Look To The Stars News: Robert De Niro

New Years Eve Stars Stand Up To Cancer

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is proud to announce a new public service announcement (PSA) featuring the stellar ensemble cast of the holiday romantic comedy NEW YEAR’S EVE from director Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman, Valentine’s Day), that will appear in national and regional publications during the month of December.

The new SU2C print PSA campaign asks the public to join the cast of New Year’s Eve—which boasts some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Hector Elizondo, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Hilary Swank and Sofia Vergara — to help change the odds and stand up in the fight against cancer.

The PSA’s theme, “It’s Up2 All of Us to Stand Up To Cancer,” underscores SU2C’s core mantra: each and every one of us can make a difference in the fight against cancer. One in two men and one in three women in the U.S. will be diagnosed in their lifetimes, and this campaign calls on everyone to stand together to change those devastating odds.

Muhammad Ali Shines At Celebrity Charity Fight Night

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:00:00 +0000

On Saturday, March 19, stars and athletes from around the country converged on the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona for Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night XVII.

GRAMMY Award-winning leading lady of country music, Reba McEntire returned for her sixth year as emcee, and Lee Greenwood opened the evening with a touching rendition of “God Bless the U.S.A.” in which a rare Bald Eagle was released into the room to the surprise of the audience. Billy Crystal, longtime friend of Muhammad Ali, made a special introduction of The Champ who walked on stage to a standing ovation.

With Muhammad Ali on stage, Academy-Award winning actress Halle Berry was presented with the Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night Entertainer Award, No. 1 ranked LPGA Champion Cristie Kerr received the Sports Achievement Award, Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons received the Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night Entrepreneur Award, and former NBA and NFL owner Red McCombs received the Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night Humanitarian Award.

Stars Sign Letter Against Iranian Death Sentence

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Stars such as Sting, Colin Firth, Robert Redford and Robert De Niro are among the famous names who have signed a letter calling for the release of an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for alleged adultery.

“Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has suffered enough,” reads the letter, published in the UK’s The Times newspaper. "Forced by international pressure to suspend her execution by stoning for alleged adultery, the Iranian government is now attempting to resurrect the charge that she murdered her husband – a charge for which she has already been tried.

“She has already spent five years in prison, and suffered 99 lashes, while the man who was convicted of her husband’s murder, and with whom she allegedly had an affair, is now free, having been pardoned by Ms Ashtiani’s children. We, the undersigned, call on the government of Iran to release immediately Ms Ashtiani, her son Sajad Ghaderzade, and her lawyer, Javid Houtan Kian, from incarceration.”

Iranian Director Released From Jail

Wed, 26 May 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Earlier this month, LookToTheStars.org reported that a number of top Hollywood legends had signed a petition urging the Iranian government to free jailed filmmaker Jafar Panahi. We can now happily report that he has been released on bail.

Robert De Niro, Steven Spielberg, Robert Redford, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, the Coen Brothers, Ang Lee, Oliver Stone and Michael Moore all put their signatures to the petition, following the arrest of the filmmaker in March.

Panahi was arrested for his vocal support of Iran’s opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi. His release follows the end of the Cannes Film Festival, of which he was supposed to be a judge.

Filmmakers Unite To Free Jailed Director In Iran

Mon, 03 May 2010 15:30:00 +0000

A host of the film industry’s biggest names have signed a petition to urge the Iranian government to free jailed filmmaker Jafar Panahi.

Robert De Niro, Steven Spielberg, Robert Redford, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, the Coen Brothers, Ang Lee, Oliver Stone and Michael Moore have put their signatures to the petition, following the arrest of the filmmaker in March.

Panahi was arrested for his vocal support of Iran’s opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi.

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.

Ben Stiller Joins Artists For Peace And Justice Board Of Directors

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) has announced that it will merge with Ben Stiller’s Haitian school initiative (HSI).

The two organizations, both of whom were committed to improving living conditions in impoverished Haiti prior to the devastating earthquake, will combine their shared passion in helping build essential schools for the children of Haiti. Together they have engaged Global Philanthropy Group (GPG) to help develop and manage their philanthropic efforts. In partnership with an interim Country Director in Port-au-Prince, GPG will coordinate the day-to-day efforts of APJ.

“Ben Stiller understands the important role of schools in the lives of Haitian children. Together we share a mutual passion and determination to be as effective as quickly as possible,” says Paul Haggis, founder of Artists for Peace and Justice. “For the children of Haiti, schools provide so much more than education. They provide their only hot meals, their only clean drinking water and medical attention. These are critical elements for children, especially in a time of crisis.”

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 Want Bluefin Tuna Off The Menu

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:00:00 +0000

A group of actors has written to Robert De Niro’s Nobu restaurant chain to ask them to stop serving endangered Bluefin Tuna.

According the Britain’s The Telegraph, Sienna Miller, Charlize Theron, Jemima Khan, Woody Harrelson, Laura Bailey, Alicia Silverstone, Zac Goldsmith, Sting, Trudie Styler, Elle Macpherson and Stephen Fry have “written to the restaurant to say they can no longer dine with a clear conscience as long as the restaurant continues to serve bluefin tuna – a species considered by many to be as endangered as the white rhinoceros, panda or tiger.”

The plight of the bluefin tuna has been highlighted by the release of The End of the Line, a film narrated by Ted Danson that shows the effects of overfishing on the world’s oceans.

New York To Host First Mandela Day Concert

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:01:00 +0000

New York takes world center-stage next month when the city hosts the inaugural ‘Mandela Day.’

Centered around a massive music headliner concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday, July 18, the event is designed as a call around the world for people to honor Nelson Mandela’s inspiration and values, and observe the day annually as a celebration, not as a holiday, but as a day to opt in.

Tom Brady Bikes For Best Buddies

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Quarterback of the New England Patriots of the National Football League, Tom Brady, joined Best Buddies International on the weekend of May 30 as honorary chairman of the Best Buddies bike challenge ride of Boston.

The Audi Best Buddies Challenge (ABBC) cycling event and the Carl Lewis Walk/Run Challenge are exciting adventures along a challenging and beautiful course, with active participation and inclusion of athletes with intellectual disabilities, that ends with a star-studded celebrity criterium race. 100% of the money raised by participants benefits Best Buddies International in carrying out its mission of providing friends and jobs for people with intellectual disabilities.

The ABBC weekend has the feel of a big family gathering, as participants, celebrities and new buddies ride side-by-side. The ride finishes with a one-of-a-kind post-ride party, including a concert and dinner. Past concert performers range from The Black Eyed Peas, Jon Bon Jovi, Marc Anthony to The B52’s!

Robert F Kennedy Center Launches Charity Auction For Human Rights

Wed, 13 May 2009 11:30:00 +0000

An exciting new charity auction has been launched featuring an unbelievable number of celebrity experiences.

Ever want to meet Oprah Winfrey? Hop in the pool for a swim lesson from Michael Phelps. Get fashion advice from Project Runway’s Tim Gunn over lunch at Bryant Park Grill? Learn the arts of comedy and paper sales from Steve Carell on the set of the Office. How about talking politics with the most powerful woman in Washington, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, during a tour of the U.S. Capitol or crossing the aisle to discuss backyard BBQ recipes and foreign policy with Senator John McCain? See Iron Chef Bobby Flay in action at Kitchen Stadium? Make your Hollywood debut in Ridley Scott’s new “Robinhood” film, starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett. Seek enlightenment and meet Richard Gere with VIP tickets during His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 2010 trip to NYC. Or ride in a pace car at the Indy 500 and party with track chairman, Mari George.

Supporters of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights have put together these experiences and much more for their Annual Online Auction. With the help of CharityBuzz, the online auction will raise funds supporting the RFK Center’s human rights work. The auction is open now and runs until December May 28th with new lots continuing to be added each and every day.

Glenn Close And Quincy Jones Share Inspire Awards

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:30:00 +0000

AARP Magazine, the world’s largest-circulation magazine, has announced the recipients of its fifth annual Inspire Awards.

Glenn Close and Quincy Jones will be presented with awards for their humanitarian work at a special ceremony on December 8 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.

Close is being recognized for her work as a mental health advocate, especially her involvement with Fountain House, a nonprofit organization that she discovered while searching for help for her relatives.

De Niro Launches Arab Film Festival In Qatar

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Robert De Niro is to launch a new socially conscious film festival in Doha, Qatar.

The 65-year-old actor established the non-profit Tribeca Film Institute in the wake of September 11th to educate, entertain, and inspire filmmakers and film lovers alike. The Institute creates innovative programs that draw on the power of film to promote understanding, tolerance and global awareness. Tribeca holds an annual film festival to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan through a celebration of film, music and culture.

De Niro has just agreed to launch a similar event in Qatar in November next year, which he hopes will help build understanding between Arabs and the rest of the international community.

Daniel Craig Joins De Niro At Charity Bond Screening

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:30:00 +0000

James Bond star Daniel Craig was in New York on Tuesday night for a benefit screening of Quantum of Solace, the first screening of the film in the US.

Held at New York City’s AMC Lincoln Square theater – and attended by stars such as Robert De Niro, Debra Messing, Becki Newton, Julia Stiles and Molly Sims – the screening raised money for the Tribeca Film Institute, a non-profit organization founded by De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in the wake of September 11th to educate, entertain, and inspire filmmakers and film lovers alike. The Institute creates innovative programs that draw on the power of film to promote understanding, tolerance and global awareness.

“This benefit is our budget for next year,” said Rosenthal after the $1,000/ticket screening raised almost $500,000 for the charity. “It’s trying times for everybody.”

Get Ready For The Carousel Of Hope This Weekend

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:30:00 +0000

The annual Carousel of Hope Gala will take place this weekend to raise money for the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.

Presented by Jay Leno, the gala will take place at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, October 25, and will honor Denzel Washington for his charity work.

This year celebrates 30 years of helping children with diabetes through the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. Held every two years, this is the 18th Carousel of Hope. From its inception in 1978, the Ball has raised over $70 million.

Celebrities Put Their Votes Where Their Hearts Are

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:44:00 +0000

Celebrity endorsement and music have been essential features of political campaigns for the last 70 years. One of the earliest examples dates back to 1932, when Franklin D. Roosevelt used “Happy Days Are Here Again” as the theme song to his first presidential campaign. It eventually became the unofficial anthem for the Democrats, was used for years afterwards, and set a new standard in the way elections were campaigned.

Jump forward to 1960 and you find crooner Frank Sinatra openly supporting the presidential campaign of John F. Kennedy by singing a specially revised version of “High Hopes”. Jump forward further and you will hear the Republicans of 1988 singing the chorus of Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” (although McFerrin later asked them to stop using it).

And who can forget Bill Clinton blowing his saxophone along to Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” in 1992?

Bid Now For Christmas Gifts

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:21:00 +0000

The countdown to Christmas has begun, and celebrities are doing their best to make holiday shopping easy this year. Several charity auctions have already kicked off to raise money for good causes, including one that may be eBay’s largest sale of celebrity items… ever!

The BID 2 BEAT AIDS online auction will open on December 1, World AIDS Day, and will feature over 1000 specially signed items, ranging from posters to iPods. The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity, and in the past has raised up to $175,000.

The array of memorabilia up for sale this year is simply colossal, with perhaps the most interesting items being a series of “Lend a Hand to LIFEbeat” cards that feature the handprints of over 100 celebrities. Stars such as Britney Spears, Jack Black, and Kathy Griffin traced around the outlines of their hands and decorated their artworks for the auction, and the finished products will make a unique addition to any Christmas stocking.