Some of the most beloved faces in Hollywood gathered for a night of glitz, glam, and generosity at “A Night of SeriousFun” Gala in NYC on April 7. And no, “SeriousFun” is not the name of a new ironic indie band—it’s an actually amazing organization started by the OG cool guy himself, Paul Newman.
Yes, THAT Paul Newman—the blue-eyed salad dressing wizard and acting legend—would’ve turned 100 this year (cue dramatic gasps and confused math), and to honor his legacy, a bunch of A-list do-gooders strutted the red carpet with purpose and panache.
Among the VIPs: America’s Dad™ Tom Hanks, ageless comedy king Paul Rudd (does he drink unicorn blood or what?), and breakout queen Ayo Edebiri, who probably made the red carpet 110% funnier just by showing up.
Also spotted in the glittering crowd: Adam “Kylo Ren” Driver, Darren “Sing It Like You Mean It” Criss, Ferris Bueller (aka Matthew Broderick), and eyebrow icon Peter Gallagher. Broadway royalty Ali Stroker and NaTasha Yvette Williams also brought the drama—in the best way.
The event was basically a love letter to Paul Newman’s legacy, especially his work with the SeriousFun Children’s Network—a superhero-level nonprofit that gives kids with serious medical conditions the ultimate gift: the chance to be carefree, messy, giggly little humans at specially designed camps. And get this—it’s all totally free. Take that, overpriced summer camps with mosquito-infested cabins!
Paul’s daughter, Clea Newman, opened the evening by giving everyone major feels, saying: “To Dad, changing the lives of kids with serious medical conditions was more than a vision, it was a mission.” (Cue the emotional violin solo.)
Since its founding in 1988, SeriousFun has grown from one humble camp to a global network of 30 (yes, 30!) camps and programs. That’s a whole lot of s’mores and happy tear-filled campfires.
Moral of the story: celebs really do care, Paul Newman was a real-life superhero, and yes, Tom Hanks still has the power to make you cry, even when he’s not in a Pixar movie.
🎉 Now that’s what we call seriously fun.
