What, another surprise?
As if appearances by singer Jason Derulo, comedian Tig Notaro and actors Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Isla Fisher and Elizabeth Hurley didn’t provide enough star power to make the charity event An Unforgettable Evening live up to its name, another celebrity made an entrance.
Chris Martin of Coldplay turned up for a surprise set.
“Normally, I play here every Thursday,” he joked.
Held at the Beverly Wilshire, the Feb. 16 bash presented by Saks Fifth Avenue raised $1.8 million for the Women’s Cancer Research Fund, marking the charity’s partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Martin began his set after philanthropists Judy and Leonard Lauder accepted the night’s first award. The Coldplay frontman sang Wham’s 1984 hit “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” then continued his tribute to George Michael, Leonard Cohen, Prince and David Bowie.
It was an upbeat evening, with Hanks popping up to fill unexpected downtime with some humor when a video about the charities’ work suddenly stopped working. He also appeared onstage to offer Martin a tip jar stuffed with money.
While accepting his award, Leonard Lauder praised the partnership between the Women’s Cancer Research Fund and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the latter founded by his late wife, Evelyn. “Breast cancer knows no political boundaries, knows no political parties. Everyone gets it,” added Estée Lauder’s chairman emeritus.
Designer-director Tom Ford said, “I’ve lost two close friends in just the last three months, and that’s two too many.”
Women’s Cancer Research Fund co-founders Rita Wilson (also an honorary chair), Quinn Ezralow, Marion Laurie, Kelly Chapman Meyer and Jamie Tisch welcomed 500-plus guests including Amber Valletta, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gina Gershon, Lisa Kudrow, Tom Arnold.