Marcia Gay Harden, Pierce Brosnan, Julianne Moore, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jamie Lee Curtis, Jackie Chan, Dakota Fanning, Marcia Cross, Rascal Flatts and Others To Lend a Helping Hand

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2006 – Since World War I when silent film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks lent their names and support to the American Red Cross war effort, the organization has benefited from the involvement of public figures and celebrities. Over the years, actors and artists committing their time and talents to the organization have played an important role in raising public awareness of Red Cross services and activities nationwide, a list of which includes such Hollywood icons as Shirley Template, Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh.

This year as the Red Cross marks 125 years of service to the American public, it also continues the tradition of working with celebrities and public figures by unveiling its fifth annual American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet. This year’s cabinet represents an extraordinary combination of well-respected actors, television personalities, musicians and athletes. Among the 23 new members are Pierce Brosnan, Marcia Gay Harden, Sandra Oh, Jamie Lee Curtis, Marcia Cross, Eli Manning, Aisha Tyler, Amy Grant, and Tommy Hilfiger. They join returning members including Cuba Gooding Jr., Julianne Moore, Heidi Klum, Patti LaBelle, Rascall Flatts, and Dakota Fanning.

The 2006 National Celebrity Cabinet members will become part of one of the country’s largest volunteer networks. Members promote awareness of Red Cross services in a variety of ways such as taping public service announcements, conducting media interviews about the organization, donating their time, money and blood, visiting disaster sites, feeding victims of disaster and generally lending a hand or a hug to those in need. By joining the cabinet, these respected public figures are essentially “on-call” for the Red Cross, donating their time, skills, passion and energy for a one-year term to help the organization when it’s needed most.

Members of the 2006 American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet:

 

  • Alexis Bledel portrays Rory Gilmore on the WB’s hit show “Gilmore Girls.” She has starred in such films as “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” “Sin City” and “Tuck Everlasting.”
  • Zach Braff is best known for his television role as J.D. on NBC’s “Scrubs.” In 2004, he added writer and director to his resume for his film “Garden State.” He is set to appear in the upcoming films “Last Kiss” and “Fast Track.”
  • Pierce Brosnan is well remembered for his lead role in the NBC series “Remington Steele” and as James Bond, but his resume also includes countless films such as “After the Sunset,” “Laws of Attraction” and recently released film “The Matador.”
  • Chayanne has released 14 CDs during his career, all in Spanish. He worked on the popular soap opera “Pobre Juventad,” and was also the star of such films as “Tormento,” “Dance with Me,” and “Sombras del Pasado.”
  • Jackie Chan is not only a talented actor who does all of his own stunt work, but he is also a writer, producer and director. He has starred in many films including “Around the World in 80 Days,” “The Tuxedo,” “Shanghai Noon” and “Shanghai Knights” as well as “Rush Hour” and its sequel.
  • Marcia Cross portrays Bree Van De Kamp on the hit series “Desperate Housewives.” In the 90s she portrayed Kimberly Shaw on “Melrose Place,” one of television’s most memorable characters.
  • Jamie Lee Curtis has demonstrated her versatility as a film actress with starring roles in films like “True Lies,” “Trading Places” and “Freaky Friday” while gaining equal renown as an author of children’s books.
  • Carmen Dominici first began her career acting in a Puerto Rican mini-series where she became a recognized figure. She is currently a news reporter for Univision’s Primer Impacto and has won an Emmy, and Ace Award, and Paoli.
  • Jermaine Dupri began his career in 1992 with the group Kris Kross. He became one of the most consistent and all-persuasive producers of the 90s with his company So So Def Productions. He has worked with TLC, Usher and Mariah Carey and also released two solo albums.
  • Amy Grant has released 20 albums, sold over 22 million albums, and won five Grammy Awards in her pop/gospel music career. Amy recently started hosting the NBC reality series “Three Wishes.”
  • Marcia Gay Harden won an Academy Award for her supporting role in the film “Pollock.” She also starred in “Bad News Bears,” “American Gun,” “Welcome to Mooseport,” “Mystic River” and “Mona Lisa Smile.” She has appeared on television and Broadway, where her role in Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Angels in America” earned her a Tony nomination.
  • Angie Harmon is best known for her three-year stint on “Law & Order” playing the role of A.D.A. Abbie Carmichael and is currently in the movie “Fun with Dick and Jane.” She is married to ex-NFL star Jason Sehorn, with whom she has two daughters.
  • Tommy Hilfiger began his fashion career in the 80’s and has become one of the industry’s biggest names. The Tommy Hilfiger brand has become a symbol of the all-American spirit and continues to be regarded as one of the most recognized global lifestyle brands.
  • Daniel Dae Kim currently plays the role of Jin on the Emmy Award winning series, “Lost.” Most recently he won the Asian Excellence Award for “Outstanding Television Performance.”
  • Eli Manning has been the Quarterback for the New York Giants since 2004. He’s won the Maxwell Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
  • Frankie Negron has earned four Platinum Record awards, one Gold Record award, Grammy nomination for “Best Salsa Album” and two “greatest hits” albums already in his career. His music dominates the airwaves of every Latin American country.
  • Sandra Oh recently won a Golden Globe for her role as Dr. Cristina Yang in “Grey’s Anatomy.” She’s also been on the big screen in “Sideways,” “Under the Tuscan Sun,” and “Princess Diaries.”
  • Carlos Ponce is a multi-platinum recording artist, actor, TV host and humanitarian, who is currently a special correspondent for “Entertainment Tonight.”
  • Elisabeth Rohm portrayed A.D.A. Serena Southerlyn on “Law & Order” for four years. She also has had roles on “Angel” and in the film “Miss Congeniality 2 – Armed and Fabulous.”
  • Jason Sehorn played for the New York Giants for nine seasons before retiring in 2003. He remains with the game as an NFL analyst and is married to actress Angie Harmon.
  • Hope Shorter is an Atlantic Records recording artist who has opened for the likes of Seal and Air Supply and who appears in “Soundz of Sprit,” a documentary film directed by Joslyn Rose Lyons. She lent her song “The Rain Don’t Last” to an ARC PSA following the 2005 hurricane season.
  • Jimmy Smits portrayed attorney Victor Sifuentes on “L.A. Law” earning him an Emmy. He then portrayed Det. Bobby Simone on “NYPD Blue” and is now on “West Wing” as Congressman Matthew Santos.
  • Aisha Tyler has been cited as one of the “rising stars to watch” in the entertainment industry; she played the only black recurring character in the hit television show “Friends.” She currently has a recurring role on the television series “Ghost Whisperer.”
  • Wilmer Valderrama has spent seven seasons portraying Fez on “That 70’s Show” and has starred in films including “Summer Catch,” “Party Monster” and “Beauty Shop.”

Returning celebrity cabinet members include: Giselle Blondet; Jim Cantore; Sara Evans; Dakota Fanning; Leeza Gibbons, George Foreman; Cuba Gooding, Jr.; Heidi Klum; Jimmie Johnson; Patti LaBelle; Peyton Manning; Marlee Matlin; Tim McGraw; Julianne Moore; Nancy O’Dell; Rascal Flatts; Marco Antonio Regil, Jane Seymour, and Gabriella Spanic.

Please visit www.redcross.org/celebritycabinet/ to learn more about the Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet and for quotes by cabinet members.

The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors-across the street, across the country and across the world-in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to the nearly 1 million Red Cross volunteers and staff for compassion and help. Through more than 800 locally supported chapters nationwide, people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world. Some 4 million people give blood-the gift of life-through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of more than 180 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and dignity to the world’s most vulnerable people. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency and relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.