10 Celeb Mentors Breaking the Hollywood Stereotype by Uplifting Their Fellow Stars
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 18: Singer/producer Justin Bieber (L) and producer Usher attend the premiere of Open Road Films’ “Justin Bieber’s Believe” at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live on December 18, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Beasley Media Group has an on-going commitment to making a difference in the local communities we serve; this has been the foundation upon which the company was built back in 1961, when George Beasley purchased his first radio station in North Carolina! We proudly continue that tradition today, with four initiatives a year. This time around, our theme is “Join In, Give Back!” Everyone has something to offer to the next generation, and we’re looking at musicians that share their time to serve as mentors, and the organizations that promote mentoring.
As the saying goes, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. In most of our own careers and personal lives, success is based on that perfect combination of hard work and being in the right place at the right time.
In Hollywood, the stakes can be even higher as the competition can be cutthroat and the odds are stacked against most people with a dream of “making it.” Even when stars do find success, often what we hear about are the downsides of the industry like abuses of power, feuds and bitter rivalries.
But not all stars live up to that reputation of being a nightmare. In fact, many celebrities have used their time, their efforts and even their money to help out those coming after them. Even more impressive is that many of them do so behind the scenes, never asking for recognition and often going completely under the radar.
From Oprah to Denzel Washington to Meryl Streep, check out some of our favorite Hollywood mentors.
Actor Denzel Washington (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Denzel Washington:
Denzel Washington has been vocal about the role that the Boys and Girls Club played in his own life.
“The Boys & Girls Club helped make me the man that I am today,” Denzel has said. “The staff at the Mt. Vernon Boys & Girls Club invested their time in developing me and that is why I have been the National spokesperson for Boys & Girls Clubs of America for more than 20 years.”
And beyond being the spokesman, Washington has also helped some of today’s biggest stars get on their feet.
Power star Omari Hardwick, in fact, credits Denzel and his wife Pauletta Washington from saving him from homelessness.
Before fame, when Hardwick was a struggling actor, he said the Washingtons “gave me shelter when I didn’t have a place to stay or whatever but they sort of allowed me to be close enough to the family so I sort of transitioned into getting agent … the whole thing … doing all these odd jobs.”
Hardwick also added that Pauletta who actually reached out to him and paid for his car not to get repossessed.
Washington has also been credited with helping Chadwick Boseman, who thanked him last year for paying for his acting classes.
