In an age when most celebrities treat their fame and fortune as a right, rather than a privilege, every so often a story comes along that illustrates just how impactful these folks can be if they have their heads screwed on straight. And nothing illustrates that more than this Hollywood Reporter story that says George Lucas will donate a majority of his profits from his recent Lucasfilm sale to charity. A spokesperson for the company told the site, “George Lucas has expressed his intention, in the event the deal closes, to donate the majority of the proceeds to his philanthropic endeavors.”
Lucas owns all of the company with very little debt, so the majority of the $4.05 billion sale profit is basically all his. And instead of hoarding it or buying up small islands, he is instead focusing on helping out charities, although it isn’t known which ones yet. Over the years he has donated to Film Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, as well as having his own education charity, The George Lucas Educational Foundation.
“For 41 years, the majority of my time and money has been put into the company,” Lucas said in a statement Wednesday. “As I start a new chapter in my life, it is gratifying that I have the opportunity to devote more time and resources to philanthropy.”
When you think about how many lives this man will touch with this money, it’s incredibly shortsighted for fans to still complain about worthless things like Jar Jar Binks and Hayden Christensen. Lucas is a rare breed when it comes to charity work, and we hope his example is followed by more people in showbiz.
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[via THR]
