Celebrities Doing Good Deeds: Stories of Hollywood's Kindest

A good celeb isn’t so hard to find. Several stars have shown that not only are they just like the rest of us, but they also have hearts of gold.

In 2021, Alicia Keys, in partnership with Amazon’s Hometown Heroes program, helped a woman named Susanna, who is a special education teacher at Van Nuys High School in Los Angeles, pull off an incredible home makeover.

Like so many people who are grieving across the world during the ongoing pandemic, Susanna lost five family members to COVID-19. But in spite of that, this “Hometown Hero” was still there for her students through thick and thin, while helping her own children with their course loads amid virtual learning.

In celebration of Susanna’s hard work and unwavering support for family, friends and students, Alicia and Amazon gave her the amazing home makeover of her dreams, both inside and out. She even made sure Susanna’s Classroom Wish List was completed.

Alicia’s selflessness is one of many stories of celebrities stepping up to do the right thing. Halsey, for instance, donated 100,000 medically approved face masks to several hospitals across Southern California. The singer wrote that medical workers’ “determination, selflessness and empathy is the single greatest example of our capacity to love and survive as humans.”

Known for always lending financial support to fans in need, Taylor Swift, along with her mom, once paid the GoFundMe for a recently widowed mother of five.

And while not all heroes wear capes, Chris Pratt has been known to get into costume at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and meet with patients while in character.

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Then, there are tales of stars just being flat-out heroic during crisis situations.

Tom Cruise once brought an aspiring actress who had been struck by a car to the hospital — before paying her hospital bills. Jamie Foxx saved a man from a burning car. Harrison Ford helped rescue a missing boy scout by locating him thanks to the actor’s helicopter and piloting skills.

Scroll through the photos below to find out which of Hollywood’s finest are also Hollywood’s kindest.

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Julie Bowen

Julie Bowen and her sister helped a woman named Minnie John who had fainted in Utah’s Arches National Park and hit her head on a rock. Writing of the moment on Facebook, Minnie shared, “They explained to me that the guide who was with … them saw me fall forward splat on my face. My glasses broke my fall flat down, hitting my head on the flat rock breaking my skin on various areas near my nose.”

“They had everything to clean up my wounds and set me up,” Minnie added. “As I was hearing them giving directions to many people to keep going up, everything was quick mode. They used my phone in my purse to call Brandon. It was a 20 minute trek to them. Some ran ahead to find them. Such wonderful men and women, selflessly giving of themselves!”

Venus Williams

Venus Williams has teamed up with Amazon Launchpad in August 2021 to celebrate small businesses and startups in an initiative that will disperse up to $100,000 in prizes. “As a business owner myself, supporting small brands, entrepreneurs and startups is something that I am very passionate about,” Venus said in a statement. “That’s why this year, I’m teaming up with Amazon Launchpad for their first-ever Innovation Month. I’m excited to help celebrate the incredible small businesses in their program and spotlight their unique, cutting-edge products.”

Alicia Keys

Through Amazon’s Hometown Heroes program, Alicia and Amazon Home surprised a California-based special education teacher named Susanna with a home makeover. “As a mom of two, creating spaces where I can comfortably spend time with my family is important,” Alicia said in a release. “Whether it’s gathering in the kitchen for our favorite meal or just chillin’ in the living room, Susanna and I both agree there’s nothing better than quality time with the people you love.”

Halsey

In April 2020, Halsey donated 100,000 medically approved face masks to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Providence Saint Joseph, LAC and USC Medical Center and Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital. Sharing photos of the masks, the singer wrote that every “single day I am in awe of the medical workers on the frontlines.”

Harrison Ford

In 2001, Harrison emulated Han Solo’s heroism by offering his helicopter and his piloting skills to help locate a missing Utah boy scout. Sure enough, two hours of flying later, Harrison and another pilot spotted the soaked boy who had spent the night shivering in the rain, CBS News reported at the time.