Netflix suspended film and TV production in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic last month after the infection rate started spiking. That left about 120,000 cast and crew members out of work, contributing to the entertainment industry’s mass unemployment. Netflix launched a $100 million relief fund last month to help the creative community during the pandemic. The recipients of the relief would include workers that are paid on an hourly basis and hired on a project-to-project basis.
On Friday, a company spokesperson said Netflix is adding $50 million to the recovery program, bringing it to a total of $150 million. A part of the funds is being distributed to third parties and non-profits who provide support to the out-of-work crew and cast staff in countries where the video-sharing giant has a broad production base.
Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, has donated $30 million independently to a non-profit group set up by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that’s working on a coronavirus vaccine.
Up to this point, the United States, Canada, Britain, Italy, India, France, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, and the Netherlands have given emergency relief.
The Panthera Post 