What doing good means to the stars Only In Hollywood
LOS ANGELES—The stars were understandably hesitant when asked what good deeds they did this year. But eventually, they relented and graciously answered. We hope their thoughts inspire you, dear readers, to also “do the right thing” in 2014 and in all the years to come.
I tend to feel [the way] Oscar Wilde felt. He said, “I forgot that every little action of the common day makes or unmakes character.” So it’s how you behave toward every person you encounter, every day—that’s what makes who you are.
It’s no good being nice to some people and then unpleasant to the man who’s going to park your car or the woman who’s going to do your nails. That just doesn’t wash because then you’re making a hierarchy of human beings instead of saying, “I am you and you are me.” Once you realize that, there is no good deed because you’re treating everyone the same. It makes you innately kind unless you’re very cruel to yourself— in which case you’ll be cruel to everybody else. God knows we see that in all professions.
Giving back—I hear people saying that a lot. It’s good to engage, I suppose. Giving back is being engaged all the time and being curious, speaking out when you witness injustice. Doing a good deed requires courage. Sometimes you don’t want to say it because you feel embarrassed to say to somebody, “I don’t want to listen to that. I don’t want to hear you speaking like that about homosexuals, black people.” It’s uncomfortable to challenge people, especially at a dinner or something.
Liam Hemsworth
My dad worked in Child Protection and Human Services my whole life. My brothers and I are ambassadors for the Australian Childhood Foundation, which protects kids and helps those who have been abused or could be abused. It’s about educating families in neighborhoods and schools about how serious child abuse is.
I am from a great family, with parents who are so supportive and loving. I had a safe home where I felt comfortable. I was able to dream big and had the support to live out those dreams. I strongly believe in helping children so they grow up in safe environments where they are able to dream big, too. The home is where it begins, where people’s morals and respect for others are nurtured.
Woody Harrelson
Good deeds—that’s an interesting thing because we live in this world where emotionality is muted or constrained. I used to be so much more gregarious when I was younger and maybe less famous. When I was anonymous, I would be so much more open. Anyway, one of the coolest good deeds, which doesn’t require much energy, is a smile. Haven’t you [experienced] that when you are walking and someone smiles at you? The smile just really gives you a lift.
I have this non-wood paper company (Prairie Paper Ventures) going. It’s really been my dream for a long time. More people are coming into it—like this gentleman, Tom Kartsotis, the creator of Fossil. I thought it was a really good deed—how he believed in this company. He was the first guy to really get behind it. Around half the trees cut in this world are cut for paper products... like three billion trees cut a year (around 65,000 trees to make the Sunday