A star-studded host committee, Academy Awards nominees and presenters, along with some of the most powerful industry influencers came together on February 21st, 2015 for the 13th annual ‘Night Before’ party to benefit MPTF.
Funds raised during the now-legendary evening will be used to support MPTF in providing social services, financial assistance, a renowned retirement community and innovative programs for seniors and those who care for them. The organization impacts thousands of people each year who have committed their lives to a career in entertainment. The annual event raised $5.2 million, totaling just over $65 million in the event’s history.
The 2015 host committee included a lineup of the industry’s most elite talent, including Jennifer Aniston & Justin Theroux, Tanya Haden Black & Jack Black, Kate Capshaw & Steven Spielberg, Jessica Chastain, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Viola Davis & Julius Tennon, Jenna Dewan-Tatum & Channing Tatum, Cameron Diaz & Benji Madden, Susan Downey & Robert Downey Jr, Deborra-Lee Furness & Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sophie Hunter & Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson & Romain Dauriac, Hannah & Eddie Redmayne, Jada Pinkett Smith & Will Smith, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Christine Taylor & Ben Stiller, Pauletta & Denzel Washington, Rita Wilson & Tom Hanks, and Reese Witherspoon & Jim Toth.
Attending guests included Amy Adams, Malin Akerman, Patricia Arquette, Jeff Bewkes, Cate Blanchett, Adrien Brody, Mark Burnett, Ty Burrell, James Corden, Kristin Davis, Laura Dern, Danny DeVito, Nina Dobrev, Idris Elba, Ansel Elgort, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, America Ferrera, Laurence Fishburne, Frances Fisher, Scott Foley, Tony Goldwyn, Tony Hale, Marcia Gay Harden, Angie Harmon, Ethan Hawke, Julianne Hough, Sarah Hyland, Bob Iger, Allison Janney, Dakota Johnson, January Jones, Mindy Kaling, Michael Keaton, Anna Kendrick, Jared Leto, Judith Light, Natasha Lyonne, Joe Manganiello, Seth McFarlane, Christopher Nolan, Aaron Paul, Rosamund Pike, Brett Ratner, Bryan L. Roberts, Jenny Slate, Zack Snyder, Kevin Spacey, Meryl Streep, Scott Stuber, Kevin Systrom, Kevin Tsujihara, Sofia Vergara, Kerry Washington, Luke Wilson, Bellamy Young, and many more.
This year’s generous presenting sponsors included Delta Air Lines, Dodge, L’Oreal, Relativity, Target and The Hollywood Reporter. For the first time, the event was held at a soundstage on the Fox lot, where renowned chef Suzanne Goin of Lucques provided a specialty buffet station for guests.
“On Oscar night, we celebrate the creative excellence of our industry, while the ‘Night Before’ demonstrates the deep generosity and compassion of our community,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation and Chairman of the MPTF Foundation. “We’re truly grateful for the ongoing support that enables MPTF to provide its invaluable services to those in need.”
“It is a tribute to our sponsors at all levels who are so engaged in our mission in ways that far exceed their participation in the ‘Night Before,’” said Ken Scherer, CEO of the MPTF Foundation. “Our sponsors make it possible for MPTF to provide nearly $20 million annual in charitable programs and services on the Wasserman campus and throughout Southern California.”
The ‘Night Before,’ held annually the night before the Academy Awards, was produced for the 13th consecutive year by Robyn Leuthe Norris, with Silver Birches creating the decor for the party. The event, now a much-anticipated awards season tradition, has become one of the most coveted invitations in town since its inception in 2003.
