Look To The Stars News: Martin Scorsese

Iranian Director Released From Jail

Wed, 26 May 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Earlier this month, LookToTheStars.org reported that a number of top Hollywood legends had signed a petition urging the Iranian government to free jailed filmmaker Jafar Panahi. We can now happily report that he has been released on bail.

Robert De Niro, Steven Spielberg, Robert Redford, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, the Coen Brothers, Ang Lee, Oliver Stone and Michael Moore all put their signatures to the petition, following the arrest of the filmmaker in March.

Panahi was arrested for his vocal support of Iran’s opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi. His release follows the end of the Cannes Film Festival, of which he was supposed to be a judge.

Filmmakers Unite To Free Jailed Director In Iran

Mon, 03 May 2010 15:30:00 +0000

A host of the film industry’s biggest names have signed a petition to urge the Iranian government to free jailed filmmaker Jafar Panahi.

Robert De Niro, Steven Spielberg, Robert Redford, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, the Coen Brothers, Ang Lee, Oliver Stone and Michael Moore have put their signatures to the petition, following the arrest of the filmmaker in March.

Panahi was arrested for his vocal support of Iran’s opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi.

Michael J. Fox Rocks For A Cure

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Michael J. Fox proved that he can still rock like Marty McFly during the weekend when he appeared on stage at his annual A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Cure Parkinson’s gala at New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Saturday.

The gala benefited his Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research, and the evening saw Fox join rockers such as Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler and Elvis Costello on stage for a jam. The event was emceed by Denis Leary, and guests such as Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Scorsese and Ben Stiller were spotted enjoying the evening.

Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease within the decade through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s today.

London Critics’ Circle Invite You to Film Awards

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 14:30:00 +0000

The London Critics’ Circle is inviting you to attend their 29th annual film awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Proceeds from the event are to benefit The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), a UK based charity that advocates for child protection through public awareness campaigns, helplines, and counseling services.

A Funny Thing Happened...

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Scarlett Johansson was among the incredible list of stars showing their support at the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s annual benefit, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Cure Parkinson’s.

Along with her husband, Ryan Reynolds (who recently ran the NYC Marathon for Fox’s foundation), Johansson joined Michael J. Fox, Elizabeth Berkley, Martin Scorsese and Ben Stiller at the New York event.

A performance by The Who ensured that the evening rocked as guests mingled and raised awareness and funds for the charity.

Paul Newman - A Life Spent Giving

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Actor and philanthropist Paul Newman leaves behind a legacy modern celebrities will find hard to match.

83-year-old Newman – who passed away after a short illness on Friday – made his movie debut in 1954, and went on to become one of the most well known faces to grace the silver screen, appearing in over 50 films. Born in Ohio, Newman made his acting debut at the age of seven, but didn’t start acting professionally until after serving as a gunner in the Pacific in World War II. When the acting bug did bite, it went on to net Newman 10 Oscar nominations in his five-decade-long career – winning the best actor accolade for his role opposite Tom Cruise in The Color Of Money in 1986 – two Golden Globe awards, a Screen Actors Guild award, a Cannes Film Festival award and an Emmy award.

But it is Newman’s humanitarian and philanthropic efforts that gained him true popularity in the American heart. Much has been written about his Newman’s Own Food Company, the initiative he established in 1982 to manufacture his special salad dressings. Over $200 million were generated by the company for charity over the years, and earlier in 2008 the actor announced he had signed ownership of the company to charity. He wrote a book – titled Shameless Exploitation in the Pursuit of the Common Good – about his work with the company, explaining that the inspiration behind his humanitarian outlook was the death of his son from a drug overdose in 1978, which led him to set up the Scott Newman Center for Drug Abuse Prevention. Much of the money Newman raised went to the Hole in the Wall Gang summer camps he established in 1988. The camps allow ill children to participate in activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, archery, arts and crafts, woodworking, performing arts, horseback riding, overnight camping and group adventures, all while receiving superior 24-hour medical care free of charge. More than 100,000 children from 31 countries have attended the Hole in the Wall camps.

Stars Turn Out For LA Free Clinic Anniversary

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:44:45 +0000

Mick Jagger, Claire Danes, Zach Braff, Martin Scorsese, Bob Saget and Don Rickles took the stage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Monday night to honor Paramount Pictures CEO Brad Grey at a gala dinner celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Free Clinic.

Marc Anthony performed a lively three-song set backed by his powerhouse salsa band. Also in attendance were Anthony’s superstar spouse, Jennifer Lopez, actor Mark Wahlberg and former California Governor Gray Davis.

The event raised $4 million for the Clinic, which provides free health care services throughout Los Angeles County.

Bon Jovi Works to Provide Affordable Housing in Philadelphia

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:16:00 +0000

Earlier this month rocker Jon Bon Jovi, standing alongside former President Bill Clinton, announced the proposed renovation and rebuilding of fifteen abandoned row houses in North Central Philadelphia.

The newly refurbished homes are to be part of the charitable initiative “Phase V Homeownership Project”, which will work to provide affordable and environmentally-friendly quality housing to first-time homeowners that might otherwise go homeless.

The project represents the flagship initiative of the newly formed Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation and involves the efforts of Saturn, Habitat For Humanity, and Project HOME as cooperating partners.