Look To The Stars News: Rachel Zeskind

Fulfillment Fund Attracts Big Names For Annual Gala

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0000

The stars came out on October 13 for the Fulfillment Fund’s annual benefit gala.

Look To The Stars Celebrity Ambassador Rachel Zeskind was lucky enough to be on the red carpet for the event, which was hosted by Ryan Seacrest and featured appearances by Kate Beckinsale, Sinbad, Christian Bale, John Fogerty and many more.

The Fulfillment Fund is dedicated to helping promising yet disadvantaged students graduate from high school and complete college, and honored Legendary Pictures Chairman and CEO Thomas Tull at this year’s STARS 2008 Benefit Gala.

Each fall, Hollywood and the Los Angeles community provide almost $2 million in critical support at the annual gala event, which has been recognized as one of the top five most successful annual fundraising events in Southern California.

“This might have been the worst week in memorable history to have a fund-raising dinner, but we’ve always been blessed with strong support from the entertainment industry,“ said Fulfillment Fund founder Dr. Gary Gitnick.

Rachel Zeskind, who last month attended the 60th annual Emmy Awards on behalf of Look To The Stars, had the chance to catch up with several of the guests at the gala, including Superman Returns’ Brandon Routh, who revealed that he is a huge supporter of the Christopher Reeve Foundation, and Sean Thomas, who supports the Young Storytellers Foundation – a Los Angeles based non-profit organization dedicated to developing literacy, self-expression and self-esteem in elementary school students through the art of storytelling.

(Photos copyright Jesse Brunt)

_Rachel’s dress and jewelry by Tal Sheyn and Creative Brazil

Look To The Stars Exclusive: The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Rachel Zeskind

After preparing herself for the biggest night of the year, Look To The Stars Celebrity Ambassador Rachel Zeskind found her way to the red carpet of the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards earlier this week, where she caught up with some of the stars:

Arrival was tricky – after an apparent security breach, additional measures had been put into place to secure the safety of all in attendance, thus making parking an hour long waiting process that was filled with numerous police and bomb squad check points.

Once there – and very late a mad dash to connect with my publicist was made – I headed to the red carpet as fast as six-inch high-heeled shoes would allow. Then came the insanity of the red carpet for an event of this magnitude, hundreds of stars in front of a thousand members of the press. Video cameras and crews swarmed everywhere and camera’s flashed from every angle down the entire red carpet walk.

Honestly, it’s intimidating and weird. I stand there, suck in my tummy and try not to feel less pretty, less famous, less tall, less thin…yadayadayada… and remember that on this day, I am the very best reflection of me that I can be. I accept this, try to say something loving to myself and smile posing for the photo’s. My insides are vibrating and I hope I don’t look as freaked out as I feel inside. No matter how many times one walks down a red carpet, the experience is intimidating and surreal.

Once inside I took my seat and tried to decompress as the show began. From inside the Nokia Theater a sea of glamour spread out from the edges of the theater down to the stage. The room was abuzz. This is one of the few times every year when all the actors and actresses and producers and writers and directors all get a chance to be in the same place at the same time, catch up, meet the ones they don’t know, and acknowledge and appreciate their peers.

One of the most powerful acceptance speeches was by Glenn Close. Her statements about how Hollywood has finally begun to recognize that ‘mature’ women can be sexy and powerful and play the leads in successful TV shows was met by an eruption of applause. She is one of those ground-breaking, pace-setting leaders for all female actresses. It is women like her that shake it up and teach people that women are not disposable after thirty – in fact, they just get better, hotter, and smarter!

During the commercial breaks and after parties I was able to catch up with some celebrities and talk to them about their favorite charities, organizations and ask them what issues were on their hearts and minds currently.

Larry David of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ said voter fraud was a huge concern for him right now as we move closer and closer to the election date for our next US President.

Conan O’Brien of ‘Late Night With Conan O’Brien’ said his most recent favorite charity is the Fresh Air Fund NYC.

Christina DeRosa, the up and coming star who will be seen in the new FOX series ‘Dollhouse,’ said that she was an Agape member and fully supported their outreach programs.

At the TV Guide after party I caught up with Emmy award winning composer John Wineglass – whose favorite charity is CASA – and Jon Voight, who is a passionate supporter of the troops stationed overseas.

The point to this all is no matter who you are, what you do for a living or what you look like, you are a human being who sucks in air the same way all the stars do. Your brain shares similar positive and negative thoughts as anyone else’s and certain issues move your hearts too. As a human being you were given a very specific unique set of gifts, passions and abilities to be appreciated by yourself and others as well as to be used to do your part in changing the world we all share.

(photos copyright Rachel Zeskind)

Look To The Stars Exclusive: Preparing For The Emmy Awards

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Rachel Zeskind

Look To The Stars Celebrity Ambassador Rachel Zeskind was lucky enough to attend the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards earlier this week. In this article, she gives us a candid view of the preparations a star must go through to look good on the red carpet while reminding us that it is important to love who we are inside:

Here it is, the real deal, literally behind-the-scenes of my Emmy preparations.

But before we dive in, let’s review a bit of back history to set the tone. I am sure you can imagine the pressure on actors and actresses to be attractive, thin, youthful and desirable is huge. These pressures cause many, many people in the entertainment industry a great deal of problems as beauty icons have come out admitting to personal struggles with self image, depression, drug use and eating disorders to name a few.

Many women (and men) look at the stars who appear dazzling and perfect from the red carpets and the pages of magazines and think that that is what beauty is – that is where the bar and standard is set. This has led to many self image issues from self-loathing to insecurity in many people all around the world.

However, those dazzling images of the celebrities of today are created by a team of people. There is no way they roll out of bed in the morning or hang around their houses looking like that. The reason I am telling you about this is because it is my deep desire to help people everywhere love and accept themselves and feel more comfortable and confident in their own skin.

This is the kind of work it takes:

After a month of working out with my amazing personal trainer Drea, eating an incredibly healthy organic high protein-low carb diet, drinking tons of water and using gobs and gobs of skin care products to bring my body and skin into the best shape, I was ready to hit the spray tan machine and get my fake (but safe) golden sun kissed glow.

Now I was ready – or at least as ready as I could have gotten myself – to turn myself over to a team of experts, as all celebs do…that’s right, before every public appearance the celeb’s entourage of beauty magicians hover in from beauty heaven and perform miracles before sending the perfectly crafted exterior image of the star out the door.

My process of meeting with this creative team to consult with them regarding my image for the Primetime Emmy event began about a week prior. It all began when Tal Sheyn arrived at my home with an array of beautifully crafted dress sketches and her design portfolio. I picked one, asked for a crimson color and turned my faith in her skilled direction. A few days later my first fittings took place, after which I selected my jewelry from gifted jewelry designer Heather Capps’ new line Creative Brazil.

Now, I had one unusual request. I wanted to make a political statement and carry a purse that bore ‘Obama ‘08’ on it. The question was how to do this fashionably and not as a tacky bumper sticker statement. Heather Capps carefully designed a purse living up to said criteria using matching fabric provided by the dress designer Tal Sheyn, who also had input on the Obama statement as I had originally wanted it to be embedded into the dress. Wisely she talked me out of that one and suggested a purse, allowing me to dodge a bullet dolled out by the fashion police.

By my final fitting for the gown just a day and a half before the event, my tummy was looking bloated and not perfectly flat, so to avoid any embarrassing ‘baby bump’ rumors a very tight lining was deemed the solution and sewn into the dress. I have heard that even some of the thinnest stars and models do the very same thing.

Fact: I still had to suck my stomach in all night and eat very light meals throughout the day…I’m talking nibbling on fruit mostly.

So on the day of the Primetime Emmys, I woke up at six am, picked up jewelry and the now-called ‘Obama bag’ at Heather Capps, then showed up at the designers studio at 9am looking as good as I could from the inside out.

I was met by Kobi Cohen – the hair stylist – and his secret box of hair miracles and began having hair extensions put in place.

After two hours I was finally ready for makeup and, since Tal Sheyn had begun her career in the fashion and entertainment world as a celebrity makeup artist, we had both felt that she would be the best makeup artist for the job – she was designing the overall look from head to tow in her mind. So, on came the makeup! Suddenly I had perfect skin and chiseled check bones and eyes that looked wide and young.

Finally at 3pm – yes, six hours after I had arrived – I was ready to slip into the couture princess gown and accessories and head off to the ball.

This amazing look was created by a gaggle of highly gifted and creative people. The gown was designed for me by designer Tal Sheyn (www.designbytalsheyn.com), she also did my make up (www.talsheynmakeup.com). All jewelry was Creative Brazil designed by Heather Capps (www.creativebrazil.net). The shoes were by Jacob at Shoes For The Stars, hair by Kobi Cohen, and the entire days preparations were photographed by Kevin Break (www.lastyle.net).

(photos copyright Kevin Break)

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.

Hollywood Philanthropy: The Change The World Humanitarian Awards

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Rachel Zeskind

Look To The Stars’ Celebrity Ambassador, Rachel Zeskind, recently attended the Hollywood Note Foundation’s Change The World Humanitarian Award Honoree Announcement and Launch Party in Los Angeles and shares her thoughts about the event in her latest report:

Hollywood has used its power to promote philanthropy around the world, and the Hollywood Note Foundation aspires to maximize and recognize that power and to change the world as it exists now. Through it’s premiere fundraising effort – the Change the World Humanitarian Awards Gala, set for May of next year – the Hollywood Note Foundation bestows honors upon those Hollywood entities that do the most to improve our world.

I attended the Hollywood Note Foundation’s Change the World Humanitarian Award Honoree Announcement and Launch Party at the Beverly Hilton on September 9th. It is my opinion that – out of the plethora of different events, award shows, and premieres that Hollywood hosts – the very best ones are the events where celebrities, philanthropists and a myriad of people within the entertainment industry unite for one evening for a cause. It creates a strong feeling of unity.

The Hollywood Note was such an event. However it was completely unique in it’s collection of supporters, drawing many other philanthropic groups. From the start the room was abuzz with the energy of inspirational people as they mingled, shared their causes and passions and a powerful ‘can do’ sense of unity.

It was an evening to honor the works of individuals – such as Nancy Cartwright (AKA Bart Simpson) – as well as films, companies and organizations such as Stand Up To Cancer, Save The Ta-Tas, and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children). It also wed these causes together to breed a stronger, more united vision of what Hollywood can and will accomplish for the world we all share.

Also in attendance were Corey Feldman and three time Emmy award-winning composer John Wineglass, with performances by Jessica Sokolove and the winner of Last Comic Standing, Alonzo Bodden.

I think that everyone was truly touched by Shelly Preston’s opening speech – I myself got a sudden rush of goosebumps in knowing that people like Shelly and John Preston of the Hollywood Note Foundation, along with their board members, have thrown themselves fully into this powerful venture and are moving mountains for those who are so desperately in need while honoring and supporting others who are doing the same.

We can be sure to be hearing much more about their work in the future and see a permanent powerful effect resonate throughout Hollywood and the world we all share.

To find out more information about these dedicated people and their works, visit www.hollywoodnotefoundation.org and view the full list of honorees.

_Look To The Stars is proud to list the Hollywood Note Foundation as one of our official partners

_(Photos copyright Gates Photography

Hollywood Philanthropy: Actor to Actor

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Rachel Zeskind

This is the first in a new series of columns on Look To The Stars written by actress and filmmaker Rachel Zeskind.

We are human

Since this is the first of many articles to come, I thought that I would take this chance to introduce myself and my views on the entertainment industry’s support of local, national and global issues. Please do not mistake this in any way to be meant as fluff or shameless self-promotion – there is plenty of that smattered throughout Hollywood, the entertainment industry, and the vultures that circle it like prey. Instead I suggest this introduction so that you, as the reader, will be able to see what areas I am biased towards – since of course, no matter how partial I try to be, hopefully my soul will never refrain from leaking out onto these pages. In my soul there are many passions towards humans and the world we all share.

I have called this article ‘We Are Human’ because one of the things I truly hope to convey is the desperate need to see ourselves and the world around us – even the parts of the world that are oceans away from us – as one. In unity there is strength, solutions, peace and prosperity. We are all human, we all affect one another. The British writer George Orwell (author of Why I Write in addition to many other award winning works of political literature) made a statement that ‘nothing is causeless’. I take this one step further and say that nothing is effect-less. For every action there is a reaction, either positive or negative, whether that be large or small… and within this law of cause and effect we have a dramatic impact on the world and the humans and animals we share it with. Every simple breath you draw into your lungs, when exhaled, has impact. Now that I have waxed a bit metaphorical, let me hover a bit closer to the concrete.

If you are interested in seeing what I have worked on within the entertainment industry or to gauge if I am a valid source for you to invest five minutes of time reading my opinions, experiences and interviews, please feel free to look me up, for I have no intention to justify my existence with a laundry list of credits.

Simply put, I am an actress and filmmaker living and working in Los Angeles. I do this not because I want to be a star, get attention, or make tons of money so that I can indulge in many useless forms of bling. I do what I do because it is not optional, it is ingrained in my soul, and I am an artist. To me, being an artist (in the medium of TV and film) comes with a great responsibility. To me this is a responsibility to my artistic self, the world, and the next generation coming up after me. In my heart this responsibility is sometimes overpowering.

It is my firm belief and conviction that the arts – especially television, film and music – are (in today’s society) some of the most powerful mediums to effect change by, with, and through. With these mediums we have the ability to touch the audience, reach into their heart, and inspire hope, dreams, change, and empowerment. Also through the results (money, fame, etc.) we have the ability to use our voices and resources to call attention and action towards the issues we each feel individually compelled by. For each person within the entertainment industry these passions and causes that pull our heartstrings will be as unique as that person, as will the driving force of the ‘why’ behind it. It is my goal to introduce you, the reader, to these leaders within the entertainment industry and invite you into an intimate view of their hearts, minds, and efforts to better this world.

As promised earlier, here is a peek into mine; I feel that every human being on this planet should have the ability to meet their basic needs, the needs of their family, and the ability to achieve their dreams in a world that is a healthier, more balanced and respected place that will support the future ability for humans to achieve such needs. I feel that it is the right of nature, humans, and animals all over this world to co-exist without inflicting abuse or having abuse afflicted upon them. These are basic and simple.

Personally I support spiritual growth, unity, and community. I am a volunteer at L.A. GOAL which helps provide jobs to adults with Downs Syndrome and Autism. I have a strong heart for causes throughout Africa. My passionate feeling is that the healing of Africa, country by country, is a critical part of this world’s survival and future hope. Worldwide causes I support are aiding to heal and support people suffering from/with addiction, abuse, children’s rights issues, human trafficking, parenting/family needs, environmental issues, and health care. Education for the children of the world is also a huge factor that weighs on my heart on a daily basis.

We may all come from different places, situations and points of view. I ask you not to always agree or approve of my thoughts, opinions and actions, but instead to focus on what we can do together. The truth of the matter is that we are all connected, all deeply in need to heal and be healed, love and be loved. However, above all else we must remember that WE ARE HUMAN!

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