Operation Smile honors Selma Blair; event raises more than $1.1 million
Selma Blair was honored at Operation Smile’s 2015 Smile Gala at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel.
The event: Friday’s annual “Smile Gala,” Operation Smile honored Selma Blair, the actress cast as Kris Kardashian (now Kris Jenner) in the upcoming TV series, “American Crime Story: The People Vs. O.J. Simpson.” Also receiving awards were Henry Nguyen, a private equity investor; and the Rodosky family, longtime supporters of the charity, which provides free reconstructive facial surgeries to children throughout the world.
The crowd: Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, Lionsgate TV chair Kevin Beggs, NBC entertainment president Jennifer Salke, and Henry Salke co-chaired the dinner, which was hosted by TV personality Brooke Burke-Charvet. The audience included Mark Wahlberg, Ashley Greene, Gavin Rossdale, Busy Philipps, Kate Upton, Whitney Cummings, Rosario Dawson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Geena Davis, Mel B, Adrienne Bailon, Courtney Sixx and charity co-founders Kathy Magee and Dr. Bill Magee.
The scene: Natasha Bedingfield headlined the evening at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, which also featured ballet dancer Jim Nowakowski, singer/songwriter Eric Hutchinson and an after party with Mix Master Mike at the turntable.
The numbers: The event drew more than 450 guests with tickets priced at $500 and up, and sponsorship tables offered for as much as $150,000. Proceeds, which included additional contributions and a drawing for diamond jewelry, totaled more than $1.1 million.
Quote of note: “Everyone in this room is the recipient of so many blessings,” said Blair. “We also have the power and sometimes the weight of cameras following us around as we live our lives. … If our celebrity gives us the power to harness, let’s use that press to spotlight the needs of kids who need help.”
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