Look To The Stars News: Natalie Portman

PETA Honors Famous Vegetarians On Postage Stamps

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:30:00 +0000

A number of famous vegetarians are featuring on a limited edition sheet of US postage stamps launched by PETA.

According to PETA.org: “The VIPs featured on these unique postage sheets ditched meat from their diets either out of concern for their health, for the environment, or for animals—and our world would not be the same without their accomplishments. Although the individuals featured in this series seem very different at first glance, they are united in their respect for animals.”

Eva Longoria Among Honorees At Power Of Women Awards

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Eva Longoria and Lea Michele will be among the honorees of Variety’s annual Power of Women Awards Luncheon in Beverly Hills later this month.

The third annual event will celebrate the Power of Women and their impact on philanthropic and charitable causes. Every year, Variety honors a select group of women in entertainment who, through their efforts, have made a significant difference to their chosen causes. 400 invite-only guests made up of Hollywood insiders and A-list talent come to celebrate, support and pay tribute to the philanthropic efforts of these amazing women. Variety’s philanthropy bazaar provides an interactive area for guests to engage with the participating brand sponsors and the featured charities. The goal of Variety’s Power of Women is to inspire and encourage women from all walks of life to get involved, give back and make a difference.

Also being honored at the event are Annette Bening, Olivia Wilde and Stacey Snider.

PETA UK Announces Sexiest Celeb Vegetarians

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:30:00 +0000

What do Skinny Genes singer Eliza Doolittle and The Wanted heartthrob Jay McGuiness have in common? In addition to having heaps of talent, they’re dedicated to a compassionate, vegetarian lifestyle – and it’s that dedication that has netted them each the title of PETA UK’s Sexiest Vegetarians.

Thousands of votes were cast in this year’s poll on PETA.org.uk to help PETA choose the winners, who faced stiff competition from 99 other finalists, including Leona Lewis, Joss Stone, Russell Brand, Sir Paul McCartney, Joaquin Phoenix, Natalie Portman and Chantelle Houghton.

Over in the US, Russell Brand and Kristen Wiig took out the sexiest celeb vegetarian honors for 2011.

Natalie Portman And Zoe Saldana Lend A Hand To FINCA

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:30:00 +0000

FINCA International, a charitable micro-finance organization, is launching a new video public service announcement campaign for FINCA’s online donation community, Lend A Hand, which features spokeswomen Academy Award winner Natalie Portman, and leading Hollywood actress Zoe Saldana.

The PSA campaign is in support of women, worldwide, who are working to create a better future for their families. The PSA videos go live June 10.

Natalie Portman Joins Celebrities In Supporting Freedom To Marry

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Natalie Portman and her fiance, Benjamin Millepied, are the latest stars to sign a letter urging Barack Obama to consider the marriage rights of same-sex couples.

The I Do letter has gained the support of 100,000 people, including Lance Bass, Dustin Lance Black, Ellen and Portia DeGeneres, Melissa Etheridge, David Geffen, Anne Hathaway, Cyndi Lauper, Jane Lynch, Eric McCormack, LeAnn Rimes, Martin Sheen, Lily Tomlin and Rufus Wainwright.

“Natalie Portman and her fiance, Benjamin Millepied, are in love, and believe all loving couples should be able to share in the freedom to marry without discrimination,” says Evan Wolfson, president of campaign group Freedom to Marry, "That is why they are joining the more than 100,000 people on Freedom to Marry’s Say, “I Do” Open Letter calling on the president to do the right think and become part of America’s majority for marriage."

Celebrities Pampered At ALIVE! Expo Green Pavilion

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:30:00 +0000

On February 25 & 26, ALIVE! Expo Green Pavilion & Mix Media Luxury Lounge with Project Green returned to the London Hotel in Los Angeles for their popular Oscar week extravaganza.

Owners Kim Shimmel and Patrycja Siewert-Towns hosted a successful weekend of eco- education & pampering with luxurious yet earth friendly products. Attending celebrity guests included Robin Wright, who stopped by to enjoy raw food chef Jason Wrobel’s Oscar worthy vegan snacks. Beautiful Dr. Yamma Brown (daughter of the late James Brown) grooved to Kemol -DJ Green’s cool music pics and live performances produced by Koffeehouse. A graceful Tippi Hedren stopped in to lend support for our Project Green initiative and visit her friend Maggie Jones “Slimmer Silhouette.” Composer Alan Menken got "Tangled " up in the enormous Eco-Luxe Gift Bag!

Natalie Portman Needs Help To Free The Children

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Natalie Portman is helping to Free The Children by launching a new initiative to help raise funds to open a secondary school in Kenya.

Fashion meets fundraising with the launch of the Power of a Girl, a unique initiative shedding light on the issue of female education in developing nations. Around the globe, more than 60 per cent of the 110 million children out of school are girls. That’s why for young women living in poverty, access to education not only opens the door to a brighter future, but also leads to positive change for their families and their communities.

From now until May 1st, the Power of a Girl is encouraging youth between the ages of 13 to 21 in North America and the U.K., to sign up at www.freethechildren.com/girls and raise funds for Kisaruni, Free The Children’s new all-girls’ secondary school in Kenya. After May 1st, the top five fundraisers/finalists will be chosen and asked to submit an entry about why they think it’s important to empower the world’s girls through education. The contest winner will be announced June 1, 2011.

Celebrity Charity Party Follows Screen Actors Guild Awards

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:30:00 +0000

The Screen Actors Guild presented its coveted “Actor” statuette for the outstanding motion picture and primetime television performances of 2010 at the “17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards” in ceremonies attended by film and television’s leading actors last night at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center. The event was followed by an exclusive charity party.

Voting procedures to choose the recipients were sent to the nearly 100,000 active members of Screen Actors Guild nationwide. Morgan Freeman presented Ernest Borgnine with Screen Actors Guild’s highest honor, the 47th Annual Life Achievement Award, following a filmed tribute introduced by Tim Conway.

Honored with individual awards were Christian Bale, Colin Firth, Melissa Leo and Natalie Portman for performances in motion pictures and Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Claire Danes, Julianna Margulies, Al Pacino, and Betty White for performances in television. Screen Actors Guild originated awards for the outstanding performances by a motion picture cast and by television drama and comedy ensembles. The Actor for a motion picture cast performance went this year to “The King’s Speech”, while the Actors for television drama and comedy ensemble performances went this year to “Boardwalk Empire” and “Modern Family.” Screen Actors Guild’s honors for outstanding performances by a stunt ensemble in film and television were awarded to “Inception” and “True Blood.”

Little Black Dress Wines Launch Annual Celebrity Charity Auction

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Little Black Dress Wines kicks off another year supporting two great charities – Dress for Success and Clothes Off Our Back – through its annual celebrity little black dress and autographed wine bottle auctions.

Bidding begins January 17, just after the Golden Globes. Donations are “pouring” in from nominees: Glee’s Lea Michele donated an LBD while autographed bottles of Little Black Dress Wines were contributed by Black Swan’s Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and director Darren Aronofsky; Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway (Love and Other Drugs); Frankie and Alice’s Halle Berry; Kevin Spacey (Casino Jack), Matthew Morrison (Glee), Colin Firth (The King’s Speech); Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine), and Mark Wahlberg/The Fighter round out the list. The auction ends March 1, 2011 after the Academy Awards.

Natalie Portman's Cruelty-Free Shoes

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Actress and strict vegan Natalie Portman has had all of her shoes remade by Dior to make them animal-friendly.

Last month, after Portman was unveiled as the new face of Dior, the company bent over backwards to make sure Portman would be comfortable in her new role.

“One of the things that’s been so nice is that Dior made all of the shoes for me with no animals and no leather or anything,” said Portman “They remade all of my shoes so I can wear Dior shoes without taking lives.”

FINCA Marks 25th Anniversary With Celebrity Charity Gala

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +0000

FINCA held its 25th Anniversary Event at Capitale last week to celebrate those who have helped the organization create pathways out of poverty for millions of the world’s hardworking poor.

Honored at the event were two members of the board – Academy Award nominee and FINCA Ambassador of Hope Natalie Portman, as well as Philanthropist and FINCA Advisory Board member Soledad Hurst.

Natalie Imbruglia Narrates PETA Anti-Fur Video

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Natalie Imbruglia has narrated a new anti-fur video released by PETA to coincide with London Fashion Week.

“There is no kind way to rip the skin off animals’ backs”, says Imbruglia. "Anyone who wears any fur shares the blame for the torture and gruesome deaths of millions of animals each year.

“Saving animals is as simple as choosing synthetic alternatives instead of real fur.”

Hollywood Starlets To Be Honored For Charity Work

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:30:00 +0000

A host of Hollywood’s most powerful women will be honored by Variety this month for their charity work.

The annual Power of Women luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel on September 30 will honor seven women for their humanitarian efforts: Natalie Portman (FINCA), Amy Adams (Ghetto Film School), Jennifer Garner (Save the Children), Katie Holmes (Dizzy Feet Foundation), Diane Lane (Heifer International), Eva Mendes (The Art of Elysium) and Management 360 founding partner Suzan Bymel (Global Creative Forum).

“By honoring this incredible group of high-profile women who are leading the charge, we hope to inspire and empower everyone within our industry – and throughout the world – to get involved and give back,” said Michelle Sobrino, Variety’s associate publisher.

Vote For PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again – PETA is looking for it’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity of 2010, and you can vote for the winner.

Last year’s competition was taken out by Kellie Pickler and Milo Ventimiglia, and other winners over the years have included Carrie Underwood, Tobey Maguire, Kristen Bell, Anthony Kiedis, Alicia Silverstone and Natalie Portman.

There’s a whole bunch of nominees for you to choose from this year, such as Alec Baldwin, Joaquin Phoenix, Hayden Panettiere, Joan Jett, Ellen DeGeneres, Kevin Bacon and many more.

Glee's Jane Lynch To Host Do Something Charity Awards

Wed, 26 May 2010 13:30:00 +0000

DoSomething.org has announced comedic actress and star of “Glee”, Jane Lynch as host of its star-studded “Do Something Awards” live telecast on VH1 on July 19, 2010 at 9PM EDT.

The final five nominees and grant recipients to be honored during the show were also announced. Each nominee is honored for their commitment to service and social change with a community grant of $10,000. Of these five nominees, a grand prize winner will receive a $100,000 grant for their cause during the live broadcast from the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.

Since 1996, DoSomething.org has honored the nation’s best young world-changers, 25 and under. The Do Something Award is the premier national award for community service, and nominees and winners represent the pivotal “do-ers” in their field, cause, or issue.

Natalie Portman And Judd Apatow To Attend Charity Gala For 826LA

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:30:00 +0000

Judd Apatow and Natalie Portman will attend the 826LA 5th Anniversary celebration gala in Los Angeles on April 24.

826LA is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. The event will also feature Dave Eggers, comedy by Aziz Ansari and a performance by Richard Thompson.

The event takes place at the home of Jodie Evans and Max Palevsky in Beverly Hills at 6pm, and immediately follows the LA Times’ Festival of Books. Admission is $250 dollars, with tickets and more information available here.

Jet Li And Natalie Portman Show Faith In Charity Short Film Competition

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:30:00 +0000

A stellar line-up of celebrities and world leaders are to judge a short film competition for a special foundation that aims to promote respect and understanding about the world’s major religions and show how faith is a powerful force for good in the world.

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation has announced a judging panel that consists of Tony Blair, Jet Li, Natalie Portman, Nik Powell, Queen Rania of Jordan, Jonathan Caplan, Amr Khaled, Wendi Murdoch, June Sarpong and Deepak Verma for the the competition.

The competition asks entrants “How does your faith inspire you?”, and the winning entries will be premiered at the BAFTAs. There are separate categories depending on whether you are a filmmaker with access to film making equipment or you just have a great story and want to send a pitch in for the chance to win a portable video camera to make your film.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Create Crafts For A Cause

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Crafts – tiny little bits or tremendously spectacular monstrosities… no matter how much space they occupy, it’s no doubt that their handmade nature can steal many hearts. Crafts are one and only treasures, never replaced and never identical to any other items. Special. Unique. Pieces of art.

Binki Shapiro of the band Little Joy appreciated the priceless value of crafts and asked her artistic mates to join her in an initiative called ‘Crafts for a Cause’. Ornamented legendary guitars, totally adorable hand-drawn pictures, cutely doodled tote bags and emblazoned t-shirts are available from various artists, from Daft Punk, Conor Oberst, Jenny Lewis, Natalie Portman and Cat Power to Spike Jonze, No Doubt, The Strokes, Sia and more!

Natalie Portman Supports Hungry In America

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Natalie Portman was out and about in New York on Sunday night to host a special charity event to kick off the Hungry In America Project.

Held at the Colicchio & Sons Restaurant, and hosted by The Feed Foundation, the event launched a new documentary titled Hungry In America, directed by Lori Silverbush and Kristi Jacobson. The film addresses the fact that one in four children in the US lives on the brink of hunger.

The event was attended by famous faces such as Jake Gyllenhaal, and boasted a host committee that included Ben Affleck, Marcia Cross, Samantha Harris, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Ali Larter, Katherine McPhee, Julianne Moore, Alison Sweeney and many others. Catering was via Tom Colicchio.

Natalie Portman Writes Urgent Message About Haiti

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:30:00 +0000

Actress Natalie Portman has posted an urgent message on the FINCA website about the Haitian earthquake.

“The earthquakes that devastated Haiti this week only further the urgency of aid needed by this already-challenged nation,” she wrote. "Haiti is a place where small loans can make a big difference.   

“FINCA Haiti has always held a special place in my heart. Small loans make an enormous impact on the lives of Haitian women currently living on less than $3 a day. And now, more than ever, Haitian women need these capital inputs to help themselves recover from this tragedy in a sustainable way.”

Natalie Portman Turns Vegan Activist

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Actress Natalie Portman, already a vegetarian for twenty years, has decided to turn vegan after reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s book, Eating Animals. The book had such an impact on her that Portman also declared herself an activist, and penned a letter to the Huffington Post.

It was a big step for Portman, who is not one to seek out controversy nor tell other people how to live, but after learning about the torture that animals endure, and the consequences of farming them, she is speaking out:

“The human cost of factory farming – both the compromised welfare of slaughterhouse workers and, even more, the environmental effects of the mass production of animals – is staggering,” she writes. “Foer details the copious amounts of pig shit sprayed into the air that result in great spikes in human respiratory ailments, the development of new bacterial strains due to overuse of antibiotics on farmed animals, and the origins of the swine flu epidemic in factory farms. [Her own friends] had never truly thought about the connection between their environmental conditions and their food. The story of the mass farming of animals had more impact on them when they realized it had ruined their own backyards.”

Be Published Next To World Leaders For The ONE Campaign

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:30:00 +0000

The ONE Campaign is giving you the chance to have your writing featured in a book alongside Nelson Mandela, Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Desmond Tutu and other world leaders, as well as Natalie Portman and Paulo Coelho.

In June, ONE and the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) plans to present a book called The Big Read to President Barack Obama, urging him to keep his promise to ensure children in developing countries have access to basic education through a U.S. contribution of $2 billion to a Global Fund for Education.

Contributions for the book come from children and adults who have struggled to gain an education; and local heroes who have helped make education possible for others. The book will be translated and distributed in over 100 countries, and will be used as a tool for promoting literacy and good quality, free and public education for everyone.

BBC Interviews LookToTheStars.org Founder

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:45:00 +0000

LookToTheStars.org founder Myrlia Purcell was invited by the BBC’s World Today show to take part in a radio interview on the subject of celebrity philanthropy.

Myrlia explains what the site is trying to accomplish, and responds to the suggestion that celebrities undertake charity work mainly for publicity.

The segment includes soundbites from George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Mia Farrow, and other celebrities mentioned include Paris Hilton, Forest Whitaker, John Hurt, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Lucy Liu, and Run DMC frontman Darryl McDaniels and his Felix Organization.

Natalie Portman Makes A Powerful Noise For Women's Rights

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Actress Natalie Portman has joined a panel that will discuss women’s rights in celebration of International Women’s Day tomorrow, March 5.

The panel discussion will follow screenings of the film A Powerful Noise in 450 theatres across America, in partnership with the ONE Campaign and the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The documentary “A Powerful Noise” features three extraordinary women creating change in Bosnia, Mali and Vietnam. Immediately after the film, the panel discussion from the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in New York City will be simulcast in each theatre.

The panel also features Madeleine K Albright – the 64th Secretary of State of the US – as well as model Christy Turlington, president of CARE Helene Gayle and many others.

Stars To Shine In Charity Heaven

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:00:00 +0000

The Art of Elysium will celebrate their 2nd annual Black Tie Charity Gala in a star-studded event this weekend.

Subtitled Heaven, the event will honor Jim Sheridan and Eva Mendes for their work with the charity, which encourages working actors, artists and musicians to voluntarily dedicate their time and talent to children who are battling serious medical conditions.

The event will be hosted by Rosetta Millington Getty and Relativity Media’s Ryan Kavanaugh, and celebrities expected to attend include Casey Affleck, Jason Bateman, David Arquette, Patricia Arquette, Justin Bartha, Sophia Bush, Courteney Cox, Eric Dane, Kirsten Dunst, Rebecca Gayheart-Dane, Topher Grace, Rachel Griffiths, Jake Gyllenhaal, Melissa Joan Hart, Thomas Jane, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Ali Larter, Jared Leto, Lisa Love, Tobey Maguire, Joaquin Phoenix, Natalie Portman and many others.