Charity and Films: The Rise of Don Cheadle

One thing I couldn't help but notice as Ocean's 13 came out... Don Cheadle's name came earlier on the credits and he had some more of the closing lines, a few more than the other people that aren't George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon. This is a strong rise from before, when he was not even credited in the first Ocean's 11.

So why is he suddenly more popular than the others? Two Words: Hotel Rwanda. Although it might not be the award-winner or all-star cast movie, or even a real blockbuster, it has great reviews from critics and audiences alike. The movie focuses on the civil war in Rwanda in 1996, and one man's efforts to protect his family and refugee's from ongoing genocide by boarding them up in his hotel. The U.N. goes back and forth from protecting everyone or just the white people, while Nick Nolte plays the general ashamed of the U.N. It's the more current Schindler's List for our generation, set in the ignored regions of Africa.

Following this film, Cheadle became an activist against the genocide going on currently in the Darfur region of Sudan, right up there with people fighting against poverty, AIDS, and killing. Although it isn't noticed as strongly by the general audiences, actors with causes have a swing in the movie industry. Clooney joined Cheadle in Ocean's 13, which (SPOILER ALERT) ends with plenty of stolen money given to charity. Nicholas Cage's role in Lord of War made him a poster-boy for Amnesty International, which encouraged their gun-trade concious members to go see the movie. This is repeated with Blood Diamond, where Amnesty not only repeated this action, but Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou became spokepersons for the World Food Program. After The Constant Gardener came out with hot-shot actors Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, they started the Constant Gardener Trust fund for the impoverished region of Kenya the movie was shot in. Just as Gardener was entertaining in its storyline, it was revealing in its on-location shots in Kenya, as well as awakening for its long lines of natives waiting for medications for TB and AIDS.

What affect does this have on the movie industry? It's two-fold. First, activists like their artists. Bono's work in Africa has given him a music base that love him for being an honest giver. Although it seems political and taking sides in dirty-shot election campaigns can hurt, the globally-aware actors boost their image. Cheadle's rise in the credits of the Ocean's series is just the tip of the iceberg. Djimon Hounsou's appearance in WFP commercials make him more of a face actor and more recognizable.

The second affect is now it's more acceptable and more appealing to be responsible one in movie productions. Advertisements featuring the animals of Evan Almighty end on the note that equipment will be donated to Habitat for Humanity and donations made to the Conservation Fund.

More recently, the Ocean's 13 cast has donated to the Not On Our Watch relief organization assisting survivors of the Darfur genocide currently going on in Sudan. (It's Rwanda the Sequel) Clooney, Brad Pitt (husband of Angelina Jolie, the Adoptor), Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and producer Jerry Weintraub donated $9.2 million, which will increase as they go to film festivals in Paris, France and Venice, Italy.

Cheadle's name has gone from non-existant to one of the top 13, a testiment to how humanitarian roles on and off screen will broaden the audience of the charity stars.