Dakota Johnson and Regina Hall Shock Fans by Giving Away $1M in Scholarships—Who Gets It?

Dakota Johnson, Regina Hall, and Chase Infiniti made a significant impact on Wednesday by presenting over $1 million in college scholarships to high school students from underserved communities across Los Angeles. This generous initiative unfolded at The Hollywood Reporter’s 2025 Women in Entertainment breakfast gala, held at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel. The event coincided with the release of the publication's Women in Entertainment issue, which highlights the most powerful female executives and talent in the industry.

Johnson, best known for her roles in Fifty Shades of Grey and Material Girls, opened the scholarship presentation by discussing the origins of the mentorship program. This initiative, a collaboration between THR and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, began 16 years ago under the guidance of Stephen Galloway, now the dean of Chapman University’s Dodge College, when he was serving as THR's executive editor. Johnson remarked on the program's mission: “With guidance from Sherry Lansing and support from Big Brothers Big Sisters, he and the THR staff walked into high schools across South and East L.A. where they found diamonds in the rough who were overcoming obstacles like crime, drug and alcohol abuse in the family, or the challenges of being a first-generation American to become the first in their families to graduate high school and the first to go to college. And now they are reshaping our industry.”

The event included an emotional video showcasing the year’s participating girls, resulting in an outpouring of applause and cheers from the audience in celebration of their achievements. Hall humorously noted, “You know, we wanted to see that too,” reflecting on the trio’s inability to view the video from the stage. She went on to announce that Lifetime would provide every girl graduating from the program with a $10,000 scholarship of their choice.

In discussing the impact of various partners, Hall emphasized the contributions from organizations such as the Golden Globe Foundation and Gersh, alongside a generous $75,000 donation from WME to support the operational expenses of the mentorship program. Hall also revealed that Danny Garcia and Seven Bucks Productions are providing a brand-new Apple MacBook Air to every new girl entering the mentorship program, further energizing the audience. Graduating mentees will also receive a laptop, courtesy of the Wasserman Foundation.

The first scholarship of the morning was awarded by Johnson to a participant named Elisa for Chapman University. Hall followed up with another scholarship announcement, this one from The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation, which went to Leah for Loyola Marymount University. Infiniti concluded the scholarship presentations with the final award, also for Chapman University, which went to Luna.

Since its inception, more than 275 students have participated in the Women in Entertainment program, with mentees attending prestigious universities including Harvard, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern. Over the past 16 years, THR has raised more than $15 million in scholarships as part of its commitment to educational equity.

Rachel Sennott served as the host of the breakfast gala, which featured an array of speakers including Sarah Paulson, Goldie Hawn, Jimmy Kimmel, and Molly McNearney. The event was highlighted by the presentation of the Equity in Entertainment Award to Jennifer Lopez by Kerry Washington, and the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award awarded to Gwyneth Paltrow.

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