Look To The Stars News: Djimon Hounsou

Celebrity Endorsement Pulls Young Voters

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0000

A new study has revealed how celebrity endorsement can encourage young people to vote.

“Celebrities have the power to motivate civic engagement regardless of their own grasp of the issues at hand,” reported a study by Washington State University published in the Mass Communication and Society journal. “Celebrity endorsed campaigns successfully lowered complacency and helped young people believe in their own impact on the political system. Young people got involved at higher levels and became increasingly aware of societal issues.”

According to the study, initiatives from stars such as Jessica Alba – who recently featured in several ad campaigns for Declare Yourself – as well as Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé Knowles have influenced the youth vote in America. 44% of newly registered voters in 2004 were between 18 and 25.

This year’s voters have been encouraged by a host of celebrity campaigns, such as Death Cab for Cutie’s free concert offer and the recent 5 Friends video that featured will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Maria Bello, Halle Berry, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Jonah Hill, Djimon Hounsou, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Esai Morales, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

About 44 million people aged 18 to 29 are eligible to vote in the November 4 presidential election. If young voter turnout exceeds 50%, it will be only the third time since the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1972.

Hollywood Urges US To Vote

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of the brightest stars in Hollywood have joined forces in a new video encouraging people to vote in the upcoming US elections.

The 5-minute film, which is called 5 Friends and can be viewed here, features appearances from Amy Adams, Tatyana Ali, will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Maria Bello, Halle Berry, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Jonah Hill, Djimon Hounsou, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Esai Morales, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

The video, which uses a little bit of reverse psychology to get people to the polls, was organized by Declare Yourself, a national nonprofit campaign initiated in 2004 to energize and empower a new movement of young voters.

“If you’re not going to vote I don’t even know what to say to you anymore,“ says DiCaprio in the video, which was shot in his home in LA. “You know you have to vote.”

Declare Yourself has also launched a new print and internet advertisement featuring Jessica Alba.

Last month the star appeared gagged and wrapped in plastic in an ad for the organization. In the new campaign, Alba appears wearing only a Hannibal Lecter-type mask called “The Muzzler.”

The advertisement can be seen at the Declare Yourself website.

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.

Oxfam Auctions Celebrity Experiences

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:57:21 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

“If you are the kind of person that always wanted to see middle aged men in tight spandex trying to sing, then this is the film for you…”

These are not the kind of words you would expect to come from one of Britain’s leading actors, but Colin Firth is talking about Mamma Mia, his upcoming movie based on the hit stage musical. And two lucky people have the chance to see the spandex clad actors stretch their vocal cords at the world premiere in July.

International relief and development agency Oxfam America has launched a series of exciting celebrity auctions to benefit their poverty relief and advocacy efforts around the world. Six of the hottest celebrities on the planet have put a wave of once-in-a-lifetime experiences up for bid on eBay, with 100% of the proceeds going to Oxfam. But eager fans had better be quick – each celebrity will only list their items for 10 days.

Colin Firth is kicking off the fundraising initiative by auctioning two VIP passes to the World Premiere of Mamma Mia in London, including the opportunity to attend the after party with a chauffeured car service and a meet-and-greet with Firth.

The 47-year-old actor has worked with Oxfam for over five years, and in 2006 was nominated for European Campaigner of the Year. Firth has also traveled to Ethiopia and co-founded the fair trade coffee chain Cafe Progreso with Oxfam.

Firth is also auctioning a special personalized video birthday greeting to one lucky bidder, as well as tickets to the Mamma Mia premieres in Berlin and Stockholm. Several signed DVDs are also on offer, and the auction can be accessed through eBay Giving Works. For more information, Firth has posted a personal message on YouTube.

The Colin Firth auction will be followed by a similar auction featuring Scarlett Johansson on March 2. The 23-year-old starlet and Oxfam Ambassador is auctioning two tickets to be her guest at the June premiere of He’s Just Not That Into You, including hair and makeup services and a chauffeured car. This will be followed by an auction spotlighting Kristin Davis on March 12.

Davis, who has worked with Oxfam for two years and has traveled to South Africa and Mozambique as an Ambassador, is placing a “Sex and the City” experience up for bid. The package will feature two VIP passes to the Sex and the City movie premiere in New York in June, including a unique photo opportunity with Davis, hair and makeup services, Jimmy Choo shoes, and a chauffeured car service.

The celebrity auctions will run through to April 1, with auctions featuring Djimon Hounsou, Helen Mirren, and Felicity Huffman. More information can be found at Shop Victoriously.

Madonna And Friends Shine A Light On Malawi

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:23:58 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

If you were to look on a map, you could be excused for missing Malawi completely. Bordered by Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique in South East Africa, the nation of Malawi is shaped like a lightning bolt, with much of its land area covered by a massive lake. But it a country that is in dire need of help, and a host of celebrities turned out to a dazzling evening of fun on Wednesday, February 6, to raise awareness for what is one of the poorest countries in the world.

The gala event was hosted by Madonna on the lawns of the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with the $3.7 million raised going to UNICEF and her own Raising Malawi organization. A long list of stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Lopez, Tea Leoni, Lucy Liu, Billy Joel, Gwen Stefani, and Djimon Hounsou, attended the event, with tickets ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. The evening also featured performances by Alicia Keys, Timbaland, and Rihanna.

“I want to put Raising Malawi on the map,” said Madonna. “I want credibility as a philanthropic organisation. I want to inspire people. I don’t want them to just write me a cheque: I want them to give me a piece of their heart.”

Comedian Chris Rock hosted an auction during the evening, which featured some exciting items donated by celebrity guests. Priceless, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities were up for grabs, such as a dance class with Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow (which sold for $600,000), and a trip to Château Latour – including lunch with Salma Hayek – which was sold to Donald Trump for $120,000.

Tom Cruise, who attended the event with wife Katie Holmes, narrowly missed out on buying a sports package that included baseball practice with Yankee Alex Rodriguez and soccer practice with David Beckham.

“It was an extraordinary evening,” said Cruise. “The whole evening was quite moving. [Saving Malawi] is an absolute necessity.”

Saving Malawi was co-founded by Madonna in 2006, after she witnessed the plight of the country firsthand. And it is a plight she hopes to make more people aware of.

Recent UNICEF figures state that almost 1 million people in Malawi (whose total population is 13 million) suffer from HIV/AIDS, including 83,000 children. 267 people are infected with the virus every day, and half of the country’s 1 million orphans have lost their parents to the disease.

It is a country where 48% of children are severely malnourished, and many are subjected to the horrors of exploitation. The infant and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world, and 133 children out of 1000 die before they reach the age of five. They suffer from lack of food, shelter, clothing, education, clean water and sanitation, as well as basic medical services, and the average life expectancy is only 37 years.

Raising Malawi hopes to ease the suffering of the children of Malawi by providing smart solutions to the most challenging problems. Instead of just throwing money at the nightmare, they provide grassroots initiatives in the way of healthcare, education, and agriculture at a community level. To do this, they have partnered with some of the best organizations that work in the country, including the Millennium Promise Alliance, the Network of Organizations for Vulnerable and Orphan Children, and Spirituality for Kids.

One of Raising Malawi’s greatest initiatives is the Orphan Care Center recently built in the village of Mphandula. Designed to serve 4000 children, it provides a safe haven for orphans, and supplies nutritious meals, basic education, and crucial life skills. Along with programs to introduce solar power, clean water systems, and self-sustenance, Madonna hopes the Orphan Care Center will help Malawi overcome its problems.

“I’ve earned a reputation for many things,” said Madonna during Wednesday’s gala evening. “For pushing the envelope, for being a provocateur, for never taking no for an answer, for endlessly reinventing myself, for being a cult member, a kidnapper, for being ambitious, outrageous, and irreverent. And for never settling for second best. I don’t just want you to write me a check. I’m more interested in your heart. I want to take you on that journey with me tonight. I want you to feel as inspired as I do right now.

“Yes, I want to raise Malawi. But if I can do that – if we can do that – then the sky’s the limit.”

Johansson, Mirren, Firth and Hounsou Join Oxfam's Global Ambassador Team

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:44:22 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Oxfam launched their Global Ambassador programme this week, and Scarlett Johansson was the latest celebrity to join. Oxfam International, founded in 1995, is a league of 13 organizations working with thousands of partners in over one hundred countries, aiming to find long-term solutions to economic and social injustice.

Ms Johansson recently accompanied Oxfam on a trip to India and Sri Lanka to meet young Dalit girls in a rural school, women campaigning against domestic violence and humanitarian workers. She said, “Once you’ve met amazing people like the Dalit girls I met on my trip you just can’t turn your back. I was shocked by a lot of what I saw, but seeing the fantastic work Oxfam was doing I also felt that there was hope.”

Other Ambassadors in Oxfam’s programme include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Colin Firth, Dame Helen Mirren, Minnie Driver, Gael Garcia Bernal and Annie Lennox.

“I’m in this fight for the long term,” says Lennox. “The outcomes of the G8 this year are a disappointment and we must not allow politicians and governments to get away with breaking promises around health and education, which are essential for developing nations.”

Supporting Oxfam’s maxim ‘we work with poor people, we influence powerful people, we join hands with all people’ actor Gael Garcia Bernal says, “We have to help small-scale farmers to have a voice and then – together with millions of others – exert huge pressure on decision makers to change the trade rules.”

Actor Djimon Hounsou says, “As an African, born and raised in Benin, where cotton is the main source of income for farmers, it is important for me to join forces with Oxfam, an organization that works to fight against the unfair trade laws that keep farmers poor and unable to provide for their families. Subsidies in developed countries are killing the chances of hardworking farmers in Africa of earning a decent wage. It is an honor to be able to represent Africa and Oxfam when I’m meeting with the powerful politicians that create these laws.”

Oxfam’s International Artist Liaison Manager, Claire Lewis, says of the new Global Ambassador programme, “Our Ambassadors are listened to across the world, and their support helps to give a voice to people who would not otherwise be heard. Through their work, Oxfam’s campaigning messages can reach a much wider audience and have a huge impact on decision makers. We are delighted to have so many credible and passionate Ambassadors from across the globe.”

The name “Oxfam” comes from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in Britain in 1942 during World War II. Today, Oxfam International is involved in development programs, emergency work, research and lobbying, and campaigning to raise awareness.

Vanity Fair Charity Issue Edited By Bono

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:35:00 -0000

Written by Saskia Akyil

Bono is putting his philanthropic energy into Vanity Fair’s July 2007 special issue about Africa. The issue has 20 different cover photos of high-profile individuals, all taken by renowned photographer Annie Liebowitz.

The magazine includes information about the issues and charities supported by actors, athletes, models, politicians, musicians, activists, and billionaire philanthropists, all of whom are using their celebrity status and the publicity they receive to bring attention to the complex set of problems faced by the inhabitants of Africa.

Africa is a continent with great need, and has been given a disproportionately low amount of attention and aid from wealthy nations. It is the first Vanity Fair issue to have a guest editor, and Bono’s highly publicized commitment to aiding Africa makes him an obvious choice for editor of this issue. In recent years, celebrities have used their status to bring a great deal of attention to Africa.

The covers of the Africa issue include portraits of: Bono, Barack Obama, Queen Rania, George Bush, Condaleeza Rice, Muhammad Ali, Desmond Tutu, Brad Pitt, Djimon Hounsou, Madonna, Maya Angelou, Chris Rock, Warren Buffett, Melinda & Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Iman, and Don Cheadle.

The issue features numerous in-depth articles about a variety of subjects concerning Africa, including: Kenya; Desmond Tutu and the fight for equality in South Africa and worldwide; Tunisia’s success and the threat of Islamic extremism; the role of China in fueling some of the conflict in Africa; Jeffrey Sachs dream of how to eradicate extreme poverty; the consumer-action strategy of (Product) Red to make miracle AIDS treatment drugs accessible to the millions who need them; the role of the Congo’s blacklisted airline pilots in keeping trade flowing; Bill Clinton’s stories of Nelson Mandela African music; Africans defying the status quo of poverty, disease, and corruption; suggestions for platform topics for the US 2008 presidential election; the genetic data that links all people on Earth to Africa; identifying the current literary talents of Africa; Princess Diana’s post-divorce charity work, in particular her mission to ban land mines; and the Africa connection of the high-profile individuals on Vanity Fair’s July 2007 issue covers.

The Vanity Fair website offers links and information about Africa, charities that benefit the continent, and full-text versions of some of the articles.

Hill, McGraw and More Become Cartier LOVECHARITY Ambassadors

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:29:26 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Djimon Hounsou, and Eva Mendes are among the list of 2007 Cartier LOVECHARITY Bracelet Ambassadors.

The Cartier LOVE bracelet was introduced more than 30 years ago, and has risen to be one of the most coveted jewelry designs in the world. In 2006 alone, more than $1.2 million was donated to eight global charities from the sales of its LOVECHARITY bracelet, spurring the company to create a new LOVECHARITY bracelet for 2007. The goal is to exceed last year’s donations as a number of new celebrities join the endeavor.

The 2007 LOVECHARITY bracelet features an 18K white gold miniature LOVE bracelet graced with the word LOVE and accented with two signature screw motifs. It is set into a knotted silk cord available in various colors, with each cord designating support of a unique cause. The bracelet costs $475 with $100 per bracelet benefiting its corresponding charity.

The complete list of the 2007 Ambassadors and their corresponding charities includes:

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have a chocolate brown bracelet for the Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation
Djimon Hounsou has a deep copper bracelet for SOS Children’s Villages
Eva Mendes has a navy bracelet for The Art of Elysium
Julianne Moore has a lavender bracelet for the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance
Rihanna has a sea foam green bracelet for Believe
Usher has a gold bracelet for the New Look Foundation
Rachel Weisz has a lilac bracelet for The Constant Gardener Trust
Elie Wiesel has a yellow bracelet for The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity

The 2006 LOVECHARITY Bracelets will also be available through the year, supporting YouthAIDS (Rosario Dawson) ; the Salma Hayek Foundation (Salma Hayek) ; USA Harvest (Scarlett Johansson) ; Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television Graduate Division / Tisch School of the Arts/NYC (Spike Lee) ; Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (Edward Norton) ; UNICEF (Sarah Jessica Parker) ; The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (Liv Tyler) ; and Mercy Corps Gulf Coast Recovery Fund (Michael Stipe).

Cartier’s second annual LOVE DAY is scheduled for June 8, and on this day 10% of all sales from the complete LOVE collection will benefit partnered organizations.

Look To The Stars News: Djimon Hounsou

Celebrity Endorsement Pulls Young Voters

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Hollywood Urges US To Vote

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Kristin Beats Scarlett For Charity

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