Look To The Stars News: Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson Announced As UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:45:00 +0000

Actor and humanitarian Liam Neeson was today announced as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, reflecting his long commitment to help save and improve the lives of children around the world affected by poverty, disease, abuse and neglect.

The Oscar-nominated actor – perhaps best known for his leading roles in Schindler’s List, Taken and the recently released Unknown – has since 1997 provided strong support to the international children’s organization in part through his role as a National Ambassador for UNICEF in Ireland.

“Liam Neeson is not only a passionate dramatic actor, he is a deeply compassionate humanitarian actor,” said Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director. “UNICEF is very lucky that he is choosing to use his time and talent to support the world’s most vulnerable children, and we thank him for accepting this new role as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.”

Stars Bring Christmas To The Troops

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Several stars gave their time over Christmas to visit troops stationed overseas, despite the bad weather that grounded many aircraft.

Mark Wahlberg took time out to visit US troops stationed in Afghanistan, to boost the morale of soldiers separated from their families over the festive season.

Liam Neeson Raises Money For Irish Theatre

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Actor Liam Neeson hosted a dinner for some of his celebrity friends in New York this week, to raise money to rebuild a theatre in Ireland.

Stars such as Meryl Streep, Aidan Quinn, Brian Kennedy, Ciaran Hinds and Conleth Hill attended the bash, which brought a touch of the Emerald Isle to the Big Apple.

The fundraising campaign must raise $1.3 million by June to rebuild the iconic Lyric Theatre in Belfast, originally established in 1951.

Natasha Richardson To Be Remembered At Charity Gala

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:30:00 +0000

The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR) will hold a special gala in New York on February 10 in memory of actress Natasha Richardson, a trustee of the organization who died in a skiing accident last year.

The event will also honor Elton John and his partner, David Furnish, as well as Yves Carcelle. Among the leadership committee are Liam Neeson, Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson, Sharon Stone, Stanley Tucci and Kenneth Cole. Meryl Streep will also attend and will assist in presenting the tribute to Natasha Richardson.

This black-tie gala benefit at Cipriani 42nd Street honors those who have made outstanding efforts to raise awareness about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and to raise dollars for AIDS research. The gala, held on the eve of New York Fashion Week, will begin with cocktails, followed by dinner, a live auction of luxury items, and a special tribute to the honorees.

Charitable Celebrities To Receive 21st Century Leaders Awards

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Celebrities will be out in abundance in Doha, Qatar, next week for the Whatever It Takes Experience presented by 21st Century Leaders and Whatever It Takes.

As well as a private art experience and gala dinner, several stars will be honored with 21st Century Leaders Awards at this massive charity event.

The Doha 21st Century Leaders’ Awards are granted to individuals who, whilst being leaders in their own fields, have also made a serious commitment and significant impact on their chosen cause.

Giorgio Armani Donates To New York Schools

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 12:30:00 +0000

Fashion designer Giorgio Armani donated $1 million to New York City public schools this week. The money will fund the Armani Arts Institute, supporting art education in the city’s disadvantaged neighborhoods.

The donation is a new initiative under the Fund for Public Schools, an organization that has raised more than $240 million since 2003. Armani’s gift is the single largest retail donation to the fund.

Stars Heal Patients With A Kiss

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

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.

Liam Neeson Wants To Fight Child Sex Trade

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Irish actor Liam Neeson is considering resuming his work as a UNICEF Ambassador to aid in the struggle against the child sex trade.

The 56-year-old actor resigned as an ambassador for the organization last year, citing the fact that his image had been overused in charity campaigns and he was no longer serving the cause. But he now says he is ready to step back into his old shoes to fight the sex slave epidemic – a cause highlighted in his latest film, Taken.

“I had access to facts and figures and numbers of children that do disappear from Eastern Europe and Asia that would make the hair on the back of your neck curl,” Neeson told WENN. “It has been going on for many years and it still goes on. There is a big sex slave trade happening. I may have to go back to UNICEF. I got out of it because I had spent 10 years there and I thought they needed fresh blood instead of people looking at my face all the time. But it’s a wonderful organisation and every now and again I’d like to do something for them.”

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.

Family Fun Days For Everyone This Weekend

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Two charity events are taking place on opposite sides of the Atlantic this weekend.

New Yorkers who want to get on their bikes can join Full Metal Jacket star Matthew Modine on his Bicycle For A Day campaign. The 49-year-old will be among cyclists pedaling off from lower Manhattan’s South Street Seaport on Saturday, September 20, to raise awareness of the need to reduce carbon emissions and to demonstrate the many simple things that each of us can do everyday to accomplish a cleaner world.

“The idea behind my project Bicycle for a Day is to help people understand that there is something they can do,” he said. “In fact, just one simple thing they can do every day to become part of the solution. If everybody does this one thing, the cumulative effect could be tremendous. The environmental situation is a great opportunity for us all to work together to find solutions. Bicycle for a Day is just that – citizens of the world joining together globally and acting locally.”

Big Audience, Big Screen, Big Movie

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:26:50 +0000

Liam Neeson will attend London’s première charity showing of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian at The O2 arena on June 19, the latest film Neeson has loaned his voice to.

The big deal about this première, the sequel to the 2005 film of C. S. Lewis’ book “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”, is the size of the screen and audience: a giant cinema screen will be installed into the arena for 10,000 viewers.

Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media will donate proceeds of ticket sales to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, a world-leading children’s hospital that hosts a wide range of specialists for research and treatment of children’s rare, complex and life-threatening conditions.

Liam Neeson Honored by American Ireland Fund

Tue, 13 May 2008 09:49:50 +0000

More than 1,300 guests gathered last week at the American Ireland Fund’s 33rd Annual New York Gala to honor acclaimed Irish actor Liam Neeson and renowned Wall Street leader and philanthropist, Lewis L. Glucksman, who passed away in 2006.

Neeson, a native of Northern Ireland received the 2008 Performing Arts Award, and was honored for his contribution to film and theatre over the past 30 years, and for the friendship and support he has shown the American Ireland Fund by donating his time and efforts to help promote its mission.

“Enormous strides have been made in my native Northern Ireland in the past decade, demonstrated by political, social and economic changes that came about through a combination of courage, generosity and persistence.” Neeson said during his acceptance speech, “The American Ireland Fund has been instrumental in investing in some of the deeper social changes that are needed and has tirelessly supported peace, education, the arts and reconciliation projects on the island of Ireland. I am proud to have been able to play a part in the American Ireland Fund’s efforts and am honored to be part of the continuing transition underway in Ireland.”