Newly Named SAG-AFTRA Foundation Announced

November 6, 2015

Leonardo DiCaprio Honored with the Artists Inspiration Award; & Lee Daniels, Megan Ellison, & Rob Marshall Honored with Patron of the Artists Awards at the SAG Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Celebration

LOS ANGELES (November 6, 2015) – For the first time, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation unveiled its new name, reflecting the moniker of its parent union which experienced a similar title change in 2012 when the two unions merged. The announcement took place last night during the SAG Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Celebration, which was an evening of musical performances honoring industry leaders who are champions of the arts.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio received the Foundation’s “Actors Inspiration Award,” highlighting his career achievements as a five-time Oscar®-nominee and eight-time Screen Actors Guild Award nominee, and recognizing his philanthropic work as Chairman of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF). The inaugural “Patron of the Artists Awards” paid tribute to three industry leaders who are champions of the arts known for nurturing creative talent both in front of and behind the camera: award-winning director/producer/writer Lee Daniels, award-winning producer Megan Ellison, and award-winning director/producer Rob Marshall.

Joining SAG Foundation President JoBeth Williams and First Vice President Pamela Reed, this year’s presenters included James Corden, Diane Kruger, Diane Ladd, Mark Ruffalo, David O. Russell, Gabourey Sidibe, Jussie Smollett, Darby Stanchfield, and Patrick Stewart. This year’s performers included Darren Criss, Estelle, Cheyenne Jackson, Dave Koz, Ledisi, Shelby Lynne, Abigail Spencer, and Bellamy Young.

Attendees included: Champagne Taittinger Brand Ambassador Jordane Andreiu, Camilla Belle, Miles Brown, Colleen Camp, SAG-AFTRA Executive Vice President Gabrielle Carteris, Grey Damon, Chairman/CEO 20th Century Fox Jim Gianopulos, Shawn Hatosy, CAA’s Kevin Huvane, Matt Lauria, SAG Foundation Board Member Sharon Lawrence, Virginia Madsen, Annika Marks, Marsai Martin, New Regency Films’ Arnon Milchan, Bethany Joy Lenz, George Newbern, Rena Owen, Josh Pence, Elisabeth Rohm, Gena Rowlands, Cara Santana, Yeardley Smith, 20th Century Fox Co-Chairman Stacey Snider, CAA’s Fred Specktor, Netflix’s Anne Sweeney, producer Brad Weston, SAG Foundation Executive Director Cyd Wilson, BAFTA COO Matthew Wiseman, and LBI Entertainment’s Rick Yorn.

This year’s sponsors included Vanity Fair, New Regency, Rise Up Foundation, SAG-AFTRA, Skydance Media, United Airlines, CAA, Walt Disney Studios, Integrated Wealth Management, Champagne Taittinger, TNT, and Variety. The SAG Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Celebration took place at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, with ticket sales benefitting the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.

 

About the SAG-AFTRA Foundation

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation envisions a world where all artists can realize their dreams, and children are empowered to create their own. It is an educational, humanitarian and philanthropic 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, independent from SAG-AFTRA, and relies solely on support from grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual contributions to maintain its programs. The nonprofit gives back to the professionals of SAG-AFTRA, their families, and communities. The SAG-AFTRA Foundation provides vital assistance and educational programming to guild professionals while serving the public at large through its signature children’s literacy programs. For 30 years, the Foundation has granted more than $17 million in financial and medical assistance through its Catastrophic Health Fund and Emergency Assistance Programs, and $6.5 million in scholarships to SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents. In addition, the nonprofit has offered 5000 free educational workshops, panels and screenings to union performers nationwide and its children’s literacy programs have brought the love of reading to more than 66 million children worldwide. For more information, visit and www.sagaftra.foundation, follow on Twitter (twitter.com/sagaftraFOUND), Instagram (instagram.com/ sagaftraFOUND ), Facebook (facebook.com/sagaftrafoundation) and YouTube (youtube.com/sagaftrafoundation).

 

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Media Contacts

42West                                                                         SAG-AFTRA Foundation

Annalee Paulo & Julie Siegel                            Caroline O’Connor, Dir. of Communications

(310) 477-4442                                                       (213) 400-8401

Annalee.Paulo@42West.net &                     coconnor@sagfoundation.org

Julie.Siegel@42West.net

 

To access photos from the SAG Foundation’s 30th Anniversary , visit: http://www.gettyimages.com/EditorialImages/Entertainment?parentEventId=590525467. To access video footage from the event, visit: SAG30th-EPK-H264