“The entertainment industry is in crisis and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation is currently processing more than 30 times our usual number of applications for emergency aid. We received 400 applications in the last week alone,” Vance said in a statement about the fundraising efforts over the last three weeks. “It’s a massive challenge, but we’re determined to meet this moment.”

“I appealed to our community to remember how tough it was coming up, and the response to help their fellow performers has been incredible, immediate and heartwarming,” Vance said of their contributions, acknowledging Johnson, who “helped kick-start this campaign.”

He then saluted Streep and Clooney, both longtime champions of the foundation and members of its Actors’ Council, who “stepped up with $1 million donations, emails and many calls-to-action rallying others to give generously.”

Streep and Clooney also shared statements about the urgent need working actors face amid the historic double strike.

“I remember my days as a waiter, cleaner, typist, even my time on the unemployment line,” Streep said, explaining her desire to give back.

“In this strike action, I am lucky to be able to support those who will struggle in a long action to sustain against Goliath. We will stand strong together against these powerful corporations who are bent on taking the humanity, the human dignity, even the human out of our profession. I am proudest of my fellow actors who have immediately offered to fund the Emergency Financial Assistance Program.”

He continued: “I can’t thank Courtney enough for his determination in putting this effort together by shedding light on the human toll happening right now, and how we can work together to alleviate some of the pain and suffering.”

“It’s really about working actors,” Damon told Variety’s Manori Ravindran on the red carpet. “It’s $26,000 to qualify for health coverage and a lot of people are on the margins and residual payments are getting them across that threshold. This isn’t an academic exercise. This is real life and death stuff. Hopefully we get to a resolution quickly. No one wants a work stoppage, but we’ve got to get a fair deal.”

In the days since, many have questioned why the picket lines have been lacking in star power.

“The real place the A-listers can help is donating to relief funds and lobbying the studio heads behind the scenes,” one agent told Variety’s Matt Donnelly as he reported on the various strategies behind why Hollywood’s biggest names might (or might not) hoist their picket signs.

For information on the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Emergency Financial Assistance Program and how to apply, visit sagaftra.foundation/emergencyassistance, and to support the fund, go to sagaftra.foundation/donate.