Look To The Stars News: Eric Roberts

Heather Mills Hosts 2008 Farm Sanctuary Gala

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:51:18 -0000

Heather Mills is giving hope to animal-lovers everywhere by returning to host this year’s Farm Sanctuary Gala on May 17th, with emcee Melissa Rivers.

Heather and Melissa will be joined by many caring people and well-known celebrities, such as Kristen Bell and Kevin Nealon, who share their dream of bringing public awareness and compassion to the safety of farm animals. This will be a night to remember, full of exquisite vegan cuisine and sensational entertainment provided by Shawn Colvin.

Gift bags featuring vegan foods, cruelty-free items and other unique farm animal-related gifts are to be given out at the event to educate Gala guests about compassionate living, and an auction featuring original paintings, photography, gift baskets, jewelry and more will help to raise funds for the charity.

Guests set to attend this black tie event include Rachel Leigh Cook, Jennifer Coolidge, Emily Deschanel, Christine Ebersole, Lisa Edelstein, Susie Essman, Corey Feldman, Richard Kind, Swoosie Kurtz, Vanessa Marcil, Peter Max, Esai Morales, Eric Roberts, Ally Sheedy, Hal Sparks, Loretta Swit, True Whitaker, Persia White, Debra Wilson Skelton and more.

While volunteer opportunities to help at the event are no longer available, tickets for the Gala are still on sale at $400 each. For more information about purchasing a ticket or making a donation please visit the Farm Sanctuary Gala ’08 website.

(Photo courtesy of Farm Sanctuary)

Drew Barrymore Leaves Her Mark For Charity Auction

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:59:12 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Drew Barrymore is being hounded by bidders who are doggedly pursuing an exciting new internet auction. The 33-year-old actress is selling a one-of-kind work of art she created… with her pet dog.

The star has donated a canvas featuring her handprints – and the paw prints of her dog, Flossie – to The Rescue Train, an organization that seeks to reduce the number of animals entering shelters by promoting education through creating unique programs and solutions.

The artwork, which can be viewed via www.charityfolks.com, is the last lot in a series of auctions that featured works of art created by celebrities and their pet pooches. Other stars to create canvases included Jessica Alba, Carmen Electra, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Paula Abdul, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Eric Roberts.

Charity Folks is the leading online marketplace for celebrity charity auctions, and has raised over $6 million for non-profit organizations in the past. The current Drew Barrymore auction ends on April 23.

Julia Roberts - More Than Just A Pretty Woman

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:17:32 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Julia Roberts may be one of the most instantly recognizable actresses in Hollywood, but as a child she suffered from an affliction shared by over 3 million other Americans. Along with her brother, Heroes star Eric Roberts, the actress was a chronic stutterer. But it was a disorder she fought to overcome, and now she is helping others overcome the frustrating complaint.

Born in Smyrna, Georgia, Roberts wanted nothing more than to be a veterinarian when she grew up. Her father, a professional vacuum cleaner salesman, was a keen amateur actor who met his wife, a real estate agent, through a local theater group. Acting and performing was a big part of family life in the Roberts’ household, and thespian pursuits soon rubbed off on the young Roberts children. The two older offspring soon headed to New York to pursue acting careers, but Julia stayed at home to attend university. However, the acting bug could not be suppressed, and upon graduation, Julia headed to the Big Apple to join her sister, actress Lisa Roberts Gillan.

But before she could break into show business, Roberts had to beat her stuttering problem. She did this through the support of her family and friends, and last week, along with her brother, was asked by the Stuttering Foundation of America to be a spokesperson for the group.

“It would be marvelous to have them participate,” said foundation representative Jane Fraser. “They have no doubt inspired young people with the problem.”

The late 80’s were a struggle for the young actress, although she began to build up a profile by appearing in shows such as Miami Vice and Sesame Street. But it was a role as a diabetic in Steel Magnolias that launched Roberts into the public eye and gave her the first of many Oscar nominations.

1990 saw the release of Pretty Woman, alongside Richard Gere, and another Oscar nomination. Her star rose to prominence throughout the next decade with roles in seven high-grossing films, such as Hook, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and Notting Hill. But it was her leading role in 2001’s Erin Brockovich that finally won her a Best Actress Oscar.

In 1995, Roberts expressed a desire to make her celebrity status mean something, and approached UNICEF to ask how she could make a difference in the world. The organization sent her to Port-au-Prince, the largest city in Haiti. It was a life-changing experience for the actress, and she found the poverty in the slums overwhelming. She later commented that her “heart was just bursting” at the sight of the children, many off whom were undernourished and homeless. Since then, she has visited many of the world’s poorest countries promoting peace, goodwill, and help for those in need.

In 2000, Roberts narrated a documentary film about Rett Syndrome, a rare disorder that can be fatal in young girls, and also represented the International Rett Syndrome Association in front of Congress in 2002.

"Congress has within its power the ability to provide the accelerated funding needed to increase our understanding of Rett syndrome,” she told a subcommittee of the House of Appropriations. "There is an urgent need now… to redouble the efforts of researchers and capitalize on their important and steadfast work.”

Roberts also sits alongside Paul Newman on the Board of Directors for the Hole in the Wall Gang, the world’s largest network of camps for ill children, and in 2007 she designed bracelets that were sold as part of Bono’s Product (RED) Campaign.

In 2006, Roberts became the Advisory Board Chairperson for Earth Biofuels, a company set up in Mississippi in 2004 to implement clean-burning fuels on a nationwide scale. Her passion for the environment led her to join Board members Morgan Freeman and Willie Nelson in a crusade to encourage the use of biofuels in over 500,000 school buses.

“It’s very important that we expand our use of clean energy and make a long-term commitment to it,” she said. “Biodiesel and ethanol are better for the environment and for the air we breathe.The use of biodiesel is a positive step toward minimizing pollutive emissions and greenhouse gases. By focusing on school buses, we can affect the health and wellbeing of the people most susceptible to that pollution – our children – today.”

Roberts is currently starring in Charlie Wilson’s War alongside Tom Hanks, but perhaps it is a line from Erin Brockovich that best sums up her attitude towards the causes she supports:

“For the first time in my life, I got people respecting me – please don’t ask me to give it up.”

A Little "Moore" For Charity

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:29:52 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

What more could Bond star Sir Roger Moore do than receive a star on the walk of fame this week? The answer would be, host one of the biggest charity events of the weekend, the World Magic Awards on Saturday October, 13th.

The charity event benefitted the Feed the Children organization. Sir Roger was not the only the star on the scene to support the event. The legendary scene stealer Joan Collins was there as well as blonde bombshell Pamela Anderson, magician Hans Klok, Donald Trump’s ex-wife Marla Maples, John Schneider, Robert Vaughn, Eric Roberts and many more. Famous magicians from around the world put on quite a show.

This magical event will be televised in December. Proceeds from the network licensing fee and sponsorships will be going to Feed the Children organization. The mission is to use magic to make a happy and healthier world for children.

Look To The Stars News: Eric Roberts

Heather Mills Hosts 2008 Farm Sanctuary Gala

Related past articles

Drew Barrymore Leaves Her Mark For Charity Auction

Related past articles

Julia Roberts - More Than Just A Pretty Woman

Related past articles

A Little "Moore" For Charity

Related past articles