labour dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in May 2023, members of the SAG-AFTRA began to strike, causing a large work stoppage in Hollywood and exposing the darker reality of the industry. From actors making headlines about their meager salaries or lower-level executives exposing the unsafe working conditions on sets, every level in the TV production line has come forward with accounts of how the disregard for labor regulations has forced union members to strike.

Following many big-name celebrities showing their support for the strikes—such as a group of A-list celebrities auctioning off bizarre services to raise funds—TV giants Ryan Murphy and Greg Berlanti announced their commitment to financially help those affected by the strikes.

Confused about the strikes? Click here to find a simplified run down.

Ryan Murphy (creator of Glee and American Horror Story) took to Instagram to announce the creation of the Ryan Murphy Productions Assistance Fund, a $500,000 fund to support the crews and casts of his production house’s shows. The announcement comes ahead of Murphy’s latest prospective series, American Horror Story: Delicate, which stars Emma Roberts and Kim Kardashian.

Greg Berlanti (writer for You and cofounder of Berlanti/Schechter Films, the company behind Red, White and Royal Blue) revealed equal efforts in a letter. It stated that he is committing $500,000 to support his staff and crew on his shows, as well as $150,000 each to the Entertainment Community Fund and the Motion Picture & Television Fund, specifically for below-the-line workers and support staff.

The two writers have a history of solidarity with their employees, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Berlanti offered $1 million to those who were out of work due to production shutdowns at that time. Murphy matched a $100,000 donation from Netflix to support the Motion Picture & Television Fund.

It is financial support from well known names in the industry that allows the strike to continue, until companies agree to meet the workers’ demands fairly and equitably. 

Words by Catarina Vicente

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