Celebrities are speaking out, planning events and contributing to fundraisers in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The latest, below.
JOHN CHO
John Cho is joining a growing chorus of Asian American stars who are sharing warnings about discrimination during the coronavirus pandemic. The Star Trek actor warned in a Los Angeles Times Op-Ed: “If the coronavirus has taught us anything, it’s that the solution to a widespread problem cannot be patchwork. “Never has our interconnectedness and our reliance on each other been plainer.”
He continued: “You can’t stand up for some and not for others. And like the virus, unchecked aggression has the potential to spread wildly. Please don’t minimize the hate or assume it’s somewhere far away. It’s happening close to you. If you see it on the street, say something. If you hear it at work, say something. If you sense it in your family, say something. Stand up for your fellow Americans.”
Cho warned against dismissing “the current wave of Asian hate crimes as trivial, isolated and unimportant,” before noting how “during times of national stress, it’s these darker stereotypes that prevail.”
FEEDING AMERICA
Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Eddie Murphy, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish are among the comedians who have signed up for a live-streamed comedy fundraiser to support Feeding America.
The three-hour special will live-stream May 9th. “Laughter is often the best medicine, and we are extremely motivated to bring attention to issues of food insecurity, and to assist in providing meals to families across the country who are financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Byron Allen, the founder and CEO of Allen Media Group television production division Entertainment Studios, which is organizing the event alongside comedy production company Funny or Die.
CHARLIZE THERON
Through her foundation, the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, Charlize Theron is partnering with CARE and the Entertainment Industry Foundation to commit $1 million to coronavirus relief, half of which will go toward domestic violence shelters.
DREW BARRYMORE
Drew Barrymore has donated $100,000 to Feeding America and is partnering with Uber to get the word out on a fundraiser for food-insecure families. Dove Cameron and Yara Shahidi also joined the effort, adding in $50,000 apiece.