Before the Oscar winners are handed their golden statuettes during Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony, several nominees have been handing over fat checks to Democratic causes.
According to the Sunlight Foundation, a handful of Hollywood heavyweights have donated nearly $5.5 million to state and federal political candidates, the Democratic National Committee and progressive causes like Planned Parenthood. (RELATED: Full coverage of the entertainment world)
BEST ACTOR
George Clooney, “The Descendants”: The actor has donated $178,050 to Democratic candidates and committees, including President Obama and the DNC.
Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”: He is a vocal supporter of Obama and made a $100,000 donation in 2008 against Proposition 8, the effort to ban same-sex marriage in California.
BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs”: The actress has donated a total of $47,900 to several presidential candidates, including Howard Dean, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, as well as other Democratic candidates and women’s political causes.
BEST DIRECTOR
Alexander Payne, “The Descendents”: The director has given a total of $28,000 to Obama, the DNC and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”: The acclaimed director has donated $27,600 to Obama, the DNC, the DSCC, New York senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and the Directors Guild of America’s political action committee.
BEST PICTURE
Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, producers of “War Horse”: Spielberg has donated $1.6 million to a wide variety of state and federal candidates and committees since 1990. Kennedy has donated $3.6 million to Obama, the DNC and Planned Parenthood.
