Look To The Stars News: Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron's AIDS Project To Benefit From Auction

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Fresh from her appointment as a UN Messenger of Peace, actress Charlize Theron has announced that a beautiful new piece of jewelry will go under the hammer next year to benefit her African Outreach Program.

Italian jeweller Breil – who the actress turned to after an out-of-court settlement with Raymond Weil – will auction off a white gold 27.93-carat champagne diamond pave Breil Milano Battio heart pendant next year. Raymond Weil sued Theron in February 2007 and alleged she broke an exclusivity agreement by wearing other companies’ watches during her contract.

The Charlize Theron African Outreach Project works to better the lives of impoverished families and children living in Theron’s native South Africa, especially those touched by HIV/AIDS.

More information about the auction will be announced early next year.

Charlize Theron Appointed UN Messenger Of Peace

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:00:00 -0000

Written by Linda Burton

Oscar award winning actress Charlize Theron’s next role will be that of a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Last Friday, UN spokesman Farhan Haq made the announcement that Theron will be inducted on Monday at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Haq added that she “will have responsibilities for promoting UN efforts to fight violence against women around the world”.

Honoring Theron for her work towards ending violence towards women, as well as the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project, whose goal is to promote HIV/AIDS education for impoverished children and their families in South Africa, Ki-moon stated “You have used your voice, compassion and special relationship with the public to create a better world.”

The South African born actress became a naturalized US citizen in 2007. She won an Oscar in 2003 for her role in the movie “Monster”, and has also appeared in “North Country”, “Devil’s Advocate”, “The Cider House Rules”, “The Italian Job”, and “AEon Flux”.

Chosen as the tenth UN Messenger of Peace, Theron will join actors George Clooney and Michael Douglas, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Israieli conductor Daniel Barenboim, Nobel Peace Prize winner for literature Elie Wiesel, British primatologist Jane Goodall, Princess Haya Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, and Japanese violinist Midori Goto.

Hollywood Domino Attracts Stars On Both Sides Of Atlantic

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hollywood Domino is the new craze sweeping the world, and two launch events over the weekend attracted stars from across the celebrity spectrum to raise money for charity.

Friday night, November 7, saw the first of the launch events take place in London, with well-known faces such as Charlize Theron, Sienna Miller, Tom Hollander, Ridley Scott, and Giannina Facio in attendance to raise cash for the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project. This was followed on Sunday, November 9, by a second tournament in New York, attended by Salma Hayek, James Franco, Nicole Richie, Joel Madden, Jessica Alba, Molly Sims, Jeremy Piven, Kim Raver, Jason Lewis and many more to raise money for The Art of Elysium.

Hollywood Domino is a new take on a very old game originally invented in China over 400 years ago. The new version was developed after two young entrepreneurs – Inge Theron and Daya Fernandez – met in LA during the Oscars. It was not long before a select group of celebrity friends including Salma Hayek, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher caught onto the trend and began to meet regularly to play.

“Beating the credit crunch has never been so much fun,“ said Inge Theron. “Staying in has definitely become the new going out. ‘Hollywood Domino’ is a fun and exciting parlour game that you cannot help being absorbed by. It is strategic and highly addictive, and brings the glamour of the Hollywood Hills into your living room.”

The game is available for purchase from Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, and other selected retailers.

Lint Roller Party Picks Up Big Names

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:38:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

An impressive list of stars will be turning into party animals at the newly restored Hollywood Palladium on Thursday, November 13th, for the 15th annual Lint Roller Party.

Lisa Edelstein along with Eric and Tania Idle are Honorary Co-Chairs for the night, which supports the Best Friends Animal Society. The party’s honorary committee includes animal lovers such as Adrian Grenier, Charlize Theron, Nicollette Sheridan, Bill Maher, Dan Aykroyd and Willie Nelson, to name but a few.

The event raises funds for the Society’s programs in LA, which improve and save the lives of animals, including: A Puppy-Store-Free LA, Pet Adoption Festivals, Date with a Dog, Indie Rescue, Catnippers, Best Friends Brigade, Pup My Ride Transport Program.

A Founders’ Reception starts the event off at 6, with the party beginning in earnest at 7 P.M. Guests will enjoy an evening of celebrity presenters, live entertainment, live and silent auctions, special guests, an open bar and great veggie food, as well as meet some of the Founders of Best Friends and the stars of National Geographic Channel’s hit series DOGTOWN.

Emmylou Harris will be the feature entertainer for the evening, with the gourmet dinner cooked up by Wolfgang Puck Catering. Those taking part in the auction could win getaways, walk-on-parts, premiere tickets, jewelry, sports and hollywood memorabilia and fine art, among other items. An online auction is currently being held on eBay, which includes autographed items, such as one of Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves, Simspons and Star Wars memorabilia, and one lucky person will win a walk on part in a Clint Eastwood film.

For more information, visit the Lint Roller Party website.

Justin Timberlake Proves That Fashion Rocks

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus and Charlize Theron were some of the stars who appeared at the fifth annual Fashion Rocks concert celebrating the relationship between music and fashion last Friday.

Proceeds from the show – which was televised on CBS on Tuesday night – went to Stand Up To Cancer, which held its own star-studded telethon on the same evening. The Fashion Rocks show included a performance of more than a dozen divas — including Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Natasha Bedingfield, Fergie, Rihanna and Cyrus — who sung their new charity song Just Stand Up, which was beamed live to the Stand Up To Cancer television extravaganza.

“This is the first time we’re all together singing the song,” said Bedingfield. “It was really special. It was really like a sisterhood, like a bond… We’re all used to being the stars — the only star in the room — and it was really nice I think that everyone could just come together and really support each other.”

Also present at Fashion Rocks were Hilary Swank and Hayden Panettiere, with performances from Kid Rock, Keith Urban, Duffy, the Black Eyed Peas, and the Pussycat Dolls. But it was the sizzling duet between Timberlake and Beyonce on “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” that stole the show.

And just to prove that there really is nothing like the real thing, Timberlake has also confirmed he will once again host the Shriners Hospitals for Children Golf Open in October.

Following on from the success of last year’s event, the Open will take place October 13-19 at the TPC Summerlin course in Las Vegas.

The annual event has taken place every year since 1983 and has raised more than $10 million for Las Vegas area charities. Previous champions include Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Paul Azinger, Jim Furyk, Curtis Strange and Fuzzy Zoeller.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a network of facilities in North America that provides superior medical care at no charge to children under the age of 18, and more information about the event – including how to get tickets – can be found at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Golf Open website.

Lance Armstrong Stands Up To Cancer Tonight

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Don’t miss Stand Up To Cancer on ABC, CBS and NBC today, Friday, September 5, at 8 p.m. (EST).

A spectacular line up of talent including Jennifer Aniston, James Taylor, Scarlett Johansson, Meryl Streep, David Cook, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Jack Black, Kirsten Dunst, Charles Barkley, America Ferrera, Halle Berry, Hilary Swank, Forest Whitaker, Jimmy Fallon and Keanu Reeves will appear on the one-hour telecast. The celebrities are set to educate you, move you and entertain you, and will even be on hand to answer your calls in the celebrity phone bank.

The premiere TV performance of Just Stand Up – the star studded charitable single in support of Stand Up To Cancer – will be performed by legendary recording artists Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Ray Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood.

Doug Ulman, President of the Lance Armstrong Foundation says, “Inspired to act by their own personal experiences with cancer, the Stand Up to Cancer team recognizes that we can no longer rely on the current system alone to give us the breakthroughs we need. They are calling on the public to help take matters into our own hands, investing in a revolution that will change the way scientists and clinicians work to understand and treat cancer. Stand Up To Cancer is more than a rallying cry. It is a galvanizing force created to urgently move cancer research forward.”

Tonight’s program is raising funds to build “Dream Teams” made up of scientists, clinicians, technicians and other experts.

For more information about Stand Up To Cancer, and a complete list of celebrities who will be appearing during the show, visit the Stand Up To Cancer Website.

Affleck Tops Charity Stars in Denver

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Denver saw an outpouring of celebrity love during last week’s DNC, with Ben Affleck leading the philanthropic pack.

On the Tuesday night, Affleck took part in a poker tournament, along with Richard Dreyfuss and Montel Williams, which ultimately raised over $60,000 for the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

“A lot of important organizations use this environment and the people who are here, celebrities, members of Congress, to try and raise money. This is not a Democratic or Republican group, this is a group serving our veterans,” Affleck said of the charity.

Wednesday morning, the Pearl Harbor star was down at a local food bank, the Food Bank of the Rockies, to participate in a repack event for America’s Second Harvest. Also on hand for the event were members of the Senate Hunger Caucus and members of the House – all there to see who could pack the most boxes of food in five minutes. Affleck, incidentally, won both the poker and the packing events.

He was joined by wife Jennifer Garner for a book reading at the Starz Green Room. Also set to attend were Charlize Theron, Daryl Hannah, Rosario Dawson, Kerry Washington, Josh Brolin, Kal Penn, Stuart Townsend and Hill Harper.

Jennifer Lopez spoke at a reception sponsored by the Jennifer Lopez Foundation in honor of Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund. Fran Drescher, Ashley Judd and Joy Bryant joined Lopez in honoring Edelman.

The Black Eyed Peas performed at the Fillmore Auditorium for the Creative Coalition, and Kanye West performed at a party benefitting the ONE Campaign. Forest Whitaker, Kal Penn and Jamie Foxx were in attendance at the latter.

Moby performed at a private party for DoSomething.org, and Willie Nelson sang out for the people of Darfur at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

More Stars Stand Up To Cancer

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Stand Up To Cancer has announced another selection of stars that will take part in their television extravaganza on September 5.

Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston, and Scarlett Johansson have been confirmed to join Meryl Streep, David Cook, and Christina Applegate in appearing on the primetime television event that hopes to raise funds for cancer research. Lance Armstrong has already filmed a segment that will be shown during the one hour event which will be broadcast simultaneously on ABC, CBS and NBC.

Organizer Sherry Lansing is pleased with the celebrity support the event is getting, and is grateful for their assistance.

“It hasn’t been hard getting celebrity involvement,” she told Look To The Stars. “Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way and they want to stand up, just like everyone else.”

A star-studded PSA for the event – featuring Christy Turlington, Tobey Maguire, Susan Sarandon, Morgan Freeman, Keanu Reeves, and Casey Affleck – can be viewed here.

Kristin Beats Scarlett For Charity

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:57:57 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Who would be the better date: Scarlett or Kristin? Last week Look To The Stars reported that a charity auction featuring the chance to date Scarlett Johansson had raised a massive $42,000 for Oxfam America. This week we are happy to announce that another lucky bidder – known only as superiorlotus912 – has forked out a staggering $52,100 for the chance to accompany Kristin Davis to the world premiere of Sex And The City:The Movie in May.

As reported earlier by Look To The Stars, the auctions are part of a series of online sales hosted by eBay to raise money for Oxfam’s development programs and emergency relief services. Other celebrities to have already auctioned meet-and-greet packages for the international poverty relief agency include Colin Firth and Charlize Theron, and Djimon Hounsou is currently offering one lucky fan the chance to accompany him to the premiere of his new film, Push.

Charlize Theron Bringing Classrooms to Students

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:49:26 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Screen star Charlize Theron is bringing life saving information to rural kids in KwaZulu-Natal, a province that holds the unfortunate record of the highest HIV infection rate in South Africa.

Where sex, teenage pregnancy, rape and HIV are taboo topics and half of all females are expected to contract AIDS, 10 percent of them before graduating high-school, Theron created the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project and partnered with Oprah’s Angel Network to assist the charity Mpilonhle in bringing education, free condoms, HIV testing and treatment to the kids via a mobile health and computer clinic.

Theron says, “Medical staff told me many students here have lost one or both parents to AIDS. The mobile clinic is one of the few places offering help, guidance and a safe place to talk.”

Launched last November, the clinic spends one week per month at each of four remote high-schools where thousands of students receive computer training sessions and health education workshops with a special focus on HIV, plus a visit with an HIV counselor and a nurse. Tuberculosis, cholera and schistosomiasis, a debilitating parasitic infection, are some of the diseases that also plague this area due to limited access to clean water.

The clinic is already having a positive effect. One grade 11 student said, “After I finish grade 12 I know it will help me in the future. Maybe I will be a teller working with the computer. I thank you Mpilonhle because my future is in my hands – it is up to me to reach my goals.”

Theron’s presence in her home country has also made an impression: “Most of us are afraid to dream just because we are afraid our dreams won’t come true,” said one inspired student. “(Charlize) has awakened my dream of becoming a business woman. And I know that someday I’m going to achieve this.”

Theron says, “You come here, and you see how people are struggling. And then you see the spirit of these people and how resilient they are. That’s the miracle.”

A Game, A Dress, And A Brawl For Charity

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:29:30 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A special surprise for Look to the Stars readers

Be sure to visit Look To The Stars tomorrow, Wednesday March 12, to read our exclusive interview with Leeza Gibbons as she tells us a little about the causes that are closest to her heart.

Between a Rock and a hard place

It’s a case of a bad boy wanting to be good with singer Kid Rock. The Devil Without A Cause looks like he is turning over a new leaf, and is returning to the Waffle House restaurant where he was arrested last year – but this time it’s for charity.

The 37-year-old was charged with battery after a brawl in Duluth, Georgia, in October. But the musician has now decided to make amends by greeting fans and signing autographs at the scene of the crime as part of a fundraiser for a local homeless shelter, Nicholas House.

“For a while now, we’ve been working with Kid Rock’s management to try and turn a negative into a positive,” said Waffle House spokesperson Pat Warner. “We’re hoping to raise some money for a worthwhile charity.”

The event will occur later today, March 11.

Tennis for charity in the desert

Another event taking place today is the fourth annual K-Swiss Desert Smash Charity Tennis and Golf event being held at the La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs. The event benefits the Coachella Valley chapter of Variety – The Children’s Charity and features a special tennis match between 2008 Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic.

Other celebrities expected to attend include Bush frontman (and husband of Gwen Stefani) Gavin Rossdale, Borat star Ken Davitian, and David Spade.

Theron shares her threads for charity

Another star in the mood for giving is the stunning Charlize Theron, who is auctioning off the first red carpet gown she was ever given to wear by a designer.

No, the dress isn’t made from red carpet – it’s actually a one-of-a-kind silk dress designed exclusively for the actress’ debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000 by Narciso Rodriguez.

All of the proceeds from the auction, which can be accessed through Theron’s eBay page, will go to the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project, a mobile clinic that serves more than 3000 high school students in Theron’s home country of South Africa. The project was launched in 2007 in association with the Entertainment Industry Foundation to create a safer, healthier, and better life for families in South Africa, especially those touched by the effect of HIV/AIDS.

The auction runs until March 13, and the bids have already gone over $1,000.

Other auctions running on eBay Giving Works right now include the chance to have lunch with JAG and Bruce Almighty star Catherine Bell in LA. The auction runs until March 17, and proceeds go to Communities in Schools, nation’s largest dropout prevention organization. The original Hannah Montana, Miley Ray Cyrus, is also holding an auction right now. The young star is selling an autographed chair, with proceeds to go to Variety – The Children’s Charity.

Leona Lewis – a star on the rise

Another star with an interest in South Africa at the moment is singer Leona Lewis. The 22-year-old X Factor winner is currently enjoying a meteoric rise to fame, with her album Spirit holding the record for the fastest selling debut album ever released in the UK. And now the young star has witnessed the extent of the AIDS pandemic during a recent trip to South Africa.

Lewis has just returned from a 3-day trip to Johannesburg with Sport Relief, an initiative of Comic Relief, in which she raised awareness of the plight of AIDS orphans and sufferers. But it was all almost too much for the singer, who describes in her diary how she broke down while visiting some of the worst cases.

“Some of the horrors I have seen will never leave me,“ she said. “It’s amazing to see the great work that Sport Relief does firsthand and the difference they make, their projects and centres keep communities going and give them something to be proud and positive about.”

In response to her trip, Lewis has just announced that the stunning purple gown she wore for her performance at last month’s Brit Awards will be auctioned on eBay, with all proceeds going to Sport Relief.

“It’s been a great pleasure for me to work with Leona Lewis right from the start,” said Roberto Cavalli, who designed the dress. “She has an incredible voice, beautiful eyes, and a fresh and positive attitude. I’m happy that a dress I have created for her for an important occasion is now being auctioned for a charity. It’s a sign of her great generosity and I’m proud that the name Roberto Cavalli is linked to it.”

As if all of that is not enough, the singer is also donating the proceeds from her new double A-side single, Footprints In The Sand/Better In Time, to the charity.

Celebrity Designed Corsets On Auction

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:06:55 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Some of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities have teamed up to design a series of corsets to be auctioned off in October.

Scarlett Johansson, Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, and Jessica Biel are just some of the stars who have submitted designs for the 4th annual Frederick’s Of Hollywood Celebrity Corset Auction. The event, which is being run in conjunction with the internet charity auction site Clothes Off Our Back, will raise money for a variety of children’s charities, including Second Harvest, a non-profit organization that benefits the hungry, The Art of Elysium, which uses art to help the sick, and World Education, a charity that provides training to underprivileged children around the world. Some of the proceeds will also go towards research into autism.

“In previous years, we got $18,000 for Charlize Theron’s corset and $10,000 for Nicole Kidman’s,” said Frederick’s of Hollywood’s Erin Dominguez. “Each year we set the bar higher and hope to get more.”

To create the pieces, the celebrities were each given a special design kit to make a sketch of their creation. It was then up to costume designer Linda Stokes, best known for dressing Gwen Stefani on tour, to produce the garments.

“You get to draw and sketch,” said Eva Longoria about her design. “And I sketched some tulle at the top and it has all of this beading.”

Andy Garcia, star of the Ocean’s 11 movies, was inspired in his design by the flag of his native Cuba. Others took a more fanciful approach, with Ashley Olsen’s design dripping black feathers, and Kyra Sedgwick’s creation appearing to have garbage trailing off the hem. Other celebrities involved in the campaign include Christina Aguilera, actress and Clothes Off Our Back founder Jane Kaczmarek, Maria Menounos, Gabrielle Union, Ashlee Simpson, Mandy Moore, Debra Messing, Fergie, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette.

The event kicked off on October 25, with a live auction hosted at Frederick’s flagship store on Hollywood Boulevard, and the online auction runs until November 5 on www.clothesoffourback.org.

“I think you should bid on any and all of them,” said Oscar nominee Julianne Moore, whose peacock inspired design is featured in the auction. “I love them, and it’s a great cause.”

Celebrities Go To The Dogs Over Auction

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 10:41:16 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Looking for something a little different to give the special pet in your life? Elizabeth Taylor, Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron may be able to help, as they are some of the stars donating items for the upcoming “Celebrity Collars For Dollars” auction, starting June 23rd.

The event aims to raise funds for Dogs Deserve Better, a non-profit organization dedicated to freeing dogs that are permanently chained and mistreated.

Bidders will have the chance to buy pre-used dog collars belonging to the canine friends of celebrities such as Robin Williams, who has donated three collars from his pets Gabby and MabelMae, three autographed photos, three signed DVDs, and an autographed Dogs Deserve Better calendar.

Tammy Grimes, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, has been enjoying preparations for the auction over the last few months, and has been touched by the generosity shown by the stars involved.

“It’s been great fun opening the mail from celebrities to see what they’ve donated,” she said. “Candice Bergen, who did not have a collar to send, had her assistant call to say they were sending a specially signed photo to DDB… and gave a generous donation for chained and penned dogs.”

Other items up for sale include autographed photos of Dolly Parton, a signed copy of Bill Maher’s book Polite Musings From A Timid Observer, and Martha Stewart has autographed a copy of the Dogs Deserve Better Calendar for the event.

Online bidding will run for 10 days, finishing on July 3rd, and can be accessed through www.dogsdeservebetter.org.

Celebrities Customize Jeans for Charity Auction

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 13:41:14 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Jeans manufacturer J&Company has given stars pairs of jeans and the necessary bling to decorate them for their Bling Your Blues Campaign.

Beginning August 28th, fans will be able to bid on jeans created by celebrities such as Charlize Theron, Eva Longoria, Ben Affleck, and Jennifer Garner.

All proceeds go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Charlize Theron Hosts Children's Benefit Auction

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 13:23:03 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Charlize Theron hosted an auction on June 27th to raise money for children in her native South Africa. The event in Los Angeles drew the support of other Hollywood celebrities, and raised $140,000 to help families in need.

The auction was attended by stars such as Lindsay Lohan, and items up for auction included a jacket from Will Smith, signed DVDs from Tom Hanks and an original Scarface poster donated by Al Pacino.

The Charlize Theron African Outreach Project benefits Oprah’s Angel Network and helps support vulnerable children in rural South Africa.

Look To The Stars News: Charlize Theron

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