If you have ever wanted Natasha Lyonne to help you solve the New York Times Sunday crossword, dinner with Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, or Lena Dunham to come and paint a mural in the home, money is the only thing stopping you.
All of the above are lots in an online auction being put on by Hollywood stars, who are donating time, memorabilia and bizarre experiences to raise funds to help production crew weather the ongoing writers and actors strikes.
The auction is being hosted by the Union Solidarity Coalition: an organisation founded this year by Hollywood writers and directors to help crew members access healthcare benefits despite the work stoppages that began in May, when the Writers Guild of America officially went on strike, later joined by the actors union Sag-Aftra.
At the time of publication, 17 bids had been placed for an unspecified mural from actor, writer, director and Girls creator Dunham, which is up to US$3,050 on eBay. Odenkirk and Cross, both stars of cult comedy Mr Show, as well as Better Call Saul and Arrested Development respectively, will join you for dinner (bids at $2,624). The cast of Bob’s Burgers will sing you a song ($2,550); Lyonne will crack that crossword for you ($2,132); and Busy Philipps will take a pottery class with you and a plus one, in New York ($2,800). For dog lovers, Adam Scott will walk your pooch for an hour in LA ($1,250), before John Lithgow paints a watercolour portrait of your pet ($3,550).
There are a lot of signatures up for grabs, including from the cast of hit TV series the Bear – Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach – who have all signed an apron that’s currently at $1,525. Daniel Radcliffe and Weird Al Yankovic have signed a Hawaiian shirt, along with a DVD and CD from the Yankovic biopic Weird ($1,525); and Donald Glover is selling a signed script of the pilot of Atlanta along with Childish Gambino album My Love on vinyl, and a personal note thanking the bidder for their support ($1,100).
Parker Posey has donated her personal collection of memorabilia from Dazed and Confused and Party Girl ($700), as well as a 2011 bust of Dr Zachary Smith from Lost in Space ($172.50). Steven Soderbergh has donated his personal working script from the Limey, as well as photos and an on-set newsletter ($810); and Tom Waits is selling a signed, pre-owned fedora ($1,250).
There are also virtual hangs with Maggie Gyllenhaal, Barry Jenkins, Sarah Silverman and the cast of The New Girl up for grabs.
The WGA and Sag-Aftra continue to strike in order to secure higher salaries, residuals from streaming platforms and some regulation of AI from the AMPTP, the umbrella organisation representing hundreds of film studios, television networks and streaming services. While CEOs represented by the AMPTP have claimed such demands are unreasonable or “disturbing”, they have done so while reporting billions in profits to shareholders and approving sky-high executive pay packages.
