Look To The Stars News: Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep Campaigning For Museum Home At National Mall

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Noting that the USA has never been modest about its achievements, actress Meryl Streep laments that there is no museum in the country’s capital that recognizes the contributions of the female half of the population through whose efforts, over the past 300 years, the status of American women has evolved.

The National Women’s History Museum (NWHM), currently administered from office space in nearby Alexandria, VA, says its mission is to fill the void of information about women’s contributions and accomplishments that “have been overlooked and consequently omitted from mainstream culture”.

“We at the National Women’s History Museum are determined that the stories of women will be chronicled,” says Streep, “and their achievements honored in monument and in our new museum on our nation’s Mall where our foremothers’ stories deserve to be.”

Kate Winslet's Celebrity Friends Wear The Golden Hat For Autism

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:30:00 +0000

Kate Winslet will be releasing a special book to benefit her autism charity, the Golden Hat Foundation, in April 2012, and has called on some of her famous friends to help.

The book features a collection of stunning self-portraits from celebrities and cultural luminaries, all wearing a “magical” hat to support autism awareness and outreach.

Winslet has amassed a collection of photos from an amazing array of her friends and renowned personalities who have donned this special hat, taken a self portrait, and passed the hat along from one person to another. Among the participants whose photos are featured in the book are George Clooney, Anna Wintour, Ben Stiller, Brigitte Lacombe, Christina Aguilera, David Souffan, Demi Moore, Don Cheadle, Elijah Wood, Ellen Page, Javier Bardem, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jude Law, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Laura Dern, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Sharapova, Marion Cottillard, Meryl Streep, Michael Kors, Naomi Watts, Pedro Almodovar, Peter Sarsgaard, Ricky Gervais and many, many more.

Giving Back Fund Announces Top 30 Celebrity Charity Donations For 2011

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:20:00 +0000

The Giving Back Fund (GBF), a nonprofit organization that provides philanthropic management and consulting to the sports and entertainment industries, released its fifth annual Giving Back 30, a list of the 30 celebrities who made the largest donations to charity in 2011 according to public records.

The list includes celebrities from many walks of life including actors, writers, producers, musicians, comedians, and athletes.

Topping the list were actress Jami Gertz and her husband, Anthony Ressler, who donated $10,569,002 to the Ressler Gertz Foundation. Coming in second was musician Herb Alpert, who gave $9,104,829 to the Herb Alpert Foundation – which focuses on the arts, compassion and well being – followed by Mel Gibson, who gave $6,853,020 to the AP Reilly Foundation, which he started to support the Holy Family Church.

Alec Baldwin And Meryl Streep Attend Christopher Reeve Foundation Gala

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation hosted its annual star-studded A Magical Evening fundraising gala on Wednesday, November 30th at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

Longtime Reeve Foundation supporters Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep served as the evening’s special guests, along with actors Mark Ruffalo, Dave Annable and Christopher Reeve’s children Matthew Reeve, Alexandra Reeve Givens and Will Reeve. This year’s A Magical Evening gala was the most successful to date, raising close to $3 million, which will help fulfill the Reeve Foundation’s mission of “Today’s Care. Tomorrow’s Cure.”

The success of this year’s gala is largely due to the evening’s honorees that have shown amazing strength and fortitude and have provided a constant source of support and guidance to the Reeve Foundation. As a dear friend of both Christopher and Dana Reeve and a pioneer in investment banking, philanthropy, media and new ventures, Peter D. Kiernan, III, the former Chairman of the Board of the Reeve Foundation, was presented with the 2011 Dana Reeve HOPE Award by Will Reeve, Alexandra Reeve Givens and Matthew Reeve. Kiernan’s incredible vision, leadership, expert guidance and steadfast devotion, which led the foundation into a new era of hope and possibility, was recognized by a standing ovation from the over 600 guests in attendance.

Meryl Streep To Attend National Women's History Museum Charity Gala

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:00:00 +0000

This coming November, Meryl Streep will be special guest at a gala honoring women from the past and present who have shaped history.

Streep will be attending the National Women’s History Museum’s de Pizan Honors in November in Washington DC. The Museum’s mission is to educate the public about the women who have significantly shaped our world; the National Women’s History Museum will honor history-makers to ensure that their legacy remains alive. Each year, NWHM will pay tribute posthumously to selected women with an award in their name presented to a contemporary counterpart.

The lives and contributions of the recipients of the de Pizan Honors will have a permanent presence, exhibited within the soon-to-be-constructed world- class National Women’s History Museum, at the National Mall in Washington, DC, which will ensure that these women have a permanent place in history.

Meet Meryl Streep At Iron Lady Premiere For Charity

Fri, 06 May 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Meryl Streep is helping to raise funds for the women survivors of war by providing two VIP tickets to bid for on eBay to attend the London premiere of her new film, THE IRON LADY. It will be an incredible to experience this event and also support the work of Women for Women International.

Kate Winslet Enlists Celebrity Charity Help For New Book

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Kate Winslet has asked some of her celebrity friends to wear a special “magic” hat for a new book benefiting her autism charity, the Golden Hat Foundation.

Winslet has amassed a collection of photos from an amazing array of her friends and renowned personalities who have donned this special hat, taken a self portrait, and passed the hat along from one person to another. Among the participants whose photos are featured in the book are Anna Wintour, Ben Stiller, Brigitte Lacombe, Christina Aguilera, David Souffan, Demi Moore, Don Cheadle, Elijah Wood, Ellen Page, Javier Bardem, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jude Law, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Laura Dern, Liev Schreiber, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Sharapova, Marion Cottillard, Meryl Streep, Michael Kors, Naomi Watts, Pedro Almodovar, Peter Sarsgaard, Ricky Gervais and many, many more.

Winslet found inspiration for this project in her friends Margret Dagmar Ericsdottir and Ericsdottir"s son Keli, who lives with a severe form of non-verbal autism. Winslet met Ericsdottir when she narrated a documentary film, A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back To Autism, about the family"s mission to find a way to connect with Keli. Eventually specialists “unlocked” Keli by teaching him ways to communicate. Despite hardship, Keli now composes beautiful and deeply moving poetry. One of the poems, among the many included in the book, is called “The Golden Hat,” which describes a magical hat that enables an autistic boy to communicate.

Susan Sarandon To Be Honored As Outstanding Mother For Charity

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0000

The National Mother’s Day Committee today announced that it will honor five exceptional women for balancing accomplished careers and the demands of motherhood at the 33rd Outstanding Mother Awards luncheon at 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, at The Pierre New York Hotel.

The awards will be presented by mistress of ceremonies Mindy Grossman, CEO of HSN, Inc., and a 2010 Outstanding Mother Award Honoree, to the following:

Oprah Named As Top In Giving Back List

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:00:00 +0000

LookToTheStars.org is excited to announce that our partners at the Giving Back Fund have announced their fourth annual Giving Back 30, a list of celebrities who have made the largest donations to charity according to public records.

The organization has ranked Oprah Winfrey as this year’s top giver, replacing last year’s number 1, Paul Newman. Oprah is reported to have donated over $40 million to education and women’s and children’s programs in 2009 – the most recent year financial information was available.

Following Oprah on the list were autor Nora Roberts, who gave away $4.45 million to literacy causes through her Nora Roberts Foundation, and Meryl Streep, who donated $4 million to the Arts.

Christopher Reeve Remembered At Celebrity Charity Gala

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Christopher Reeve’s teenage son paid tribute to his late mother and father at a celebrity charity gala in New York this week.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation was established by the Superman star and his wife to find treatments and cures for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders, and improve the quality of life for people living with disabilities.

“To me, Mom and Dad were the people who forced me to eat broccoli and to turn the TV off to do my homework,” said 17-year-old Will Reeve, whose father died in 2004, and whose mother died in 2006. "I never consciously viewed them as inspirations then, but their heroic efforts shaped who I am today and who I hope to become tomorrow.

Christina Applegate's Right Action For Women

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Most likely to be the only celebrity to win an award with the word ‘ass’ in it — the 2010 Do Something Kick-Ass For Survival Award — Christina Applegate is continuing to “kick cancer’s ass” by launching a charity, Right Action for Women, to help women who can’t afford the proper treatment for cancer.

“It’s a program giving financial aid to high-risk women who can’t afford to get MRIs, which is how I found my cancer,” Applegate tells WENN. “It’s unfortunate that insurance companies (in America) don’t cover the cost of that. It’s such an incredible device because you can find it at an early detection stage. We started our pilot program and started helping women already, even though we aren’t launched. The other aspect of the program is to do genetic counseling and help women understand what being high-risk means, and understanding what foods are good for their bloods and how to prevent this disease from happening. That has been my mission.” Applegate said.

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, Applegate was fortunate that she survived, mainly because the early form of cancer was detected before it grew serious. Right Action for Women provides financial aid to women for MRI tests, which are screening tests for women with risks of getting breast cancer. MRI tests are usually not covered by insurance and can be seen as a financial nuisance to some. Applegate’s charity hopes to bring light to the importance of MRI tests and to preach the seriousness of these potentially life-saving tests.

Stand Up To Cancer To Return With Second Celebrity Charity Telecast

Thu, 20 May 2010 20:45:00 +0000

Two years after an historic fundraising telecast and the start of a groundbreaking grassroots movement, Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) will return to primetime television on September 10, 2010, at 8PM EST & PST / 7PM CT, with a star-studded appeal to build continuing public support and donations for cutting-edge cancer research that translates at a rapid pace from the laboratory to treatments and technologies that benefit patients.

Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams announced the upcoming show during individual live appearances on CBS’s “The Early Show,” ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “TODAY” show, respectively. The three network evening news anchors — who will host the September 10th telecast, executive produced by Laura Ziskin — participated in an interview together last week, discussing the upcoming fundraising event as well as the encouraging progress of “Dream Teams” of researchers SU2C has funded to date. Portions of that interview, the first joint appearance by this group of anchors, also aired on the morning shows.

Hugh Jackman Leads Celebrity Charity Watch Auction

Thu, 13 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

As reported by LookToTheStars.org earlier this week, Meryl Streep, Hugh Jackman, Whoopi Goldberg and Jay-Z have joint a host of legendary stars of stage and screen who have lent their signatures to Audemars Piguet timepieces to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The event entitled “Time to Give” is an historic collaboration between renowned Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet and the Tony Awards and will culminate in a live, invitation-only auction (conducted by Christie’s) and cocktail reception at New York’s Four Seasons Hotel on Monday, May 17th.

Stars Sign Luxury Watches For Celebrity Charity Auction

Mon, 10 May 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Now is your chance to get your hands on luxury – by wrapping watches signed by your favorite stars around your wrist for charity.

Stars such as Daniel Radcliffe, Hugh Jackman, Meryl Streep, Jay-Z and Vanessa Williams have signed luxury Audemars Piguet Swiss watches for a celebrity charity auction to raise funds for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, an industry-based organization that relies on the talents and generosity of the American Theatre community to raise money for AIDS-related causes in the United States.

Other stars who have signed watches for the auction include Catherine Zeta Jones, Jane Krakowski, Cyndi Lauper, John Lithgoe, Scarlett Johansson, Alan Cumming, Sienna Miller, Whoopi Goldberg, Neil Patrick Harris, Antonio Banderas, Cynthia Nixon and many more.

Meryl Streep And Friends Speak Truth For Charity

Thu, 06 May 2010 13:30:00 +0000

A host of stars including Meryl Streep, Viggo Mortensen, Paul Sorvino, Julianne Moore, Marcia Gay Harden, Debra Winger, Stanley Tucci and more took part in a special charity performance of Speak Truth To Power: Voices From Beyond The Dark on Monday night.

The reading was performed at the Public Theater in New York City. Originally a book written by Kerry Kennedy, “SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER” was adapted by playwright Ariel Dorfman for Monday night’s performance in order to raise money for Habitat For Humanity’s Relief Efforts in Chile.

The play chronicles the true-story accounts of heroic people withstanding horrific human rights abuses across the globe, and was presented by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights – established by Kerry Kennedy in 1988.

Alfre Woodard To Be Honored At Charity Mother's Awards

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:30:00 +0000

The 32nd Annual Outstanding Mother Awards will take place on May 6 in New York to benefit Save the Children’s US programs, and will be hosted by CNN’s Soledad O’Brien.

The National Mother’s Day Committee will honor five outstanding women for their success in balancing accomplished careers and the demands of motherhood: actress Alfre Woodard, lawyer Victoria Reggie Kennedy, HSN CEO Mindy Grossman, CHANEL CEO Maureen Chiquet and HealthiNation Chief Medical Officer Holly Atkinson.

The National Mother’s Day Committee is an entity of the Father’s Day/Mother’s Day Council and exists for the sole purpose of conferring “Outstanding Mother” Honors to contemporary lifestyle leaders of our society. The Council – a non-profit, all volunteer, non commercial, organization – donates funds raised with presentations of its Annual Awards to meaningful family related philanthropies dealing with issues affecting Mothers, Fathers and Family. Past honorees include Former First Lady Barbara Bush, Andrea Jung, Estee Lauder, Senator Hillary Clinton, Bobbie Brown, Katie Couric, Caroline Kennedy, Marie Osmond, Chris Evert, Meryl Streep, Reba McEntire, and many other outstanding mothers.

Stars Support RFK's Human Rights Dream With Charity Auction

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Whether you dream of dancing up a storm with Elton John or grabbing a cup of joe with Robert De Niro, learning to run a fashion empire from Diane Von Furstenberg or belting out a ballad with Alicia Keys, you can help support the RFK Center’s dream of worldwide human rights.

The 2010 Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights’ spring auction is launching on April 8th at Charitybuzz with a star-studded line-up of once-in-a-lifetime experiences up for auction.

Pop culture icons including Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys, Reggie Bush, Diane Von Furstenberg, Elton John, Robert DeNiro, Shepard Fairey and many more have donated jaw dropping experiences to raise funds for the 42-year-old organization dedicated to providing an ongoing base of support to human rights defenders around the world. Additional notable participants include: George Lucas, Michael Buble, Tim Gunn, Bill Maher, Whitney Houston, Oprah Winfrey, Venus Williams, Evan Lysacek, Ken Burns, Anderson Cooper, Bobbi Brown, George Lopez, Paula Zahn, Martin Sheen, Jimmy Smits, Ray Romano, John Cusack, James Taylor, Meryl Streep, Tom Ridge, Viggo Mortensen, and Laird Hamilton, with more A-listers joining the cause each day.

Celebrities Donate Items To Artists For Peace And Justice Charity Auction

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Artists for Peace and Justice – the Haitian earthquake charity supported by a host of stars – has partnered with popular online auction site charitybuzz.com for a special celebrity awards-themed auction that launched on February 24.

The auction will feature exclusive one-of-a kind items donated by internationally known artists. One hundred percent of the funds raised will be directed to the initiatives of APJ, a charitable organization founded by award winning writer/director Paul Haggis and friends that is committed to improving the lives of children in the impoverished and devastated nation of Haiti. APJ’s immediate goal is to build schools to serve the poorest areas of Haiti, providing an education, hot meals, clean drinking water and regular medical treatments to the children living in the slums.

The list of items going under the hammer includes:

Stars Remember Natasha Richardson At Charity Gala

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The stars were out and about on Wednesday, February 10, to remember actress Natasha Richardson – who died in a skiing accident last year – and honor Elton John at the annual New York Fundraiser for the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR).

The event, held at Cipriani 42nd Street, featured performances by Rufus Wainwright and Lady Gaga, and featured a guest list that included Cyndi Lauper, Vanessa Redgrave, Meryl Streep, Sharon Stone, Stanley Tucci and many more.

Sir Elton received amfAR’s Award of Courage for outstanding leadership and distinguished service in furthering amfAR’s mission, and for playing a vital role in increasing AIDS awareness and accelerating the pace of HIV/AIDS research.

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.

Stars Use Golden Globes For Charity

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:30:00 +0000

The stars were out at the Golden Globes in Hollywood this weekend, and many used the opportunity to raise awareness of the Haitian earthquake and ask fans to dig in their pockets and donate.

“I come to Golden Globes weekend and I am really, honestly conflicted — how to have my happy movie self in the face of everything I’m aware of in the real world,” said Meryl Streep, who picked up the Best Actress accolade for Julie and Julia. "And I want to say that’s when I have my mother’s voice coming to me, saying, ‘Shoot some money to Partners in Health, put the dress on, put on a smile and be damn grateful you have the dollars to help.’ "

The star also revealed that, when the dress comes off, it will go straight to a charity auction to raise money for victims of the disaster. Gerard Butler, Josh Brolin, Olivia Wilde and Any Poehler will also donate their Awards Night outfits to the auction – beginning on eBay on January 25.

Kevin Bacon To Be Honored For Networking With A Conscience

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) has announced that renowned actor and philanthropist Kevin Bacon will be presented with the third annual Joel Siegel Award by Meryl Streep at the 15th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards.

The ceremony, hosted by Kristin Chenoweth, will air live on VH1 Friday, January 15, 2010 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.

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.

Stars Stand Up To Cancer On Demand

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Comcast Corporation and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) have joined together to create the first-ever video-on-demand (VOD) initiative Stand Up 2 Cancer On Demand to broaden awareness and raise critical funds for innovative cancer research.

Debuting exclusively on Comcast beginning December 15th, Stand Up 2 Cancer On Demand will feature an extraordinary library of musical entertainment including hundreds of music videos from many of the world’s biggest stars and groups.

Available for no additional cost to viewers in more than 18 million Comcast homes through March 14th, Stand Up 2 Cancer On Demand will feature more than 60 of the viewers’ favorite artists including Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, Norah Jones, Mariah Carey, Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Idina Menzel, Jack Johnson, Sting, Renée Fleming, Placido Domingo and other stars of the Metropolitan Opera.

ICAP To Hold 17th Annual Charity Day

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:00:00 +0000

ICAP, the world’s premier interdealer broker, will hold its 17th annual global Charity Day on Wednesday, 9 December, 2009. On this day, 100% of company revenues and commissions will be donated to a selection of over 120 charities around the world.

Since the inception of ICAP Charity Day, ICAP and its customers in over 50 countries have raised funds for over 700 well-deserving charities globally. This year, ICAP will be supporting a further 120 charities globally, almost 30 in North America alone. Last year, $16.3 million was raised on Charity Day, bringing the total to over $100 million since 1993. These funds went towards such diverse programs in North America as helping sick children, supporting literacy, and funding cancer research.