10 Most Charitable Celebrities from the 2012 Oscar Nominees

The 84th annual Academy Awards took place this past Sunday and while the nominees were recognized for their work, their contributions to nonprofit fundraising and the advancement of the causes they hold dear should not go unnoticed. So here is a top ten list of the most charitable Oscar nominees and how they fared in the last awards show.

10.Kristen Wiig. The comedienne best known for her work on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for “Bridesmaids.” Although Wiig may have lost out to Woody Allen for “Midnight in Paris” she was awarded the title of 2011 Sexiest Vegetarian by PETA. She has also participated in the Clinton Foundation Celebrity Division by making a Funny or Die satire video about global warming to honour the foundation’s 10th anniversary and help with their nonprofit fundraising efforts.

9. Martin Scorsese. If you said his name aloud, you have to take a shot (reference “Bridesmaids” drinking game). The legendary director was nominated for both Best Picture and Best Director for “Hugo” and lost both awards to “The Artist.” Scorsese supports both health and poverty-based causes with the charities he supports such as HELP USA, the Los Angeles Free Clinic and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Woody Allen’s MIdnight in Paris (click to enlarge)

8. Woody Allen. This legendary director was also a double nominee as he received nods for Best Director and Original Screenplay for “Midnight in Paris.” Unfortunately, Allen lost for Best Director but won for Original Screenplay. Allen aids in the on-going fight against homelessness and addiction by supporting St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters and the Doe Fund. He also appeared at the amFAR AIDS Charity Gala.

7. Viola Davis. The acclaimed actress lost the Oscar for Leading Actress for her performance in “The Help” to Meryl Streep. Davis has said in the past that she grew up in abject poverty and as such has focused her charity work on organizations that help women and the impoverished. She has supported such charities as Friendly House, which is a women’s rehabilitation organization, and Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity that collects and distributes shoes to those in need.

6. Jonah Hill. The comedic actor was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film “Moneyball,” which he lost to Christopher Plummer for his role in “Beginners.” Hill’s philanthropic work has contributed to the United Nations Foundation and Nothing But Nets (NBN). NBN is a foundation that helps to provide mosquito nets in Africa. Hill has said of the organization “I think that Nothing But Nets is doing a kick ass job at helping those suffering in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, and other countries. Those in the Horn of Africa are already suffering due to the severe drought, famine and conflict in that region, but the leading cause of death right now is from malaria. A simple net that costs no more than a movie ticket could save thousands more from dying. It’s so simple, it’s stupid not to help.”

5. Glenn Close. Close was nominated for Best Actress for her performance in “Albert Nobbs” which was awarded to Meryl Streep. Close if a co-founder of the charitable organization, Bring Change 2 Mind which works to help support those suffering from mental illness.

4. Meryl Streep. The Oscar veteran was nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady,” which she won. Streep has been a “tireless champion” of the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) and even donated her entire Iron Lady salary to the cause. “NWHM is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and celebrating the diverse historic contributions of women, and integrating this rich heritage fully into our nation’s history.”

3. Steven Spielberg. The esteemed filmmaker received a Best Picture nomination for “War Horse,” which he lost to “The Artist”. Spielberg has a long history of philanthropic efforts using the money he made from his Oscar-winning film “Schindler’s List” to establish the Righteous Persons Foundation (RPF). RPF helps to support the Jewish community. He also lends his support to countless health and disaster-relief organizations.

George Clooney The Descendents (click to enlarge)

2. George Clooney. Gorgeous George was nominated for Best Actor for “The Descendants” and lost to Jean Dujardin from “The Artist.” He has been a longtime advocate of refugees in Darfur which has been widely publicized. Clooney also helped co-found Not on Our Watch, which works to help end genocide in the Sudan and quietly supports many health, poverty and disaster relief missions.

1. Brad Pitt. Pitt is half of one of Hollywood’s most powerful and charitable couple, as both he and his partner Angelina Jolie have been recognized for their philanthropic endeavors (and for @angiesrightleg). Pitt was nominated for Best Actor for his performance in “Moneyball” which went to Jean Dujardin from “The Artist.” Pitt co-founded Not on Our Watch (with pal George Clooney) and The Jolie-Pitt Foundation with Angelina. The Jolie-Pitt Foundation helps fight poverty and protect the environment.  He also has been instrumental in the rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina with the Make It Right Foundation.

The legacy of these actors and filmmakers will not be merely the hours of entertainment they have given us, but will also be their continued efforts for the causes they support financially and with their valuable time and dedication. Our thanks to Ecorazzi for this fun post idea.

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