The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fishburne, other Marvel stars spotted in Atlanta
Georgia native Laurence Fishburne has a long and impressive list of film credits including a number of Atlantafilmed projects, “Passengers,” “Contagion” and “Ride Along” among them. Now he’s back for Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp.” He plays Bill Foster/Goliath in the superhero movie due out next year.
Earlier this year Fishburne, who is from Augusta, was honored at UNICEF’s Evening for Children First gala. He has served as a UNICEF Ambassador since 1996 and traveled the world visiting programs the organization supports. In 1999, Fishburne narrated the UNICEF video “The State of the World’s Children.” The following year he was honored with the Child Survival Award, established by UNICEF and The Carter Center.
“It’s one of the things I’m most proud of in my life that doesn’t have to do with my work as an actor,” Fishburne told us on the UNICEF gala’s “blue carpet” the night of the gala. “The future doesn’t just belong to the future. The children are the future.”
During a little downtime, Fishburne enjoyed dinner at Umi the other night. His fellow Marvel actors Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth, who have been in Atlanta filming the latest “Avengers” installment, have had some fun under the big top.
Tony Stark/Iron Man and Thor, as they’re known when they suit up on the job, each took in “Luzia: A Waking Dream of Mexico” by Cirque du Soleil. Performances take place under the white and yellow Big Top at the Atlantic Station through Nov. 19. RD J took in the matinee performance on Sunday while Hemsworth and his family enjoyed the show last weekend.
Prominent speakers, inspiring stories at charity gala
Author, jurist and television personality Penny Brown Reynolds shared some powerful words at the recent fundraiser for the Motherless Daughters Foundation.
“Nobody can do what you do but you,” said Reynolds, also an ordained minister and founder of the annual Sister Talk: A Women’s Empowerment Conference. “You weren’t born to fit in; you’re supposed to be different. Every destiny and purpose that’s on your life, it’s on your life because you are different. When God has (His) hands on you, there is nothing anyone can do to take away what God has for you.”
The Motherless Daughters Foundation provides mentoring for girls ages
9 to 15 living without support of a positive mother figure in their lives. Participants enjoy summer camps and year-round educational and enrichment experiences, scholarships and donations of clothing and school supplies.
Singer and actress Jill Scott was honored for her work with her Blues Babe Foundation, a North Philadelphia-based nonprofit that provides a free summer camp for young people, among other services. The foundation’s executive director, Aisha Winfield, accepted on Scott’s behalf. Actor and recording artist Clifford “T.I.” Harris (now filming the aforementioned “Ant-Man and the Wasp”), presented his mom, Violeta Morgan, the Special Recognition for Outstanding Support award.
Program graduate De’mai Williams, dual enrolled as a high school senior and Georgia State University freshman, now mentors others. Raised by her father since she was a baby, Williams expressed her gratitude to Rassalyn Willis, founder and executive director of Motherless Daughters: “Ms. Rassalyn, thank you for being in my life. I look at you as my mother.”