Television’s biggest night took place in Century City, CA Saturday, September 17th, where the entertainment industry came together for the 10th annual “Evening Before” party, benefitting MPTF (Motion Picture & Television Fund).
The television industry, from Emmy presenters and nominees, to other TV industry members, helped raise funds to support their industry colleagues and friends who benefit from MPTF’s charitable programs and services such as financial assistance, crisis counseling, care giving support and of course the legendary retirement facility in Woodland Hills that is “home” to television and film veterans alike.
“This is a year of milestones with MPTF celebrating its 95th Anniversary of service to the entertainment industry and the 10th anniversary of the television community coming together at the Evening Before to raise over $2 million for the charity that cares for their friends and colleagues. We celebrate creative achievement tonight as well as the great legacy of this charity created by the early industry founders to provide care and support for all those in our creative community,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chairman of the MPTF Foundation.
The 10th Annual “Evening Before” Host Committee consisted of Anthony Anderson, Aziz Ansari, Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Kathryn & Kyle Chandler, Viola Davis & Julius Tennon, Robin Dearden & Bryan Cranston, Kirsten Dunst, America Ferrera & Ryan Piers Williams, Tina Fey, Kit Harington, Tom Hiddleston, Allison Janney, Judith Light & Robert Desiderio, Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Brad Hall, Mandy Moore, Jim Parsons, Sarah Paulson, Keri Russell & Matthew Rhys, Octavia Spencer, Eric Stonestreet, Kasia & Jeffrey Tambor, Milo Ventimiglia, and Kerry Washington.
The Executive Host Committee included Susan & Matt Blank, Casey Bloys & Alonzo Wickers IV, Linda & Jerry Bruckheimer, Julie Chen & Les Moonves, Charlie Collier, Roma Downey & Mark Burnett, Nancy Dubuc, Channing Dungey & Scott Power, Robert Greenblatt, Bonnie Hammer, Lisa & Ted Harbert, Doug Herzog, Mike Hopkins, Katie McGrath & J.J. Abrams, Andrea & David Nevins, Jeanne & Gary Newman, Lisa & Richard Plepler, Roy Price, Kevin Reilly, Megan & Peter Rice, Andrea & Peter Roth, Josh Sapan, Ted Sarandos, Ryan Seacrest, Karen Kehela Sherwood & Ben Sherwood, Dana & Matt Walden, Ally Walker & John Landgraf, and Noelle & Dick Wolf.
This year’s presenting sponsors were Chrysler, Delta Air Lines, essie, Hostess Brands, Netflix, People/Entertainment Weekly Network, and Target.
“We are so grateful for the spirit of generosity and compassion that makes the Evening Before such a fun and meaningful event for MPTF each year. The money raised will help pay the rent for someone between jobs or pay for a social worker who is helping one of our industry’s military veterans secure the VA benefits they are entitled to or any number of other momentary bumps in the road one of our own is experiencing. And for that we say thank you to all those who contributed to the success of the 10th Annual Evening Before,” added Ken Scherer, CEO of MPTF Foundation.
Among the celebrities who attended this year’s event were Paul Adelstein, Sasha Alexander, Tim Allen, Michelle Ang, Shiri Appleby, Leslie Arfin, Will Arnett, Moran Atias, Hank Azaria, Morena Baccarin, Jonathan Banks, Justin Bartha, Rachel Bloom, Diego Boneta, Jeremy Bowyer-Chapman, Jordana Brewster, Chloe Bridges, Beau Bridges, Yvette Nicole Brown, Dan Bucantinsky, Tituss Burgess, Linda Cardellini, Laura Carmichael, Aya Cash, Morris Chestnut, Garrett Clayton, Gary Cole, Chris Colfer, Suzanne Cryer, Hugh Dancy, Claire Danes, Kristin Davis, Zoey Deutch, Loretta Devine, Guillermo Diaz, Nina Dobrev, Minnie Driver, Jay Duplass, Lisa Edelstein, Colin Eggelsfield, Billy Eichner, Ben Feldman, Scott Foley, Will Forte, Johnny Galecki, Jeff Garlin, Donald Glover, Walton Goggins, Tony Goldwyn, Max Greenfield, Bruce Greenwood, Ryan Guzman, Kathryn Hahn, Tony Hale, Harry Hamlin, Jon Hamm, Shanola Hampton, Colin Hanks, David Harbour, Melora Hardin, Chris Hardwick, Shawn Hatosy, Lydia Hearst, Anne Heche, Simon Helberg, Jessica Plair Herman, Tom Hiddleston, Gaby Hoffman, Anders Holm, Julianne Hough, Steve Howey, Harry Hudson, Sarah Hyland, Raza Jaffrey, Rashida Jones, Colin Jost, Mindy Kaling, Alex Karpovsky, Arielle Kebbel, Keegan-Michael Key, Regina King, Aja Naomi King, Angela Kinsey, Jane Krakowski, Amy Landecker, Melanie Lynskey, Trace Lysette, Andie MacDowell, Kyle MacLachlan, Alex MacNicoll, Sean Maguire, Camryn Manheim, Jason Mantzoukas, Tatiana Maslany, Kelly McCreary, Rob McElhenney, Matt McGorry, Joel McHale, Wendy McLendon-Covey, Christopher Meloni, Stephen Merchant, Jesse Metcalfe, Thomas Middleditch, Ezra Miller, Janet Montgomery, Jennifer Morrison, Martin Mull, Niecy Nash, Kunal Nayyar, Chris Noth, B.J. Novak, Bob Odenkirk, Kaitlin Olsen, Emily Osment, Adam Pally, Danielle Panabaker, Steven Pasquale, Mandy Patinkin, Sarah Paulson, Jeff Perry, Russell Peters, Zac Posen, Glen Powell, Emily Ratajkowski, Retta, Sam Richardson, Lisa Rinna, Jason Ritter, Adam Rodriguez, Emmy Rossum, Paul Rust, Cara Santana, Peter Scolari, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, Jaden Smith, Philippa Soo, David Spade, Scott Speedman, Darby Stanchfield, Amber Stevens West, Lili Taylor, Maura Tierney, Analeigh Tipton, Michelle Trachtenberg, Bree Turner, Sophie Turner, Martin Wallstrom, Matt Walsh, Ed Weeks, Liza Weil, Noel Wells, Bradley Whitford, Zack Woods, Alison Wright, Bellamy Young, Kevin Zegers, among many others.
Robyn Leuthe Norris produced the “Evening Before” for the tenth consecutive year, with designs of a relaxed town square atmosphere in the park, by Silver Birches. Carmelized Productions by Jon Shook & Vinny Dotolo provided specialty food for the guests.
The event is designed after the highly successful “Night Before,” another fundraiser held annually before the Academy Awards for the past fourteen years to benefit MPTF.
