Dakota Johnson, Regina Hall, Chase Infiniti Donate $1M in College Scholarships to High School Seniors at THR Women in Entertainment Gala

On Wednesday, Dakota Johnson, Regina Hall, and Chase Infiniti awarded $1 million in college scholarships to high school students from underrepresented communities in Los Angeles. The announcement took place during The Hollywood Reporters 2025 Women in Entertainment breakfast gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel, presented by Lifetime.

The scholarships were part of THRs mentorship program, a collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and a fiscally sponsored fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Johnson, known for her work in Fifty Shades of Grey and Material Girls, introduced the scholarship presentation, recalling the programs beginnings sixteen years ago when Stephen Galloway, now dean of Chapman Universitys Dodge College, initiated the effort with guidance from Sherry Lansing and support from Big Brothers Big Sisters. The program identifies talented students overcoming challenges such as family substance abuse, crime, or being first-generation Americans aiming to attend college.

A video showcasing this years mentees was presented, drawing a standing ovation from attendees. Hall noted that Lifetime is awarding each graduating student in the program a $10,000 scholarship of their choice. She also highlighted support from program partners including the Golden Globe Foundation and Gersh, with WME contributing $75,000 for operational expenses.

Additional gifts were announced: Danny Garcia and Seven Bucks Productions are providing new Apple MacBook Air laptops to incoming mentees, and Infiniti, with support from the Wasserman Foundation, is providing laptops to graduating students entering college this fall.

The first scholarship, funded by The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation, was presented by Johnson to Chapman University student Elisa. Hall announced the second scholarship, also from The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation, awarded to Leah for Loyola Marymount University. The final scholarship, presented by Infiniti, went to Luna for Chapman University.

Since its inception, more than 275 students have participated in the THR Women in Entertainment mentorship program, attending universities such as Harvard, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern, supported by over $15 million in scholarships.

The gala was hosted by Rachel Sennott, with speakers including Sarah Paulson, Goldie Hawn, Jimmy Kimmel, and Molly McNearney. Jennifer Lopez received the Equity in Entertainment Award from Kerry Washington, while Gwyneth Paltrow was honored with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award.

The event was presented by Lifetime and sponsored by Delta Air Lines, Medicube, Reyka Vodka, and Seven Bucks Productions, in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Gersh, Chapman University, and Loyola Marymount University.

Author: Grace Ellison