Paul Haggis closes the bar at the Artists for Peace and Justice fundraiser
The opportunity to walk on the set of an undisclosed major picture starring Russell Crowe was sold for $6,000, tea time with Diane Lane went for $3,000 but no invited guest was willing to gamble $5,000 for Casino Royale poker chips, worthy cause or not. Co-hosted by director and writer Paul Haggis and stunning actor Olivia Wilde of House, the charity event for Artists for Peace and Justice (Josh Brolin, James Franco, Oliver Stone and Charlize Theron are on the board) was well attended. Beyond supporting the cause, (helping children in Haiti), we suspect Hollywood also came out to shmooze Haggis, whose credits include Casino Royale, Million Dollar Baby and Oscar winner Crash. In attendance was Sex and The City’s Kim Catrall, the OC’s Peter Gallagher, bad-boy Colin Farrell and Twilight vamp
Rachelle Lefevre.
While making a serious speech and plea for support, Haggis became vexed with noisy attendees and ordered that the bar be temporarily shut down. The crowd was split between those giving cut-eye to the rebel rousers, guilty flushed faces and apathetic party pigs. We hope Haggis uses the poker chips that he ended up buying back for his starting bid of $5,000 and quadruples the money, Casino Royale style.
NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY
Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.
