Look To The Stars News: Hilary Swank

Nicole Kidman Delivers Anti-Violence Petition To UN

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Nicole Kidman has presented U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with a petition that calls on world leaders to end impunity for perpetrators of violence against women, provide services for survivors and, most importantly, invest in prevention.

The petition was run online throughout this year and contained 5,066,549 names. UNIFEM Executive Director Ines Alberdi said the campaign’s supporters included 29 world leaders, 188 ministers and over 600 parliamentarians, and celebrities such as Hilary Swank and Bob Geldof.

“I think in some ways I’ve always been heading towards wanting to put some meaning into my life and this is probably how I see myself doing it,” said Kidman, who has been a UNIFEM Ambassador since 2006. “The reason I chose the subject of women is because I was raised by a mother who was very passionate about … having her daughters educated, and wanted her daughters to have an equal opportunity. I was the product of that, and now I’m out there hoping to pass on to the next generation and work in a greater capacity then just as an actress.”

Over the past decade, 120 countries have received much-needed support for hundreds of projects through UNIFEM’s Trust Fund. Last year, $5 million was awarded to various initiatives, including a community-based referral system supporting survivors of domestic violence in Albania, implementation of criminal code provisions prohibiting female genital mutilation in Egypt, awareness programs on HIV/AIDS and violence against women in Peru, and implementation of national laws on violence against women in Rwanda.

Ban Ki-moon has now called for greater efforts “to combat attitudes and behavior that condone, tolerate, excuse or ignore violence committed against women.”

Hilary Swank’s Locks For Looks

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:29:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actress Hilary Swank is once again promoting the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Campaign, which donates real-hair wigs to women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.

This isn’t the first time she’s gone under the scissors for Beautiful Lengths – she grew her hair to have it cut on Oprah last year for a wig. Now, since she had her hair cut for a role in a new movie, she has just donated again.

The statistic of one in three women being diagnosed with cancer has hit Swank’s family hard. She said, “I have lost multiple family members to cancer and witnessed their struggle first hand.”

The struggle, though, is more than just against the disease. Of the 700,000 American women who will be diagnosed with cancer this year, “Eight percent won’t get their potentially life-saving treatment because they don’t want to lose their hair,” said Swank. “Here’s my hair, save your life!

“I hope that my contribution will help to inspire others to get involved in whatever way they can,” she says. “I’m really thankful for my health and I wanted to find a way to give back. You just need to have eight inches to donate.”

Sharon Stone Turned Philanthtastic Fifty

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sharon Stone has revealed that she emptied her closets of unwanted clothes for charity prior to turning 50 earlier this year.

The star explained to More magazine that she had been in the process of getting rid of her unwanted items when she received a surprise in the mail.

“I got a letter from Hilary Swank and Mariska Hargitay about a charity for abused women, and here was a gigantic, refrigerator-size bag, and could I fill it with clothing,“ said Stone. “So I called them and said, ‘Can you send me 20 of these?’”

Stone also donated a room full of her old furniture to the charity.

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.

Stand Up To Cancer A Huge Success

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A multitude of stars came out on Friday night as part of the Stand Up To Cancer television extravaganza to raise money for cancer research.

The hour-long program – simulcast live on NBC, ABC, and CBS – featured celebrities such as Jennifer Garner, Halle Berry, Forest Whitaker and Casey Affleck reading accounts of people battling cancer, as well as musical items, comedy sketches, and the opportunity for people to ring up and pledge donations – with stars such as Ellen DeGeneres, America Ferrera and Kirsten Dunst answering the phones.

“This is an absolutely historic night, thanks to the unbelievable generosity of the three networks,” event organiser, producer and cancer survivor Laura Ziskin told the audience at Los Angeles’ Kodak Theatre.

The biggest surprise of the night was the appearance of Patrick Swayze, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year.

“He looks amazing,” former basketball player Charles Barkley told People Magazine. “For me, seeing Patrick Swayze, someone who is actually fighting this disease, was the best part of the show. Seeing him in person was amazing.”

The idea behind the event was that it is the lack of funding – and not just research – that is slowing the advance of cancer prevention and treatment, and over $100 million has been raised since the Stand Up To Cancer initiative was launched earlier this year.

The telethon – which was viewed by over 10.5 million people – also featured performances by Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, and James Taylor, as well as the television premiere of the star-studded charitable single Just Stand Up performed by 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. Everybody Loves Raymond star Brad Garrett underwent a prostate examination on the show, and cartoon character Homer Simpson had a colonoscopy.

Other stars who were part of the show included Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johansson, Meryl Streep, David Cook, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Jack Black, Hilary Swank, Jimmy Fallon, and Keanu Reeves, all of whom wanted to do something positive to help the 550,000 Americans and six million people worldwide who die from cancer each year.

As part of Stand Up To Cancer’s efforts, there is also an auction running on eBay that offers the chance to meet the cast of celebrities such as Katie Couric, Stephen Colbert, and Jay Leno. It runs until September 15, and can be accessed through eBay.

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.

Celebrity Fashion Up For Grabs

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Anybody interested in celebrity fashion should head over to www.clothesoffourback.org in the next few days to bid on some of the fabulous items up for grabs in the name of charity.

The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance has an exciting range of clothes and memorabilia up for auction on the site, including the Badgley Mischka dress that Comedy For A Cure honoree Teri Hatcher wore to the “American Idol” Season 7 Grand Finale, a green Max Mara wrap dress, smoky quartz & sterling silver earrings, and autographed photo from “Dexter” star Julie Benz, a “Chuck” t-shirt autographed by the show’s star Zachary Levi, a “CSI:NY” white lab coat autographed by Melina Kanakaredes, and the Theory dress that “Access Hollywood” correspondent Shaun Robinson wore to last year’s Comedy for a Cure event when she was the show’s emcee.

Bidders should be quick, as the auction ends on July 8.

And for anybody who wants to step out on the town in some special shoes, Clothes Off Our Back is also auctioning off a range off footwear designed specially by stars such as Sheryl Crow, Hilary Swank, Zooey Deschanel, Rose McGowan, Kate Winslet, Maggie Grace, Cate Blanchett, Kirsten Dunst, Kristin Davis, Natasha Henstridge, Lisa Edelstein, Pink, Becki Newton, Melissa George, Kerry Washington, America Ferrera, Ana Ortiz, and Kate Walsh.

Proceeds from the auction will go Second Harvest (the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization), The Art of Elysium (which enriches the lives of artist and critically ill children), World Education (focusing on girls’ scholarship programs in Africa), and autism research. The auction ends on July 11.

Over 500 celebrities have participated in Clothes Off Our Back auctions since it was established by Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford in 2002, helping raise over $2 million for various children’s charities.

Buy George Clooney's Gift Bag For Darfur

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:19:08 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

If you just can’t resist George Clooney -and let’s face it, who can – then you definitely won’t be able to resist checking out the new charity auction featuring the chance to pick up some of his unwanted bits and pieces.

The actor and UN Messenger of Peace has put his Oscar Nominees Gift Bag up for auction to benefit Not On Our Watch, the charity he set up with Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Jerry Weintraub to end genocide in Darfur. The gift bag is filled with a range of elegant items such as a Personal Heineken Beer Tender, Marilyn Monroe ‘Classic Series’ wine goblets, exclusive spa packages including a gift certificate for a two night stay at La Costa Resort and Spa, Oscar Gold Havaianas, a Swarovski Crystal Pet Collar, and more.

The auction, which ends on May 4, is one of several currently being run at www.myqlu.com to raise funds for celebrities’ favorite charities. Also on offer, actress Mariska Hargitay has invited her friends in the field of arts and entertainment to join her in an auction to benefit her Joyful Heart Foundation, a charity she established to heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, and to shed light into the darkness that surrounds these issues.

“I am very excited to be partnering with QLu to raise funds and awareness for my organization, the Joyful Heart Foundation,” she said. “In keeping with Joyful Heart’s groundbreaking programs, designed to help survivors of sexual assault recover lives of joy, possibility, and freedom, we are always looking for partners who take an innovative and impassioned approach to making a difference in the world.”

The auction features items from a range of stars, including Sharon Stone, Maria Bello, Courteney Cox, Marcia Cross, Hilary Swank, Dana Delany, Julia Louis Dreyfus and more. Sharon Stone’s 100 piece couture shoe and gown auction – along with fabulous designer pieces, designer comp gifts and everyday fun pieces belonging to these talented women – began April 10 and will run continuously through May or until all pieces are sold.

Fans of country singer Tim McGraw might also want to head over to the QLu auction site to bid on a suede jacket the star has donated. The proceeds from the sale will go to the Tug McGraw Foundation, set up in 2003 to enhance the quality of life of children and adults with brain tumors and their families by stimulating and facilitating research that addresses the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual impact of the disease. The auction ends May 2.

Hilary Swank Honored For Charity Work

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:08:35 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Oscar winning actress Hilary Swank was honored at a special function in Los Angeles last week for her work with cancer charities.

The 33-year-old was presented with the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s 2008 Courage Award, in recognition of her efforts on behalf of the EIF’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund. Past recipients of the award have included Melissa Etheridge, Lance Armstrong, and Nicole Kidman.

Among the stars to pay tribute to Swank at last week’s ceremony, held at the Beverly Wiltshire, were Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Christian Slater.

The award was presented by Swank’s Million Dollar Baby co-star Morgan Freeman, who said “she truly has the heart of a champion.”

In November 2007, Swank chopped off over 9 inches of her hair on Oprah and donated it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a campaign working with the American Cancer Society to provide free wigs to women who have lost their hair after cancer treatment.

Swank Takes A Cut For Charity On Oprah

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:45:11 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Oprah Winfrey had a surprise for viewers of The Oprah Winfrey Show on Friday, November 2.

“It’s taken months to get to this moment,” announced the multi Emmy Award winning host. “And it involves a two-time Academy Award winner, a sharp object… and me.”

The surprise featured an appearance by Hilary Swank, who had her long and flowing blonde hair cut off by Winfrey on the show for charity. Over 9 inches of Swank’s golden locks were lopped off and donated to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a campaign working with the American Cancer Society to provide free wigs to women who have lost their hair after cancer treatment.

“I’ve been growing it for the last six months,” said 33 year old Swank. “I’ve been taking a lot of vitamins and taking really good care of it, knowing that it would go to a woman in need.”

Pantene Beautiful Lengths was launched in July 2006, in response to a survey that revealed that 58% of woman say hair loss is the most dreaded side effect they face when undergoing chemotherapy. Over 17,000 ponytails have been donated to the cause so far, and last year Pantene made a $1 million donation to the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund, a campaign committed to saving lives by raising money and awareness for women and families affected by the disease.

“I’ve had a lot of people in my life, loved ones and friends, who have been devastated by cancer,” said Swank. “I’m really thankful for my health, and I wanted to find a way to give back.”

During the show, Swank also talked about the high rates of cancer in America, revealing that 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with some sort of cancer during their lifetime. This means that 700,000 American women are diagnosed with the disease every year.

“Eight percent won’t get their potentially life-saving treatment, because they don’t want to lose their hair,” said Swank. “I thought, ‘Here’s my hair, cut it off, save your life!’”

“I’m proud to promote the goals of such a unique and heartfelt program,” she continued. “It’s an honor to be associated with Pantene’s campaign, and I just hope my contribution will help to inspire others to get involved in whatever way they can.”

More information about Pantene Beautiful Lengths can be found at www.pantene.com and www.myspace.com/beautifullengths.

Swank on Wigs and Water

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:23:29 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Hilary Swank has launched an around-the-world relay race to raise money to help the over-one-billion people without safe drinking water. Last month, 20 athletes set out to run over 15,000 miles, 10 miles at a time, across 16 countries, 24 hours a day for 95 days. Organized by the Blue Planet Run Foundation, the relay runners should arrive back in New York on September 4 after having run 750 miles each.

Campaigning for the cause, Swank had this to say: “What if it were your job to carry in a rusty metal pail all the water you and your family would use for the day? What if the water made you sick? What if you had no choice? Making safe drinking water available is everyone’s problem, and it’s a problem that will take everyone to solve.”

Blue Planet’s goal is to provide safe drinking water to 200 million people for the rest of their lives by 2027. In the past three years, through Blue Planet funding of 11 NGO’s, 135 sustainable water projects in 13 countries have been implemented. According to Blue Planet’s creator Jin Zidell, $30 can create a lifetime of safe drinking water for one person. The Blue Planet Run will take place every two years.

Swank is also promoting the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Campaign, which donates real-hair wigs to women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. She is growing her own hair so that when it is cut later this year, she can give it to the organization.

She says, “I have lost multiple family members to cancer and witnessed their struggle first hand. I hope that my contribution will help to inspire others to get involved in whatever way they can.”

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