Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz donates thousands to Black Lives Matter in recognition of her role as a TV cop

Jun 02 2020
Written by Emma Powys Maurice

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Stephanie Beatriz donates thousands to bail funds

Stephanie Beatriz pledged her support for those protesting police brutality in the US (Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz has donated a chunk of her salary to bail funds for those involved in Black Lives Matter protests across America.

Bisexual actor Beatriz plays the character of detective Rosa Diaz, who is also bisexual, in the long-running comedy about a police force in New York.

The light-hearted show generally portrays police officers in a positive light, allowing viewers to sympathise with cops – but Beatriz understands that the reality is often very different. In recognition of this fact, the star has pledged $11,000 of her earnings towards charities supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I’m an actor who plays a detective on TV,” she tweeted. “If you currently play a cop? If you make tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in residuals from playing a cop? I’ll let you do the math.”

I’m an actor who plays a detective on tv.

If you currently play a cop?

If you make tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in residuals from playing a cop?

I’ll let you do the math. (Thanks @GriffLightning for leading the way). pic.twitter.com/Xxf3dU0urF

— Stephanie Beatriz (@iamstephbeatz) June 2, 2020

The attached receipt shows $10,000 of her donation went towards the #FreeThemAll emergency response fund organised by the Community Justice Exchange, a non-profit working to end mass incarceration.

The Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor also included a $1,000 tip to ActBlue to support organisations fighting against racism and police brutality.

She was encouraged to do so after a fellow actor, Griffin Newman, donated to the emergency response fund in light of his role playing a detective on two episodes of Blue Bloods several years ago.

A Twitter user tagged Stephanie Beatriz under his post alongside Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-stars Andy Samberg, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Chelsea Peretti and Andrew Braugher, urging them to follow Newman’s example.

“Thank you for tagging me. Donating now,” Beatriz immediately replied. She’s since been inundated with praise from fans, who thanked her for using her platform in the right way.

Stephanie, you have no idea of how grateful I am that you’re using your platform the way you are. That you’re not sugarcoating police brutality with cute propaganda videos. That you recognize the responsibility you have playing a cop on TV. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!
— ｋａｒｉｎｅ •B L M • A C A B • (@peraltiagosbaby) June 2, 2020

stephanie beatriz didn’t say “b99 takes place in an imaginary world where c*ps are good people” for you to keep bringing them up every time someone says acab
— himbo rights (@90srave) May 31, 2020

i was literally thinking about how nine nine was gonna have a worse taste in my mouth if i tried to watch it again after all of this and then i see this, so, you know. thanks
— rour jids (@spellbang) June 2, 2020

Stephanie Beatriz was a bi hero of mine since I learned her own bisexuality informed Rosa’s coming-out storyline. She’s been a blind hero of mine since I found out she’s partially sighted like me. And now I have another reason to admire her. https://t.co/1tJ6YEv1He

— Holly Cosmo (@hollyamory) June 2, 2020