Actress and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson has provided a massive donation to The Justice and Equality Fund. A £1 million donation (roughly the equivalent of $1.4 million in U.S. dollars) to be precise.
Watson’s donation to the fund, which aims to “address priority needs, especially those of people in low paid, part-time and freelance employment, and those who face intersecting disadvantages related to their race, age, class, immigration status, disability or sexuality,” has helped the GoFundMe campaign reach £1.5 million of the £2 million goal with days remaining. The Beauty and the Beast star isn’t the only member of the arts community making a large donation to the initiative. Keira Knightley, Tom Hiddleston and Noomi Rapace are among 188 donors that have already contributed.
As the BAFTAs celebrate the feats of the UK entertainment industry, a number of gestures and protests have emerged seeking to address the issue of sexism and inequality in the industry. Among the actions taken was an open letter released Sunday featuring signatures from Watson, Naomie Harris, Olivia Colman and 187 more voices demanding an end to harassment, discrimination and abuse.
The open letter addressed “Dear Sisters” was written by actors including @EmmaWatson @NaomieHarris & Jodie Whitaker & addresses the gender pay gap for women in their 20s in the UK stating, “it is now five times greater than it was six years ago” #TimesUp #BAFTAs pic.twitter.com/jn2PzWo2yp
— Minnie Stephenson (@MinnieStephC4) February 18, 2018
The presence of #TimesUp can be seen and heard on the red carpet and at the ceremony. Both from the celebrities in attendance and from a collection of protestors demanding action.
Stage and film star Andrea Riseborough attends the #BAFTAs with #TimesUp activist Phyll Opoku-Gyimah as her date. pic.twitter.com/1S3OwpKjjL
— Yahoo Life UK (@YahooLifeUK) February 18, 2018
https://twitter.com/Laura_Kramer/status/965278877156298753
Guests at the #BAFTAs made another powerful statement tonight by wearing all black in support of the @TIMESUPNOW movement. pic.twitter.com/Ix8upXNarL
— InStyle (@InStyle) February 18, 2018
Naomie Harris sparkles on the #EEBAFTAs red carpet #BAFTAS pic.twitter.com/TazL4Dz9Xt
— Radio Times (@RadioTimes) February 18, 2018
#timesup badges all round at the #BAFTAs2018 pic.twitter.com/T2XDLa1KH4
— i newspaper (@theipaper) February 18, 2018
We stormed the @BAFTA red carpet to protest Theresa May’s upcoming Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill, which will criminalise survivors while distracting from devastating funding cuts to domestic violence services nationwide. #TimesUp pic.twitter.com/rDPaDx0wGC
— Sisters Uncut (@SistersUncut) February 18, 2018
Times Up protest on red carpet pic.twitter.com/1ksaUR9V0D
— Dan Wootton (@danwootton) February 18, 2018
Angelina Jolie walks past Time’s Up protestors without stopping #eebaftas pic.twitter.com/CPI7tFdG8Y
— Dan Wootton (@danwootton) February 18, 2018
https://twitter.com/DawnHFoster/status/965307675155337217