A thundering drumline greeted guests Thursday night as they entered the ballroom of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel to celebrate the Los Angeles Evening of Tribute to benefit the Navy SEAL Foundation. Zoe Saldana, Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos and producer Brian Grazer were just a few of the Hollywood heavyweights who came out to lend their support to an organization that provides aid for America’s most dedicated warriors.
Jimmy Kimmel served as the night’s emcee, and he told the audience why the foundation was so vital in the lives of the SEALs.
“They look after the spouses and the children of fallen SEALs, giving them practical and emotional support for years,” said the late-night host. “Never before in our history have our special ops forces been kept so busy. They face the most brutal realities of war so that we don’t have to, and the foundation never forgets their sacrifice.”
Jerry Bruckheimer has featured the SEALs in several of his films, and he shared with The Hollywood Reporter what he thought more people needed to know about the elite soldiers.
“[People should know] how intelligent they are — a lot of them have multiple degrees,” said the producer. “They’re doctors; they have doctorates in economics. They’re really well-rounded individuals, and we’re very fortunate that we have them to protect our country.”
Bruckheimer was present to introduce his friend Disney CEO Bog Iger, who was the recipient of this year’s Patriot Award.
Iger spoke of his father, who was a World War II veteran, and of the need to honor and recognize those who sacrifice the most for their country.
“That’s especially true for those who wear the trident,” he said, “who are often given the longest and the most critical and the most dangerous missions of all. We must never fail to recognize the tremendous sacrifices made on our behalf by our military and their families, and we must do a better job of supporting them while they serve and after they serve.”
The most moving moment of the night came when the family members of fallen SEALs were asked to stand up and call out the names of their lost loved ones so that they could be remembered one more time.
New England Patriots CEO Robert Kraft, who pledged $100,000, was just one of many execs who donated to the nonprofit. The event raised more than $4 million for the organization.
Related Stories
