Netflix $100m Relief Fund Will Help Cast And Crew Hit By Coronavirus

Netflix has announced a new $100 million relief fund that is intended to help the cast and crew of movie and TV show productions that have been grounded as a result of the coronavirus outbreaks. According to Netflix, most of the funds will go toward those who were working on its own originals, particularly the workers who have been most severely impacted by the loss of work.

Nearly every movie and TV show production around the world has been paused as a result of the coronavirus outbreaks and the need for people to keep a distance from each other. According to Netflix, its $100 million relief fund will include $15 million earmarked for emergency relief non-profits for cast and crew, as well as third-parties that offer help to these out-of-work individuals.

The rest will go to helping the crew and cast members that were participating in its own now-paused productions, including many who were being paid on an hourly basis for work like hair and makeup, building sets, and driving people around.

"Most of the funds will go towards support for the hardest-hit workers," according to the company, which is still determining how the funds will be split up between productions. The relief funds are being given in addition to the two weeks of pay that had already been promised to the cast and crew after the productions were suspended last week.

The relief fund will help workers get through the time period between work and whatever relief effort their local governments will roll out to residents. A number of countries also have organizations designed to help support the creative community during times when they are out of work, including the Actors Fund Emergency Assistance and SAG-AFTRA Foundation Covid-19 Disaster Fund.