Amy Adams on Her Teen Years: ‘I Was in a Position Where I Might Become at Risk’
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “I don’t talk about it a lot…but when I was a young teen, I was in a position where I might become at risk,” said in her acceptance speech while receiving the Giving Tree Award at the Baby2Baby gala Saturday night, held at 3Labs in Culver City.
“You never know when an act of generosity will create a moment of great change, because I myself have been a recipient of so much generosity,” the “American Hustle” actress said, crediting “a community of individuals” and “the generosity of strangers” with helping her get to where she is today.
In a single night, the star-studded gala raised a record breaking $4.3 million in donations — enough to fund a year’s worth of efforts by the non-profit, run solely by mothers, to provide diapers, clothing and basic necessities to children in need.
Celebrity moms were out in force at Saturday’s event, including former Giving Tree award recipients Jennifer Garner and Jessica Alba, plus Olivia Wilde, Ali Wong, Busy Philipps, Zoe Saldana, Jenna Dewan, Julie Bowen, Zooey Deschanel, Kelly Rowland, Olivia Munn, Leslie Mann, Molly Sims, Lauren Conrad and Ayesha Curry, Ryan Michelle Bathe and October Gonzalez.
“They are not joking around, these ladies,” Garner said of Baby2Baby co-presidents Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein. “If you’re growing up poor in America, one in three moms are choosing between diapering and feeding their children,” Garner told reporters. “So for Baby2Baby to come in and lift that problem off a mom’s plate, it’s a miracle.”
Sponsored by Paul Mitchell, along with Nordstrom, Volvo, and Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors Foundation, the event featured cocktails provided by The Spare Room, as well as a range of culinary treats from restaurants around Los Angeles including Craig’s, NoMad, and Petty Cash Taqueria.
Tiffany Haddish appeared via video message to congratulate Adams on her achievement, as well as Bradley Cooper, Rashida Jones, and Gal Gadot.
Adams was also one of several celebrity guests to acknowledge the recent fires in Los Angeles.
“I would like to take a moment to send my thoughts to those who have been affected by the fires,” Adams said in her speech.
“Tonight, with these devastating fires right here in our hometown, it’s more important than ever to support the work of Baby2Baby,” said Rowland, who gave a joint speech with Alba.
“Over the last 24 hours, the Baby2Baby team has been working around the clock to give diapers, blankets, hygiene items and more to the families who need them,” Alba said, highlighting the organization’s efforts to take care of children displaced by the fires.
Saldana also gave a speech in which she shared that, “As a mom, it keeps me up at night to know there are babies just minutes away from where we sit tonight without diapers, without clothes, or a crib to sleep in,” she said.
Musical guest Wiz Khalifa closed the night with a word of praise to mothers. “Shout out to all the beautiful moms, we wouldn’t be nothin’ without you.”