The abortive pro-refugee fundraiser fronted by Game of Thrones actors failed to raise any money at all on World Refugee Day.
The Rescue Has No Boundaries campaign – starring Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – was virtually silent on June 20th, and received no donations.
Contributions have been stagnant for months – despite ties to the biggest entertainment property on earth – after fans rejected sanctimonious entreaties from wealthy actors in the early phases of the campaign.
The campaign aimed to raise $1 million for the International Rescue Committee by the end of Season 6 – but is barely one quarter of the way there with less than a week to go.
Early on June 20th, the online fundraising counter stood at
$287,260. The next day it registered the exact same figure:
(NB, the countdown above appears to have misstated the date of the season finale, which airs June 25th, not July 2nd)
Meanwhile, the actors who volunteered to front a video campaign – which was hit with such a strong backlash on YouTube that public commenting was closed – have fallen mostly silent.
Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Sophie Turner all made no mention of the campaign, or indeed refugees, on June 20th or the days preceding or following it. Maisie Williams was active on social media yesterday, but only to drive sales for branded t-shirts.
I can't believe how many t-shirts have sold already!
Get yours here: https://t.co/Hn3QEzIQBM
THANKYOU, THANKYOU! pic.twitter.com/4vCwZy9iqm— Maisie Williams (@Maisie_Williams) June 20, 2016
The sales site site claims “a portion” (unspecified how much) of each $25 shirt will go to charity – but one to help dolphins rather than refugees.
The exception appears to be Liam Cunningham, who plays Ser Davos Seaworth. The actor did make a big effort to promote the day – though made no reference to the Game of Thrones-linked campaign.
The World Refugee Day embarrassment is the latest in a series of gaffes linked to the doomed campaign.
Recently Heat Street revealed how efforts to encourage grassroots events to provide extra cash had been snubbed by the IRC’s own staff, who made a donations page then didn’t give anything.
None of the actors involved in the campaign have responded to requests for an interview on the subject.
The IRC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
