Emmy Award-winning actor Courtney B. Vance has been named president of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
Vance will succeed JoBeth Williams as head of the foundation, which hopes to bring more awareness and funding to programs that benefit members of the actors’ union.
The actor told Variety that in his new role he plans to make the foundation “part of the industry fabric.”
“There’s the union side to SAG-AFTRA, which handles the industry and negotiates health care and pensions. It is so necessary, but what happens to performers when they’re on the way up, or on the way down? Who is there for you?” Vance told the outlet. “When you start to hear about the cases of members in need, who have turned to our foundation and received this support, their lives change. And we want to keep changing lives.”
Vance added that he’ll use his platform to bring more visibility to the foundation.
SAG member Kerry Washington is thrilled about his new role, tweeting: “Congrats @CourtneyBVance! PS: I’m now obsessed with having [his wife] @ImAngelaBassett as our new FIRST LADY.”
The actor will balance his new role as president with a number of upcoming projects, including roles in the upcoming film The Photograph, television series Lovecraft Country, and Netflix’s Uncorked.