Hollywood Celebrities Clear Their Closets for Fire Aid

 Sharon Stone attends the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, US, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
Sharon Stone attends the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, US, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
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Hollywood Celebrities Clear Their Closets for Fire Aid

 Sharon Stone attends the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, US, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
Sharon Stone attends the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, US, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)

When wildfires destroyed parts of Los Angeles this week, real estate agent Jenna Cooper started asking friends for clothing and other items to help people in need.

Her request spread quickly through a network of powerful women. Actors including Sharon Stone and Halle Berry responded, providing sweaters, shoes, clothing, handbags, belts, pajamas and more pulled from their own collections.

"I'm packing up my entire closet," Berry wrote on Instagram. "If you live in the Southern California area, I urge you to do the same. This is something we can do right now."

Cooper, who also runs a home goods store called +COOP, cleared half the space to create a pop-up shopping experience for displaced people to take what they need. Many Angelenos lost entire homes in the fires, which were still burning on Friday.

Stone circulated information about the donations on social media, which helped attract publicity. She and her sister, Kelly Stone, contributed clothing, bedding and more, and Kelly volunteered to assist shoppers.

"The first thing they need when they come in the store is a hug," Kelly Stone said. She then said to shoppers, "Show me pictures of yourself, how do you dress?" so she could direct them to sweaters or trench coats that reflected their style.

At the store on Friday, a therapy dog named Jackie Robinson greeted people at the door. Inside, they looked through racks of dresses and coats, stacks of denim, shelves of shoes and baskets of handbags.

Offerings ranged from packages of fresh underwear from Target to new or lightly used Zara dresses and some Gucci and Ferragamo shoes in the mix.

Cooper said she received donations and volunteer support from power players across Los Angeles, including actors, executives, lawyers, restaurant owners and moms. Her network of real estate agents in New York was sending gift cards, she said.

One Hollywood stylist came with two large bags of items from her closet and was enlisted to help organize the store for shoppers over the weekend.

"I know people who have lost everything, and even people I don't know I'm devastated for," said Lisa Cera, who has worked for celebrities including the Kardashians and Lenny Kravitz. "I decided I'm just going to bring whatever I can."

Ellen Bennett was choosing items for her 72-year-old mother, who lost her home in the Eaton fire on the east side of Los Angeles. Bennett said she selected "the basics," including socks, sweaters, pants, a jacket and a pair of running shoes.

"She left her house with her dog and a bag and just a few things. She thought she would come back," Bennett said of her mother, adding, "It's so special and beautiful that in this time of tragedy, people are rising up and helping each other."

Store owner Cooper said she helped a man find a pair of sneakers so he could run on the beach, something he had not done since the fires erupted. She said she was overwhelmed by the response to her idea to help.

"This is a city of love, and everybody wants to support each other," Cooper said.



Actors Marisa Abela, Mikey Madison among BAFTA Rising Star Nominees

 Marisa Abela poses as she arrives at the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 2, 2024. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo
Marisa Abela poses as she arrives at the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 2, 2024. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo
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Actors Marisa Abela, Mikey Madison among BAFTA Rising Star Nominees

 Marisa Abela poses as she arrives at the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 2, 2024. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo
Marisa Abela poses as she arrives at the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 2, 2024. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo

Marisa Abela, who portrayed late singer Amy Winehouse in biopic "Back to Black", and "Anora" star Mikey Madison are among the five nominees for the EE Rising Star Award at next month's British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Film Awards.

Abela is nominated alongside fellow "Industry" actors David Jonsson, most recently seen in sci-fi horror "Alien: Romulus", and Nabhaan Rizwan.

Rizwan's credits include film "In Camera" about an aspiring actor facing constant audition rejections and Netflix series "Kaos", a modern re-imagining of Greek mythology, Reuters reported.

British television drama "Industry" follows a group of graduates competing for jobs at a top investment bank.

Jharrel Jerome, known for Oscar winning film "Moonlight", animated superhero movie "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" and most recently biographical sports drama "Unstoppable", completes the list made public on Tuesday.

In "Anora", winner of the top prize at last year's Cannes film festival, Madison plays a young exotic dancer who becomes involved with a Russian oligarch's son. Her performance earned her a nomination for best actress in a musical or comedy film at last Sunday's Golden Globes.

The BAFTA Film Awards will take place on Feb. 16 in London.

BAFTA will announce the full list of the 2025 awards nominees next week.