Ryan Murphy is firmly Team WGA and Team SAG-AFTRA amid the ongoing Hollywood strikes and is offering his assistance to union members in need.
“Every story we’ve woven, each character brought to life, and every set constructed carry with them an inimitable thread of collaboration. 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,” Murphy, 57, wrote in a Friday, September 8, Instagram statement via his Ryan Murphy Production account. “In recognition of this, I am inaugurating an assistance fund that will start at $500,000. This fund stands ready to support the exceptional casts and committed crews of Ryan Murphy Productions.”
He continued: “Together, we will navigate through this chapter, and before long, we’ll once again create, inspire, and innovate within the industry we love.”
The note, personally signed by Murphy, directed followers to a page on his production company’s website. Per an online description, the fund was created in response to many of “the challenges presented” by the ongoing strike.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike in May after failing to reach a compromise with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) in contract negotiations. The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) acting union followed suit in July after their own negotiations with the AMPTP stalled. Both unions are fighting for better contract terms regarding fair wages, residual checks for streaming projects and the use of artificial intelligence in media.
As actors and writers alike step out on the picket line, they are unable to work on or promote (including via social media) any AMPTP project past, present or future. Many stars like Mandy Moore, Kendrick Sampson and Awkward alum Greer Grammer have stressed the importance of such salaries and residuals to help make ends meet and pay their bills.
Murphy’s fund will provide support to “the exceptional cast and committed crew of both present and past Ryan Murphy Productions.” The website featured an application submission form, where those in need could explain why and how much assistance they require at this time.
The website statement concluded: “Ryan hopes this fund underscores his unwavering belief in the collective strength of this incredible community.”
Murphy has notably helmed projects such as Glee, Nip/Tuck, American Crime Story, Pose and American Horror Story. The latest season of AHS, titled Delicate, premieres on FX on Wednesday, September 20 and costars Kim Kardashian and Emma Roberts. Roberts, 32, even dropped a “like” on Murphy’s Friday Instagram post.
