Known for its penchant for philanthropy, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association hosted their annual Grants Dinner Banquet at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Thursday evening. And by the time the final curtain bowed, almost two million dollars had been given away to entertainment-related charities. HFPA president Theo Kingma noted that last night’s big give pushed the 20-year total to an impressive $20 million, adding that the new owners of dick clark productions, the Guggenheim Partners, will also make available an additional $7.5 million.
Of the Guggenheim Partners’ generosity, Kingma declared, “It underscores a new kind of partnership and we are going to make sure it is shared with those that are so deserving in an industry HFPA journalists cover all year. We try every year to give as much as we can to these highly deserving organizations. It is gratifying to know that our efforts are appreciated and we are helping to further the cause of education and film preservation.”
And during the course of the evening, celebrities like Channing Tatum, Sofia Vergara, Robert Pattinson, Kerry Washington, Andy Samberg, Minnie Driver, Morgan Freeman and Nick Jonas accepted checks from the HFPA for initiatives that included higher education, film preservation, training and mentoring, and the promotion of cultural exchange.
In addition to the millions of dollars of donations, guests were also treated to a special performance of the “Frozen” hit “Do You Want To Build a Snowman” by the always-charming Kristen Bell. Furthermore, Kingma honored the memories of Robin Williams and Lauren Bacall, sharing, “No star wants to hear silence.” [gallery:3416]