Stars Want to Save the World

Lots of singers, actors, and celebrities do charity work, but the concept of celebrities trying to help others is not new. The actress Audrey Hepburn, who was in the film My Fair Lady, did work for UNICEF in the 1950s. She was a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador from 1988 until her death in 1993.

In Hollywood, it is fashionable to be concerned about the world and the environment. But can actors succeed where politicians have failed? Well, some are succeeding very well! When a charity is connected to a star, it gets publicity. People become interested and they want to help.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have often been in the news because of their work for charity. In 2006 when Jolie was expecting her baby she let People magazine print photos in exchange for a donation to a charity in Haiti. ‘We cannot ignore the fact that millions of people are suffering. I want to help’, said Jolie. Jolie gives a third of her money to charity. She says that stars earn way too much money. ‘I earn so much. It’s crazy’ she says.

George Clooney, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt raised 5 million dollars for the Darfur crisis during the premiere of Ocean’s thirteen at the Cannes Festival. Clooney would like all film festivals to now be charity events. Matt Damon decided to help countries in Africa after he saw the extreme poverty in Zambia and South Africa. In order to get support for clean water programmes in Africa, Matt made a documentary called Running the Sahara.