Look To The Stars News: Sean Penn

Celebrities Support The Amazon At "Crude" Screening

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

The New York Times’ Stephen Holden called it “A sprawling legal thriller with rare depth and power.” Village Voice’s Ed Gonzales called it “A Herculean work of investigative journalism.”

They’re talking about Crude, a new feature-length documentary meant to bring attention to and lay out both sides of the 27-billion-dollar lawsuit surrounding Chevron’s polluting of the Ecuadorean Amazon during its years of oil exploration.

While the press has been extolling the film’s efforts, celebrities such as Sean Penn, Rosanna Arquette and Dave Navarro are helping to bring attention to the 16-year trial by attending Crude’s premiers that are running through major US cities. Trudie Styler went so far as to invite 6,000 Chevron employees in San Francisco to see the film.

“You may know me as Sting’s wife,” she wrote, “and you may know of my work for the environment and human rights. You may also have heard my name mentioned as one of the celebrities speaking out in support of the 30,000 Ecuadorean citizens who are pursuing Chevron to clean up the pollution the company left behind in their homeland. Many people will assume that you and I must be on different sides of the fence on this issue. But I don’t believe that. I’m willing to bet that you and I, and all of your colleagues, agree that everyone has the fundamental right to the life-supporting elements of clean air and clean water…I’d like to give you the opportunity to make up your own mind about what has been going on in Ecuador, and to consider how justice can be achieved for the people suffering there. I’d like to invite you to the movies.”

Atossa Soltani, Executive Director of Amazon Watch, which hosted the Hollywood premier last month, is pleased with the reaction to Crude: “The film shows both sides and allows the audience to be the judge on whether Chevron is guilty. Chevron is fast losing the battle in the court of public opinion and showing clear signs that it is afraid of Crude.”   Amazon Watch’s Corporate Accountability Campaigner, Mitch Anderson wants as many people to see the movie as possible, and “to let Chevron know that it can no longer afford to evade it’s clean up responsibility in Ecuador.”

  You can visit the official film website here.

Toronto Film Festival To Host Cinema Against AIDS

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0000

On September 15, 2009, amfAR – The American Foundation for AIDS Research – and Dignitas International will partner on the first-ever Cinema Against AIDS event during the Toronto International Film Festival.

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and amfAR Ambassador Michelle Yeoh will serve as chairs of the evening, along with amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, John Demsey, Milutin Gatsby, Trudy Grant, amfAR Founding Chairman Dr. Mathilde Krim, Dignitas co-founder Dr. James Orbinski, and Kevin Sullivan. Grammy Award-winning musical artist Sarah McLachlan will deliver a special performance.

The black-tie gala will take place at the acclaimed Carlu in Toronto, and will include cocktails, dinner prepared by renowned Canadian chef Jamie Kennedy, and a luxury live auction. amfAR and Dignitas will share all proceeds from the event, funding that will benefit crucial AIDS research initiatives and efforts to improve quality of life for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Over the years, amfAR has awarded 52 grants to HIV/AIDS organizations in Canada, totaling more than US$2.6 million, making Canada the recipient of more amfAR funding than any countries except the U.S. and Australia.

amfAR’s first Cinema Against AIDS benefit was held in Cannes during the 1993 Cannes International Film Festival and was hosted by Dame Elizabeth Taylor, amfAR’s Founding International Chairman. Since then, this annual black-tie gala has established itself as the most consistently exciting and well-publicized party held during the Cannes festival. In addition to Dame Elizabeth, who has hosted the benefit on seven occasions, amfAR Global Fundraising Chairman Sharon Stone has been a chair and auctioneer since 1995.

Cinema Against AIDS has also been held on various occasions during the Venice, Sundance, Rome, and Dubai film festivals, and in all cases these events have attracted a stunning guest list of top celebrities, entertainment industry elite, and international society. Traditionally, celebrities in the room assist with the live auction. Participants have included Ben Affleck, Prince Albert of Monaco, Lance Armstrong, Mary J. Blige, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Naomi Campbell, Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Sofia Coppola, Penelope Cruz, Matt Damon, Catherine Deneuve, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sheryl Crow, Carla Fendi, Andy Garcia, Richard Gere, Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek, Anjelica Huston, Elizabeth Hurley, Iman, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson, Wyclef Jean, Scarlett Johansson, Milla Jovovich, Nicole Kidman, Kevin Kline, Diane Kruger, Diego Luna, David Lynch, Madonna, Sienna Miller, Liza Minnelli, Kylie Minogue, Clive Owen, Robert Pattinson, Sean Penn, Vanessa Redgrave, Natasha Richardson, Lionel Richie, Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan, Kurt Russell, Claudia Schiffer, Julian Schnabel, Monica Seles, Mira Sorvino, Sylvester Stallone, Rod Stewart, Quentin Tarantino, Charlize Theron, Sigourney Weaver, Harvey Weinstein and Robin Williams, among others.

The film and entertainment communities have been committed and generous supporters of amfAR and the fight against AIDS since the start of the epidemic, and the Cinema Against AIDS galas have proven to be among the most high-profile and successful AIDS benefits worldwide. Since 1993, these signature amfAR events have played a pivotal role in focusing attention on the continued fight against AIDS, and have generated more than US$48 million in support of the foundation’s AIDS research programs.

Ticket info can be found here.

Milk Screenwriter To Be Honored By Charity

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Academy Award-winning screenwriter, director, film and television producer Dustin Lance Black will be honored at a special gala event in Hollywood this weekend.

Best known for being the screenwriter of Milk, starring Sean Penn, Dustin Lance Black will receive the honor at the New Technicolor Building Plaza at Sunset Gower Studios on Saturday, June 13, in an event that promises to feature a festive cocktail party and silent auction. Proceeds from the event will go to LifeWorks, an organization that offers mentoring opportunities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth ages 14-24.

Look To The Stars had the pleasure of talking to the writer earlier this year about the inspiration behind Milk and his charity work: "I thought there is so much of [Milk] that is inspiring to today’s generation, not just the gay and lesbian generation but also to say to all the groups of people who are very different, we can come together and when we can work together accepting each others differences, and if we fight for each others civil rights we can win all of our civil rights. That is a message I think should be out there. That not only inspires gay kids but racial and religious minorities. If a kid out there can go and see ‘Milk’ and be like “Yeah I’m really different and that’s really fabulous”, then I think we’ve done our job’.“

To find out more info about Saturday’s gala – which will be attended by TR Knight – click here.

Sean Penn To Narrate TV Doco About Injustice

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn has just narrated a new TV documentary about injustice.

Witch Hunt chronicles the injustices surrounding dozens of parents who were jailed on false child-abuse charges in Bakersfield, California, in the 1980s.

“Lives were shattered for the personal and political gain of the District Attorney’s office and the Sheriff’s Department in Kern County,” the star told TV Guide. “Many of those corrupt officials continue to hold those positions today.There’s a very current issue here.There are all too many examples of the way in which public opinion is swayed by tainted evidence and emotional and irrational decision making.The public hysteria that surrounded this case is every bit as essential to discuss as the public corruption. These lightning-rod crimes tend to challenge our lawful assumption of innocence until proof of guilt.”

The program will air in the US on April 12.

Bid On Sean Penn's Milk Suit For Charity

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

You can now own a piece of history from the Academy Award nominated film MILK. The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation has announced an online auction of costume designer Danny Glicker’s specially created shirt/tie/suit ensemble worn by Sean Penn in Gus Van Sant’s Milk, which is nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Costume Design.

The clothing worn by Penn during his portrayal of Harvey Milk in the film will be auctioned off to benefit both Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California and the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School, in New York City.

Bidding is now open on the Foundation’s site Clothesoffourback.org and ends Saturday, February 28th.

Proceeds from the auction will be divided equally, with 50% going to Variety and 50% going to the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

The clothing off Sean Penn’s back include the shirt, suit and tie which was re-created by Glicker and his team down to the last stitch-to the mirror that worn by Mr. Milk on November 7th, 1978, the Election Night on which he celebrated the statewide defeat of Proposition 6, which sought to ban gays from teaching in California public schools and to remove known homosexuals and their supporters from their posts, and which Mr. Milk had fought so tirelessly against in the “No on 6” campaign.

Stars Pay Tribute To Paul Newman

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

An awe-inspiring array of stars paid tribute to Paul Newman at a benefit gala for one of the actor’s summer camps for sick children in California last night.

Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, Jack Nicholson, Bruce Willis, Danny Glover, Danny DeVito, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening and Billy Crystal were just some of the stars who performed a reading of The World of Nick Adams, an adaptation of a number of Ernest Hemingway’s autobiographical stories at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco.

“We expected Paul to be with us and so this kind of turned into kind of a tribute,” said Danny Glover. “This is the first time we are doing this without Paul — there is a void there, without a doubt.”

The event, which attracted over 2,500 people, raised money for the The Painted Turtle, one of Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang camps for ill children.

Founded by Newman and Herb Alpert in 1999, The Painted Turtle provides the 17,000 chronically ill children in California who would otherwise be unable to attend summer camps with an empowering, renewing experience completely free of charge.

“Paul was a member of the ensemble more than anything else,” said Tom Hanks, who starred in Road To Perdition with Newman. “He didn’t care about the hierarchy, but he was a guy, quite frankly, who should have won the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Celebrities To Pay Tribute To Paul Newman

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

An awe-inspiring array of stars will pay tribute to Paul Newman at a benefit gala for one of the actor’s summer camps for sick children in California next month.

Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, Jack Nicholson, Bruce Willis, Danny Glover, Danny DeVito, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening and Billy Crystal will perform a stage reading of The World of Nick Adams, an adaptation of a number of Ernest Hemingway’s autobiographical stories, written by Newman’s longtime friend A.E. Hotchner at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on October 27. Proceeds from the evening will go to the The Painted Turtle, one of Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang camps for ill children.

Tickets for the event are available through the City Box Office website.

Hollywood Philanthropy: LA GOAL

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Rachel Zeskind

Look To The Stars’ Celebrity Ambassador Rachel Zeskind has been voluteering at L.A. GOAL for several years, and shares her enthusiasm for the work they do in her latest column:

L.A. GOAL is an organization that has developed innovative programs for adults with developmental disabilities. Their vision is ‘to create a more open society where their members and all people with developmental disabilities can achieve their highest level of independence, including employment and full inclusion in the community’.

The organization is a non-profit agency that provides Independent Living Skills training for adults with developmental disabilities. Their programs offer vocational training, counseling, family support, social interaction, sports, and visual/ performing arts that encourage independence and feelings of self-worth. Through its art and outreach activities, L.A. GOAL educates the community about the abilities of people with developmental disabilities.

L.A. GOAL’s programs have changed the lives of many adults living with developmental disabilities. I have had the honor of working on a volunteer basis with their art program, which is filled with an incredibly talented group of paid artists who have moved beyond their disabilities to find, express and bless others with their abilities.

The Director, Petite Konstantin, works very closely with the Hollywood community and acts as a consultant on many script and film projects to ensure the positive and truthful reflection of characters with developmental disabilities that are depicted in television and film.

One such film was I Am Sam, which starred Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer. Two of L.A. GOAL’s members, Joe Rosenberg and Brad Silverman, co-starred in the film as Sam’s friends. Sean Penn spent time at L.A. GOAL in preparation of his role as Sam, a developmentally disabled man who is raising his daughter (played by Dakota Fanning) alone. It was the amazing behind-the-scenes studies at L.A. GOAL by writer’s from day one of writing this emotionally moving story that gave it a strong foundation in truth, which was then conveyed beautifully by the actors. The character of Sam was actually a culmination of many experiences that the members of L.A. GOAL themselves faced as they were learning and living independently within the community.

Next month will mark another tremendous step for L.A. GOAL’s Inside Out Productions’ as it holds it’s 18th Annual Art Exhibition and Sale. In years past I have attended and volunteered at these shows and have seen some of the best and most inspiring artwork Los Angeles has to offer. It is a must see! This year’s show will be held at Koplin Del Rio gallery in Culver City on Sunday, October 26, from 12-5pm.

For more information on L.A. GOAL – or to see and purchase art online – please visit their site at www.lagoal.org.

Eddie Vedder Rocks Kelly Slater Foundation Benefit

Fri, 02 May 2008 19:06:50 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Eddie Vedder, actor/activist Sean Penn, big-wave mogul Jeff Clark, and host Marty Colombatto paddled out in front of Colombatto’s estate overlooking Cotton’s Point (California) last Sunday, the morning after a private benefit concert by Vedder raised over $350,000 in support of the Kelly Slater Foundation.

Only about 600 lucky people, including Sean Penn, were invited to Colombatto’s estate for the concert to benefit the newly formed Foundation, which raises money to create awareness for environmental groups such as Miocean, Reef Check and the Surfrider Foundation.

Popping in to lend their support for the king-o-waves, were Eddie Vedder and Ben Harper. “Half of every song I’ve ever written, was written in the ocean so that’s sort of my way of giving back,” says Vedder.

The highlight of the night was impromptu jam session, with Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper and Kelly Slater pumping out the evening’s final song, Pearl Jam’s “Indifference,” to a standing ovation.

Congratulations to Kelly Slater and his new foundation for an incredibly successful launch which ended on a good note, thanks to the help of some environmentally friendly friends.

Sean Penn Gets His Hands Dirty In A Charity Caravan

Thu, 01 May 2008 10:51:05 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor Sean Penn is on a mission to fight the war in Iraq, poverty, homelessness, and global warming – and he’s using some buses to help him.

The Dirty Hands Caravan is a fleet of biodiesel buses taking 300 people on an 1,800-mile trek across the U.S., ending in New Orleans on May 4. Penn kicked the initiative off at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival last Sunday, where he took his place on stage as one of 125 performers. His mission: to encourage people to “get involved” in any way they feel compelled, whether its by cleaning up parks or neighborhoods, caring for the sick or needy, or speaking out on behalf of issues such as immigration reform.

The project is Penn’s brainchild, and the actor/director appeared on the festival mainstage to invite the audience to join the caravan. Around 150 of the concert goers were inspired to sign up for the week long mission.

“The Dirty Hands Caravan seeks to empower young people to stand up for what they believe in, with its longevity based on inspired individuality and pride,” said the 47-year-old, who has been joined by singer Ben Harper on the road trip. “My generation and those that came before have to recognize the numbing of incentive that we’ve passed on to the change hungry, imaginative, smarter-than-us youth of today.”

Volunteers are encouraged to get involved in a number of ways, including building houses for the homeless, protesting the Iraq war while supporting the needs of veterans and their families, and contributing to their communities in various ways. The caravan will also facilitate people who want to find out more about non-profit organizations in their local areas.

To find out if the Dirty Hands buses are coming to a city near you, visit their website.

Elton's Oscar Party Raises $5.1m

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:50:42 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Sunday night saw the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 16th annual Academy Awards viewing party, which this year raised $5.1 million thanks to its spectacular guest list.

The Pacific Design Center venue saw even more of Hollywood’s glitterati than anticipated, boasting the attendance of “Best Actress” award winner Marion Cotillard and “Best Supporting Actor” nominee Tom Wilkinson. Further top names present included Amy Adams, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi, Sean Penn, Patricia Clarkson, Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford, Josh Groban, Faye Dunaway, Sean Combs, Seal and Heidi Klum, Prince, Kate Beckinsale, Billy Joel, Courtney Love, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Petra Nemcova, Jeremy Piven, Roberto Cavalli, Minnie Driver, Simon Cowell and Herbie Hancock.

The gala was co-hosted by Elton’s partner David Furnish, and included dinner, a musical performance by Elton himself and a live auction.

Sharon Stone acted as auctioneer, and Elton offered to remove his trousers if it would raise more money. Stone added that she wouldn’t follow suit.

Yet more stars seen at the event included Natasha Henstridge, Larry King, Eric McCormack, Jason Lewis, Jonny Lee Miller, Brett Ratner, Jason Reitman, Rupert Murdoch, Jennifer Coolidge, Russell Simmons, Cheryl Tiegs, John Waters and Ziyi Zhang.

Since its inception in 1992, Elton’s foundation has raised more than $125 million to support HIV/AIDS prevention and service programs in 55 countries.

Celebrity Donations To Katrina Relief Efforts

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 15:50:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

A list of what some celebrities have done to help Katrina victims:

Steven Spielberg, $750,000 to the American Red Cross and $750,000 to the Bush Clinton Fund
Nicolas Cage, Diddy, George Clooney each donated $1 million.
Oprah donated $1 million through her charity, Oprah’s Angel Network
Hilary Duff donated $250,000.
John Travolta delivered supplies using his private plane.
Sean Penn rescued people using an occasionally leaky boat.
Michael Jackson offered a song, “From the Bottom of My Heart”.
Jamie Foxx raised $600,000 with a celebrity auction.

Look To The Stars News: Sean Penn

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