And the Nominees are… « The Pixel Project

Alexander Skarsgard

You might expect that the son of renowned Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard would follow a simple and direct path into acting, but that is not the case. Although he began acting as a child, he gave it up as a teenager in part because he was uncomfortable being famous. He attended college and then enlisted in the Swedish military.

Discovering that he missed acting, he returned to the profession in 1997. His big break came in 2008 with a part in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. That led to the role for which he is currently best known, vampire Eric Northman on the hit TV series True Blood.

Although he has legions of fans, he has not let fame go to his head. A reporter for the Times Online described him as “quiet, respectful, polite and self-deprecating.” In a 2009 interview he talked about his ideal partner: “A sense of humour is number one for sure…Being funny and smart is very important.”

Mr. Skarsgard joined International Fund for Animal Welfare’s 2009 Tails for Whales campaign to raise awareness about the threats facing whales. He was a guest at the 3^rd Annual Black Tie Gala for The Art of Elysium, a charity that offers arts workshops to seriously ill children. He also publicly supported Earth Hour 2010 and Chilean earthquake relief. Mr. Skarsgard also supports Amnesty International, to which he recently donated an autographed t-shirt for auction.

Mr Skarsgard also works with fans on charity projects. When AlexSkarsgard.net raised funds in his name for the charity Smile Train, which provides free surgery for underprivileged children with cleft lips and palates, Mr. Skarsgard gave his blessing to their efforts and sent them a note of congratulations. Mr. Skarsgard is also involved in the charitable efforts made on his behalf by SkarsgardNews.com, which recently raised nearly $10,000 in donations for Doctors Without Borders for Haitian earthquake relief.

David Tennant

From the time he was about four years old, David Tennant knew he wanted to be an actor. His inspiration was the television series Doctor Who. His acting talent was first spotted by Scottish television at a youth theatre club. He then joined the actor’s union, Equity, at the age of sixteen and later graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

An accomplished classical actor, Mr. Tennant performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and garnered many awards before turning to television, where he landed his dream role—Doctor Who. He has also found success on the big screen, most notably with his appearance in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Mr. Tennant is an Ambassador for the Association for International Cancer Research, an organization he has praised for funding groundbreaking research around the world. He has personal experience with cancer—his mother died of the disease in 2007: “I know only too well that cancer strikes without regard to age or race, country or creed, fame or fortune. I believe AICR’s approach to funding research, wherever in the world it is taking place, is at the forefront of the battle to bring cancer under control and I am proud to have been asked to become a patron.”

While researching a role, Mr. Tennant worked closely with Headway Essex, an organization that provides rehabilitative care to survivors of brain injury. After getting to know the clients and seeing the good work the organization does, Mr. Tennant wanted to be involved and was thrilled to accept the role of Patron.

In March of 2010, he will also narrate a documentary called Karate Kids which follows disabled children as they learn an adapted form of martial arts to improve their movement and confidence.

Hugh Jackman

While his most recognized role may well be comic book hero Wolverine, the real Hugh Jackman bears no resemblance to this brooding, volatile character. They are so different, in fact, that during filming the actor had difficulty summoning the rage required to play the part.

Of course, Hugh Jackman is much more than an action hero. He is also a Tony Award winning song and dance man, an Emmy Award winner, and a devoted husband and father of two children. He speaks openly of the importance of family and the strength of his marriage, saying of his wife of fourteen years: “I know we will be happy together for the rest of our lives; she enhances my life.”

Mr. Jackman is a long-time supporter of charities that benefit children. He has worked with Operation of Hope, an organization that raises funds to provide facial surgery for poor children. He is a Global Advisor with the Global Poverty Project, which seeks to show people how even the simplest actions on their part can make a big difference in the fight against poverty. He is a supporter of The Art of Elysium, an organization that provides arts workshops for children with serious illness. He and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, have given their time to the Worldwide Orphans Foundation and acted as Honorary Committee Co-Chairs at a 2009 gala benefitting the organization.

Mr. Jackman is also a vocal proponent of microcredit and a supporter of microcredit pioneer and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Muhammad Yunus.

Jake Gyllenhaal

As the son of director Steven Gyllenhaal and producer/screenwriter Naomi Foner, Jake Gyllenhaal has deep connections to the movie business, but his feet are planted firmly on the ground. From a young age, his parents instilled in him a strong work ethic, even insisting that he take summer jobs as a lifeguard and busboy to support himself.

Lessons on community activism were also part of his youth. He and his family have long supported the American Civil Liberties Union. Mr. Gyllenhaal and his sister, actor Maggie Gyllenhaal, have also worked with Rock the Vote and Declare Yourself to encourage young people to vote.

Mr. Gyllenhaal supports a number of environmental causes. Every year he contributes funds to plant trees in Mozambique. The mango and nut trees act as a carbon offset and also provide a self-sustaining food source for the people who live there. He ventured to the Canadian Arctic, at the request of Global Green, to raise awareness of global warming. His work with Global Green also brought him to a Los Angeles high school, where he helped plant an organic garden.

By auctioning off the shirts he and co-star Heath Ledger wore in Brokeback Mountain, Mr. Gyllenhaal raised funds for Variety – The Children’s Charity. He participated in another auction to benefit the Mississippi Animal Rescue League. He has also supported the Afghanistan Relief Organization, GLAAD, and Hillsides, a children’s rights organization.

Will Smith

Will Smith began his career as a musician, earning the first-ever Grammy for rap music with DJ Jazzy Jeff. From there he made a smooth transition to acting, starring in the TV comedy Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He then moved onto the big screen where he has starred in blockbuster action flicks, popular comedies and intense dramas, even earning two Oscar nominations along the way.

Off screen, Mr. Smith is known for his genial nature and positive approach to life: “Give me a problem; I’ll give you a solution. I just love living. That’s a feeling you can’t fake. I’m glad every single day.” He also finds great joy in his home life, having said that “…a man and a woman together, raising a family, is the purest form of happiness we can experience.”

Mr. Smith and his wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, created the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation to support inner-city youth, with a focus on education, prevention of violence and community development. In 2006, the foundation was given the David Angell Humanitarian Award by the American Screenwriters Association. Through their foundation, the Smiths have supported the Lupus Foundation of America and YouthBuild, which helps young people learn job skills while completing their high school education. The couple has also supported literacy programs through HELP and recently donated artwork to raise money for the UN’s World Food Programme to benefit school children in Haiti.

Long considered a role model, Will Smith hosted the Presidential Inaugural Celebration for Youth as part of the Gala for President Bill Clinton in 1993, and was requested by Nelson Mandela to host his 2005 AIDS benefit concert in South Africa. Along with his wife, Mr. Smith also co-hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2009.

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References:

Alexander Skarsgard

http://www.looktothestars.org/news/2904-true-blood-star-joins-tails-for-whales-campaign;

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article7031443.ece;

http://www.celebrity-mania.com/news/view/00010450.html;

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002907/bio;

http://alexskarsgard.net/?p=6062;

http://www.examiner.com/x-29830-Alexander-Skarsgard-Examiner~y2010m1d15-Haiti-Earthquake-Response-with-SkarsgardNewscom.

David Tennant

http://www.aicr.org.uk/Ambassadors.stm;

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/2882490/David-Tennant-to-narrate-documentary-on-disabled-children.html;