A familiar face in Malibu with a slew of professional honors, Julia Roberts now has one more prize to add to her already crowded mantelpiece.
The acclaimed actress was feted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
GLSEN’s annual gala recognizes the efforts of individuals who make a difference to ensure that schools are safe for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.
Julia, who wowed in a vibrant print dress, was lauded for her philanthropic activities as well as her work in “The Normal Heart.”
A spate of appreciative pals turned out to show their support for Julia, including Jessica Capshaw, Rose McGowan and Amy Poehler.
But Julia wasn’t alone at the 10th annual GLSEN Respect Award honors. While JR took home this year’s Humanitarian Award, hoofer Derek Hough snagged the Inspiration Award, NBC’s Robert Greenblatt walked off with the Chairman’s Award and Cliff Tang was presented with the Student Advocate of the Year prize. So hats off to this year’s honorees and congrats all around!
HOLIDAY MOVIE TIME
Loads of local faces are pouring into the theaters this season. It kicked off with Matthew McConaughey’s out-of-this-world flick “Interstellar.” Starring alongside Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine, Matt has the unenviable task of searching the cosmos for a new home for humanity.
Shirley MacLaine is now appearing with Christopher Plummer and Marcia Gay Harden in “Elsa & Fred.” Even at the ripe old age of 80, Shirley is still going strong and very much in demand. The Oscar winner recently made a special appearance on the smash hit “Downton Abbey” and even put took on a guest-starring role in “Glee.” Don’t expect this impressive actress to slow down.
This week, local Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity Media presents “Beyond the Lights,” the story of a music superstar and a young cop who take the plunge.
Malibu’s Martin Sheen is back on the big screen in “Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain.” The drama centers on the 1984 industrial disaster and follows a rickshaw driver who lands a job at a chemical plant and watches as safety standards unravel.
Goofballs won’t want to miss Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels in “Dumb and Dumber To.” In this sequel, our two misfits go on a road trip to locate a daughter one of them had, but never knew existed.
We move from yucks to docs near the end of the month when “Food Chains” opens, as well as “Happy Valley” and “Antarctica: A Year on Ice.” If you are hooked on Discovery, this one’s for you. It follows the frigid lives of folks stationed in one of the most remote places on earth. So grab a chair, pass the popcorn and enjoy!