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Celebrity Sign-Ups For Video Site Cameo Are Spiking Amid SAG-AFTRA Strike
Getty / New York Daily News
Everybody has to make money, and Hollywood stars are no exception. Amid the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, many people working in the entertainment industry have found themselves struggling to make ends meet. While the strike has definitely been hardest on the actors and writers who were already struggling beforehand, it’s hit everyone involved in different ways. Hopefully, the striking actors and writers will eventually reach an agreement with studios that allows them to be fairly compensated for their work, but as the strike drags on, some Hollywood actors are trying out a different approach to making money.
Several stars are signing up or reactivating their accounts on the website Cameo, which allows celebrities and creators of all kinds to sell personalized videos of themselves for anywhere from $1 to $1,500. The site has seen an increase of 137 percent since the start of the strike, Cameo CEO Steven Galanis told CNN, an influx that was only rivaled at the start of the pandemic. “You just assume that they’re making all this money, they’re rich and famous, but the vast majority of them just aren’t,” Galanis told the outlet. “Something like Cameo is certainly the better way for many of them to bridge the gap.” Reps for Cameo did not immediately respond to POPSUGAR’s request for comment.
While the strike prohibits actors from participating in most promotional activities, SAG-AFTRA’s guidelines stipulate that Cameo earnings can be applied to members’ pension and health benefits, making it fair game amid the strike. Not everyone is on there because of the strike, of course; it’s also just a way to make some extra change or to raise some money for an important cause. The site boasts a variety of actors, athletes, and more who all offer fans the opportunity to receive personalized shout-outs, tributes, and pep talks from them.
Ahead, check out some of the most recognizable faces on Cameo and learn more about what they’re offering.
TNS / New York Daily News
Lindsay Lohan
The newlywed and new mom is on Cameo “for a limited time,” according to her bio. “Request your favorite ‘Mean Girls‘ line, hear some business advice or love from Lindsay!” it continues. Naturally, many of her videos, which are available to watch on the site, feature “Mean Girls” quotes. Fans can purchase a personalized video from Lohan for a cool $400.
WireImage / Borja B. Hojas
Brian Cox
In most of his Cameo videos, Cox can be seen channeling the spirit of his “Succession” character, Logan Roy. Many of his clips feature Logan’s classic line, “F*ck off,” and in one of them, he even delivers a variation on one of Logan’s most famous insults from the final season: “I love you, but you are not a serious person.” Fans can purchase one of his videos for $689, with a 24-hour turnaround time guaranteed.
Getty Images for Neflix / Charley Gallay
Priscilla Presley
Presley – who recently spoke about being “nervous” about the biopic Sofia Coppola is making about her life – offers words of wisdom and even a few insights about Graceland and Elvis Presley on her account. Fans can purchase a video for $200.
WireImage / Tim Mosenfelder
Ice T
Ice T’s Cameo account is filled with videos of him celebrating friendships, engagements, and more. Fans can purchase a video from him for $450.
FilmMagic / Steve Granitz
Freddie Prinze Jr.
Prinze Jr., who has been married to Sarah Michelle Gellar since 2002, shares some fun memories as well as tributes on his Cameo account. Fans can buy his videos for $100.
Getty Images / Jason Mendez
Tatyana Ali
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star’s Cameo bio states that she only has a few more video slots left, so fans had better get moving if they want a specialized message from her. In her first video, she thanks a fan for their enthusiastic support for “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and particularly for the song she sang on the show’s fifth season. “I love that ‘Make Up Your Mind’ – so many people love it, because it was a really nerve-racking moment for me,” she says, presumably addressing a fan who shared their love for the track. Her videos can be booked for $150.
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
Fran Drescher
“Fran is on Cameo to connect with fans & raise money for her foundation, CancerSchmancer,” Drescher’s bio reads. Drescher is the president of SAG-AFTRA, so her presence on the app is a clear endorsement of the platform. Her videos can be commissioned for $1,500 each.
Getty Images / Kevin Winter
Elijah Wood
Wood doesn’t have any videos available so far on his Cameo account, but fans can commission one from Frodo Baggins himself for $340.
Getty Images / JC Olivera
Lisa Vanderpump
Vanderpump’s Cameo bio explains that she has “joined Cameo with 100% of her proceeds benefiting the Vanderpump Dog Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue organization, working on both domestic and international fronts to create a more humane world for dogs.” Most of her videos celebrate fans’ engagements or weddings. Fans can buy a video from the “Vanderpump Rules” matriarch for $295.
FilmMagic / Michael Tran
Keegan Allen
“Hey! I’ll make you great shoutouts and sing you a song or tell you a story !” the “Pretty Little Liars” star’s bio reads. Many of his videos feature pretty profound life advice; he even tells a fan going through a challenging time that in the future, her “strength” during her current struggles just might “help other people that come in and out of your life that are going through challenging times themselves.” Fans can book a video from Allen for $199.
Getty Images for The Creative Coalition / Michael Kovac
Jackson Rathbone
Rathbone, who plays Jasper in the Twilight movies, challenges a fan to a staring contest in one of his Cameo videos – likely a reference to his Twilight character’s tendency to stare, unblinking, for long periods of time. He also offers some mental health advice to a fan suffering from depression and anxiety, saying, “I have a lot of issues with anxiety and depression myself,” and adding that “one of the things that I’ve heard – I don’t know if it’s applicable to you – but depression is in the past, and anxiety is fear about the future.” He goes on to encourage the fan to live in the present. Rathbone’s videos can be purchased for $200.
FilmMagic / Rodin Eckenroth
Dermot Mulroney
A video from Mulroney, who appears in “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “The Family Stone,” “Shameless,” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” to name a few, can be commissioned for just $100.