Look To The Stars News: Sigourney Weaver

Stars Sign Chrysler Car For Charity Auction

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:30:00 -0000

February 20 will see a Chrysler 300 signed by hundreds of celebrities go under the hammer to raise money for the Red Cross' relief efforts in Haiti.

The car has been signed by everybody who is anybody in Hollywood, including George Clooney, Oprah, Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman, Paul McCartney, Kate Hudson, Penelope Cruz, Mariah Carey, Stanley Tucci, Nicole Kidman, Sigourney Weaver, Mark Wahlberg, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Gerard Butler, Seal, Heidi Klum, Kiefer Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Hugh Laurie, Sandra Bullock, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and many more.

Tulsa’s Leake Auction Company will auction the car at their Collector Car Auction in Oklahoma City.

The auction has been organized by Stars For A Cause, and more info can be found here.

Actresses Honor Teachers, Past And Present

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

“The teacher that I miss and remember with such gratitude is Florence Hunt, who taught English. She encouraged me to write plays, she took me to plays, and when I got into drama school, I wrote her to tell her that her support really made such a huge difference. Teachers are the best.” So says actress Sigourney Weaver in response to the troubling trend of American teachers having to buy classroom supplies with their own money.

Actress Sharon Lawrence also shared some fond memories: “I was part of the first integrated school system in Charlotte, North Carolina, and my teacher, Queen T Bird, was the first inspiring teacher I ever had. She changed the way I thought about myself, the way I thought about my classmates, the way I thought about everything, really. I’m very grateful to Miss Queen T Bird for being the teacher of my life.”

In support of such teachers across the US, Adopt-A-Classroom partnered with Office Max in a campaign called Working To Erase Teacher Funded Classrooms to create an annual, one-day event, “A Day Made Better,” now in its third year. Besides bringing attention to the situation, 1100 teachers nominated by their principals for their exceptional efforts were each given a huge box of supplies worth $1000 earlier this month.

“It is unbelievable that teachers would have to shell out [for classroom supplies] from their very small monies that they get every year to do this,” says actress Christina Applegate. “This should be the right for children and it should be paid for so that they can have a future.”

“I grew up with real respect for my mother and my father who were teachers,” said actress Shirley MacLaine. “Please help Adopt-A-Classroom so teachers don’t have to fund them themselves.”

To find out more, click here.

Celebrity Women Honored At Humanitarian Awards

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Some of the hottest female stars in show business, including Christina Applegate, Christina Aguilera, Maria Bello and Anne Hathaway, were honored for their charity work at Variety’s first annual Power Of Women Luncheon last week.

Held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and hosted by Jane Lynch, the event highlighted the humanitarian work carried out by women in the entertainment business.

“These are very busy, successful women who have found time and a place in their heart to give back to others and make a huge impact,” said Lynch.

Among the honorees, Applegate was honored for her fight against cancer and her establishment of the Right Action for Women organization.

“The women I talk to really inspire me,” Applegate said. “The women who come up to me every day and say, ‘I was high-risk; I thought I had to wait until I was 45 to find out, but I went and got an MRI and I have cancer.’ Hopefully one day we’ll have a system that covers this.”

Maria Bello was also honored, for her work with the Save Darfur Coallition.

“The genocide in Darfur has been going on for the last seven years,” she said. "The violence against women there, rape is a weapon of war and an instrument of genocide. It’s outrageous, something needs to be addressed – not only in Darfur but all over the world.

“What makes a woman powerful is using the gifts that you’ve been given to give back to the world.”

“To be honest, I feel a little weird getting an award for it,” said Anne Hathaway, who was honored for her work with Service Nation. “There are so many people who do so much more than what I do. But I also understand that this is an amazing opportunity for exposure and fundraising.”

Other honorees included Sherry Lansing and Sigourney Weaver.

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.

Stars For A Cause On Display

Mon, 04 May 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A selection of celebrity designed/autographed jewelry, footwear and other unique items will be on display at auction house Bonhams in New Bond Street, London, tomorrow before being auctioned at Bonhams and Butterfields in Los Angeles on May 28.

Half of the proceeds of the auction, organized by Stars For A Cause, will go to charities chosen by the participating stars, such as the The Art of Elysium, Keep A Child Alive, Red Cross, Elton John AIDS Foundation, UNICEF and many many more. The other half will go to the Prince's Trust, which helps young people develop confidence, motivation and skills to find work.

Celebrities taking part in the campaign include Kate Winslet, Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz, Ricky Gervais, Charlize Theron, Goldie Hawn, Miley Cyrus, Colin Farrell, Susan Sarandon, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks, Sigourney Weaver and more.

To learn more about this amazing auction, visit the official website.

Stars Heal Patients With A Kiss

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Marie Gorrettie

Medicinema is a registered charity that has partnered with the Health Sector and the Film Industry, installing state-of-the-art cinemas on site in hospitals around the United Kingdom.

By creating purpose built cinemas in hospitals, Medicinema provides a much needed escape for the patients – it’s a welcome break from the hospital ward. Each cinema is specially designed to cater for beds and wheel chairs and nursing staff on duty throughout every Medicinema screening.

With nurses instead of usherettes, Medicinema harnesses the magic of the Silver Screen to help enrich the quality of life for patients. By screening the latest releases for patients young and old – including those in beds and on wheelchairs – patients and their families are able to escape the reality of hospital life.

As the lights dim and the film starts, with the big screen filled and Dolby Surround sound bursting into life, patients can be forgiven for thinking they are spending a night in the West End – apart from the occasional bleep of a patient’s monitor, you could be in a cinema!

Everyone needs a little escapism in their lives, especially if they’re in hospital. There is often not very much to look forward to so a visit to the cinema can give a much-needed boost to the spirits, providing the sort of family outing that is otherwise difficult in hospital. With the help and active support of the leading film distributors, Medicinema screens a wide variety of feature films from action and adventure to romantic comedies. Some films are even screened to Medicinema audiences before they go on general release.

As part of a new initiative, stars of the Silver Screen have donated kisses to celebrate ten years of Medicinema to help enhance therapeutic care for patients in hospitals around UK. To mark their 10th Anniversary, MediCinema is auctioning the HEALED WITH A KISS COLLECTION. The collection contains over 50 original signed lip prints from some of the biggest names in the Film Industry. The following are the stars who have donated Healed With A Kiss Lip Prints to help bring magic of the Silver Screen to hospital patients across UK: Madonna, Catherine Zeta Jones, Dame Helen Mirren, Sigourney Weaver, Ewan McGregor, Kate Winslet, John Hurt, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Helena Bonham Carter, Dame Judi Dench, Joan Collins, Glenn Close, Shirley MacLaine, Dame Diana Rigg, Kate Beckinsale, Thandie Newton, Nickolas Grace, Tim Roth, Jeremy Irons, Ben Stiller, Jeff Goldblum, Jim Broadbent, Honor Blackman, John Travolta, Claire Bloom, Martine McCutcheon, Greta Scacchi, Saffron Burrows, Geraldine Chaplin, Mariella Frostrup, Juliet Stevenson, Robbie Coltrane, Zoë Wanamaker, Cathy Tyson, Jason Isaacs, Anthony Andrews, Tommy Steele, Mark Addy, Kenneth Branagh, Alice Eve, and Dwayne Johnson.

The Auction party will be held in April 2009 and the complete Healed With A Kiss collection will be auctioned at the Medicinema Private Auction Party at The Movieunm, London’s biggest Film Memorabilia Museum.

The Healed With A Kiss Auction party will offer you the opportunity to own these highly collectable pieces of film memorabilia and the chance to rub shoulders with Movers and Shakers of the film industry. Hugh Edmeades, Christie’s International Auctioneer, will chair the auction in support of MediCinema. An exclusive drinks reception, live entertainment and a private tour will be followed by the auction of the healed with a kiss collection in support of MediCinema.

Here are some of the quotes from patients and their families whom MediCinema has touched:

“Really happy at the thought that I was not going to have to spend an evening on the ward, staring at a blank wall with no neighbours and chewing my lips to avoid being in pain”. Niamh.

“I completely forgot that I was in hospital, and that I had loads of needles in my arm, and when the film ended I thought “right, time to go home; and it was only when the lights came back on and I saw all the other beds and steelchairs that I remembered that I was in hospital”. Jesica, St Thomas patient.

If you would like to Bid for Original Signed Lip prints from the Stars of the Silver Screen and attend the Auction Party and bid in person please contact MediCinema: Tel:+44(0) 20 7188 3697 or email medicinema@gstt.nhs.uk.

If a celebrity lip print has caught your eye, you can make an advance bid before attending the Auction event in writing, on line or by telephone.

If you are unable to attend the Auction Party in person, you can secure an original signed lip print by placing “ABSENTEE” Bid, in writing, on line or by telephone. Please register your bid/s in the Healed with a Kiss Auction by contacting medicinema@gsst.nhs.uk or telephoning +44 (0) 20 7188 3697.

Once you have registered interest in placing an “Absentee” or advance bid, you will be contacted to confirm your bid and contact details.

For more information about the Auction Party please contact MediCinema on +44 (0) 20 7188 3697 or email medicinema@gstt.nhs.uk.

Celebrity Lip Prints To Be Auctioned For Charity

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:00:00 -0000

A collection of over 50 original signed lip prints from some of the biggest names in film will be auctioned in April in support of the charity Medicinema.

Amongst the stars who have donated a Healed With A Kiss lip print are Keira Knightley, Ewan McGregor, Kate Winslet, John Travolta, Shirley MacLaine, Jeff Goldblum, Madonna, Jeremy Irons, Sigourney Weaver, Dame Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson and Glenn Close.

A window display, featuring copies of a selection of the kisses, will be unveiled in Fenwick Bond Street, London and Newcastle during the lead up to Valentine’s Day 2009. The entire collection of over 50 original Healed With A Kiss signed prints will be exhibited at The Movieum, County Hall, London in March 2009. The Exhibition will culminate with a Party on 2nd April at the Movieum, as the first in a series of events to help celebrate MediCinema’s 10th Anniversary year. The lip prints will be auctioned during the Party at the Movieum to help MediCinema bring the magic that is cinema to patients, including those in beds and wheelchairs, in hospitals around the UK.

Ewan McGregor, an active and longstanding Patron of the charity, said “I am delighted to participate in the Healed With a Kiss initiative, having seen at first hand how much patients and their families look forward to an all-encompassing cinema experience and welcome break from the daily routine of life on the hospital wards.”

For further information on the entire Healed With A Kiss collection of celebrity lip prints and details on how to bid for your own signed kiss from a star of the silver screen visit www.medicinema.org.uk.

Anne Hathaway Auctions Date For Charity

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Anne Hathaway surprised guests at a charity gala on Saturday night by auctioning off a date to the highest bidder.

The 26-year-old was hosting the 11th annual Cracked Xmas – A Not So Silent Night event to benefit The Trevor Project when she made the surprise announcement.

“I’m not usually very forward, but I thought if there was ever a crowd for me to do something like this, this is my crowd – so I would like to auction myself off,” she said during the event, which was aimed to promote acceptance of gay and questioning teenagers and aid in suicide prevention.

Three fans forked out $12,000 for the chance to go on the date with Hathaway, with the proceeds going to The Trevor Project, a nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

The evening also featured an appearance by Selma Blair, and Sigourney Weaver received the Trevor Life Award for her “courage and conviction to break the barriers of stereotype and intolerance.”

Trevor Project To Honor Sigourney Weaver With Life Award

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Rachel Krause

On December 7, the 11th annual fundraising event, Cracked Xmas: A Not So Silent Night, will take place at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, California, to benefit The Trevor Project, a 24-hour suicide hotline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning youth.

The Trevor Project will be honoring Lifetime Networks and Academy Award Nominated Actress, Sigourney Weaver. Weaver, who has never been afraid to take on roles that brought the LGBTQ and straight communities together by defying stereotypes, will be honored with The Trevor Life Award.

“We are delighted to honor Sigourney Weaver and Lifetime Networks, since they both demonstrate the courage and conviction to break the barriers of stereotype and intolerance,” Charles Robbins, executive director and chief executive officer, The Trevor Project. “Sigourney Weaver and Lifetime provide inspiration to young people and families who will see films ‘Prayers for Bobby’ and understand the importance of celebrating diversity and life.”

For the past ten years The Trevor Project has been working to curb LGBTQ suicides through the usage of its hotline. The basis behind organization is the 18-minute film, Trevor, which is about a gay 13-year-old boy who considers committing suicide after being rejected by friends and peers. The film earned the 1994 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

Since its inception, The Trevor Help Line has received over 100,000 phone calls from distressed youth. In addition to the help line, The Trevor Project also offers Dear Trevor, an online forum where young people can ask questions in a safe, anonymous atmosphere.

Well-known stars such as Selma Blair, Wanda Sykes, and Leslie Jordan are scheduled to attend the gala. Fantasia Barrino is also scheduled to perform.

Mezzanine and balcony tickets for Cracked Xmas are still available and can be purchased on The Trevor Project website.

Anne Hathaway Gets Ready For A Cracked Xmas

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Trevor Project – the nonprofit endeavor established to promote acceptance of gay and questioning teenagers and aid in suicide prevention – is to hold an evening of irreverent comedy, performances, and awards next month.

The 11th annual Cracked Xmas – A Not So Silent Night will be presented by Anne Hathaway and will honor Sigourney Weaver with a Life Award for her support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Previous recipients include Ellen DeGeneres, Debra Messing, and Rosie O'Donnell.

“I feel grateful and humbled to be honored with the Trevor Life Award, and to be recognized as an ally to the LGBTQ community,” said Weaver. “I hope that films such as ‘Prayers for Bobby’ will send messages of compassion and acceptance to all people, and compel them to create safer, all-encompassing environments for our young people.”

Lifetime Networks, a leader in women’s television that produces and distributes diverse programming for its audiences, will receive The Trevor Hope Award.

“We are delighted to honor Sigourney Weaver and Lifetime Networks, since they both demonstrate the courage and conviction to break the barriers of stereotype and intolerance,” said Charles Robbins, executive director and chief executive officer of The Trevor Project. “Sigourney Weaver and Lifetime provide inspiration to young people and families who will see films such as ‘Prayers for Bobby’ and understand the importance of celebrating diversity and life.”

The Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQ youth, and has taken over 100,000 phone calls since its inception.

The event will also feature an appearance by Selma Blair and will take place at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on December 7. Tickets and info are available at the Trevor Project website.

Sigourney Weaver Awards Outstanding Women In Conservation

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actress and environmentalist Sigourney Weaver played Master of Ceremonies last month at the Audubon Society’s annual Women In Conservation award luncheon in New York.

Among the recipients of Audubon’s Rachel Carson Award was Bette Midler for her extraordinary contribution to conservation and the environment.

Specifically, Midler was being recognized for her New York Restoration Project (NYRP), which she founded in 1995 as a response to her initial disappointment to the visual pollution when she first moved to New York City.

In an interview with Good Housekeeping Magazine, Midler said, “I was so upset, I didn’t sleep for weeks… I’m not used to the kind of carelessness and waste that I was seeing. People were throwing their garbage out the window, leaving their lunches on the ground. Finally, I realized I needed to actually do something, even if I had to pick up the stuff with my own hands.”

In the belief that “clean, green neighborhoods are fundamental to the quality of life and that every community in New York City deserves an oasis of natural beauty,” NYRP accomplishments over the past decade include: the establishment of dozens of gardens and saving others from development; the creation of a park out of a dumping ground and raising millions of dollars to restore and develop under-resourced parks; the removal of nearly 1000 tons of garbage and debris from project sites and cleaning up over 400 acres; funding economic redevelopment of waterfront; and, last Fall, the planting of the first of a million more trees in the city.

The Audubon Society, founded over a century ago, recognizes women who show such leadership, energy and endurance with the Rachel Carson Award. Carson was an environmental maverick in her own right, who contributed to the movement in the early 60s when she proved that toxic chemicals used in agriculture were lethal to wildlife and humans alike.

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