Look To The Stars News: Bill Duke

Black Celebrities Unite Against AIDS

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

More than 60 Black celebrities – including Samuel L. Jackson, Laila Ali, Tatyana Ali, Anthony Anderson, Bill Duke, Dennis Haysbert, Nia Long, Chris Massey, Kyle Massey, Lisa Masterson and Shaun Robinson – have united with Greater Than AIDS to bring attention to the severe and disproportionate epidemic facing Black Americans and reduce the stigma surrounding the disease.

Black Americans account for half of the approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in this country today — and 44 percent of new infections — while representing just 12 percent of the population. Blacks are also more likely to die of AIDS as compared to other racial and ethnic groups.

Coinciding with National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (Feb. 7), Greater Than AIDS is debuting new public service ads (PSAs), available here, coordinated social media posts and other messages from popular Black television and film actors, directors, producers, and others in Hollywood about the devastating effect of HIV/AIDS in the Black community. Many of the participating talent spoke about people they knew who are living with or have died from the disease. Participating talent will be supporting the campaign’s themes of unity, hope and empowerment through their own Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms and through personal appearances.

Movies That Make A Difference

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Look to the Stars likes to keep a look out for break-out informative films.

In 2007, we showcased Cover, a film by Actor/Director Bill Duke. Cover put the spotlight on the dangers of keeping secret when you have AIDS from your partner. We got a number of comments from our readers about this article.

In October of 2008, we deemed Trouble the Water an important film. It is a documentary about Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath. Trouble the Water went on to receive an Oscar nomination. Danny Glover is among the executive producers of the piece.

Cindy Crawford And Spike Lee Honored

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:19:07 +0000

A model and a director were honored at two different charity events for their humanitarian work this week.

Supermodel Cindy Crawford was the honoree of the 10th annual Rick Weiss Humanitarian Awards in Palm Springs, California, earlier this week – an event that raised money for local charities such as Project New Hope, The Desert AIDS Project, the AIDS Assistance Program, the American Heart Association, Guides Dogs of the Desert, and the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center.

Crawford was presented with the award by Daisy Fuentes, and spoke of her brother’s death from leukemia at the age of four and her mother’s efforts to raise funds for research into the disease.

"Cover" Story by Bill Duke

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:13:18 +0000

Actor/director Bill Duke’s film Cover held one of the two coveted spots for closing night film at the close of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) in Los Angeles. Members of the audience were in awe by the dramatic unfolding of a story which sheds light on the issue of “down low” behavior and the alarming consequences which add up to African American women accounting for up to 70% of all new HIV/Aids cases.

What is “down low”? It is a street term which refers to the secret sexual infidelity on the part of a husband or boyfriend with a man/woman. Usually, the man learns that he has the disease and withholds the truth. Duke implores men to be honest.

The film seeks to save lives with its message. I asked Bill to elaborate on the main message that he hopes to send with his film. He replied emphatically with reference to percentages of Black women contracting AIDS, “For 80% of the women that are infected to be infected by men that know they have the disease something is wrong!” He prefaced the statement with addressing the issue as tragic.