Would you pay to Zoom Keanu Reeves or Star Trek's Riker?

Image source, Getty Images

Actors Keanu Reeves and Jonathan Frakes are among the celebrities offering fans the opportunity to chat one-to-one via Zoom during lockdown.

Reeves is auctioning a 15-minute Zoom call for a children's cancer charity.

The highest bid at time of writing is $9,800 (拢7,800).

Meanwhile, on the celebrity message platform Cameo, $1,000 will buy a 10-minute Zoom call with Star Trek actor Jonathan Frakes or skateboarder Tony Hawk.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Jonathan Frakes played Cdr Riker in Star Trek

Cameo said there had been "a tonne of interest" in its Zoom service, Cameo Live, despite just 31 celebrities - only four of whom are women - signing up since launch, on Sunday.

The start-up, which launched in 2017, also offers short recorded personal messages from a range of celebrities including reality TV personalities and sports stars, who charge various fees.

"Cameo Live is very similar to a backstage pass at a concert or a meet-and-greet at an autographic signing," spokesman Brandon Kazimer told 大象传媒 News.

"This is just the newest iteration of fan-talent access."

Mr Kazimer said bookings were a mixture of fans buying video calls as gifts for themselves or for friends, and businesses purchasing them for office events and speaking engagements.

Founder Steven Galanis told Fast Company celebrities offering the recorded messages had .

"We're in this really weird environment where every athlete, actor, celebrity finds themselves basically with nothing to do," he said.

US comedian Tony Atamanuik tweeted about joining the platform back in March.

"You want to pay me 25 bucks to say or do whatever, I will," he said.

"I'm shut in my house and I'm going insane."