NEWS

Author: CHRIS TRIBBEY
Posted: February 4, 2008

It was a messy job, but the cast of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s The Game Plan was up for it.

Half a dozen stars from the film (released on DVD Jan. 22) helped more than 60 South Central Los Angeles sixth-graders paint three murals at their school Feb. 1, a mundane task on the surface with a more important message underneath.

“ All they had to say was The Game Plan and ‘charity,’ and I’m there,” actor Brian J. White said at Bethune Middle School. “Children for Children instills in the kids initiative and inventiveness on their level, and that’s why we’re here. If we can get into them the idea of helping others, it carries on to when they’re adults.

“ Twelve-year-olds are like 21-year-olds when we grew up, and they’ll be taking care of the world one day.”

Children for Children is a nonprofit organization founded by parents in 1996. It’s mission is to foster community involvement and social responsibility among young people, especially those in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Reaching more than 50,000 kids per year, the organization gave 60 kids on this day in L.A. a lesson in working together and beautifying their school.

“ The Game Plan was such a positive thing for me, and if I can carry on that attitude with these kids, it’s a pleasure,” said actor Hayes MacArthur, whose fiancée Ali Larter (“Heroes”) showed up unexpectedly to pitch in.

To start the event, the children were gathered together and given T-shirts from the charity, while the stars — including actors Morris Chestnut, Jamal Duff and Tubbs, one of two dogs to play Spike in The Game Plan — mingled.

The kids waved to child actor Madison Pettis (who waved back and took photos with the kids), the teachers chatted with the other stars, even a Los Angeles police officer was snapping pictures.

“ Are you ready to paint some school!?” Pettis screamed to the crowd, who gave her an equally loud affirmative.

The three groups of actors and kids painted two murals on the otherwise drab hallways, while another mural was put up along the main entrance to the school.

“ Are you kidding?” Larter said when asked if she was going to don painters’ garb to avoid messing up her clothes. She went to work as is. “We can always smock up and get creative with garbage bags,” White said, when examining his nice clothes, before getting started.

The Game Plan topped the national DVD sales charts the week ended Jan. 27, selling 67% more than its nearest competitor. It took home $89.7 million in theaters. Bonus features include deleted scenes, a blooper reel with sports announcer Marv Albert, several featurettes and a mock ESPN segment.

Courtesy of Home Media Magazine >

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