Academy-award winner Hilary Swank (Boys Don’t Cry, Million Dollar Baby) joined some of Hollywood’s most promising young stars at Taglyan Complex for the 2014 Actor’s Fund Looking Ahead Awards on Thursday, December 4th. In the spirit of the awards, which recognizes youth acting talent and fosters a positive community for child and teenage actors, Ms. Swank Hilary presented her mother Judy Kay Swank with the Looking Ahead Parenting Award for her sacrifices and dedication in helping Hilary become a successful actor. “She said, ‘Let’s go to Hollywood because that’s where you need to be if you want to see this dream realized,'” Ms. Swank told the audience during the ceremony, and described her mother as “my hero, my inspiration, my gift.”
She said, “Let’s go to Hollywood because that’s where you need to be if you want to see this dream realized.”
Other honorees included former “Sister Sister”child stars Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Tamera Mowry-Housley, who were presented with the Looking Ahead Education Award by Emmy award winning actress and former “Sister Sister” co-star Jackée Harry, Max Burkholder (Parenthood), who’s Looking Ahead Social Awareness Award was accepted by Elizabeth McLaughlin (Chair of SAG-AFTRA’s Young Performers Committee) on Max’s behalf, and Academy Award winner Margaret O’Brien, who received the Shirley Temple Award from her longtime friend and “Meet Me In St. Louis” co-star June Lockhart. Academy Award nominated actress and teen star Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, Pitch Perfect 2) also surprised attendees by presenting the first-ever Community Service Award to the Looking Ahead Advisory Committee Co-Chairs, Sharon Lieblein (former head of casting at Nickelodeon) and Fred Savage (The Wonder Years), on behalf of the Actor’s Fund.
Other notable guests included Disney child stars Corey Fogelmanis, Sabrina Carpenter, Rowan Blanchard, August Maturo and Peyton Meyer from “Girl Meets World”, “Haunted Hathaways’” stars Breanna Yde and Ava Cantrell, Merit Leighton from “Sofia the First,” and Marlowe Peyton from “Parenthood.” Michelle Moores, Dusan and Dante Brown, Garrett Palmer, Tessa Germaine, and Alyssa Freyder were also in attendance.
Created in 1882, The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that provides social services, emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, training services, and employment to professionals in the performing arts and entertainment industry. As a program within the Actor’s Fund organization, Looking Ahead was created in 2003 in partnership with SAG-AFTRA to help young actors between the ages of 9 and 18 develop the values, skills, and confidence they need to make successful transitions to fulfilling adult lives. Now serving more than 300 youths, their families, and alumni a year, the program aims to create a nurturing environment where young performers can grow through individual, family and education counseling, and by participating in leadership development training, community service, and social events.
At the time of publication, the Looking Ahead program had raised over $62,000 from the awards ceremony.
