Inside the Baby2Baby Gala Honoring Charlize Theron, Nelly Performs

Charlize Theron traded her post-election “depressed sweats” for a stunning Schiaparelli gown to collect the Giving Tree Award at Baby2Baby’s annual gala on Saturday night, which raised a record-breaking $17.1 million to provide basic necessities to children living in poverty.

“I’m not sure about all of you, but I think we all needed a night like tonight. A night that feels like hope,” Theron told the well-heeled crowd of more than 800 Hollywood talent and executives, business leaders, and philanthropists supporting the national non-profit’s mission. Over the last 13 years, Baby2Baby has distributed more than 470 million critical items — including diapers, formula and clothing — to families in need across the country.

Theron was recognized for her work with the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), which celebrates its 17th anniversary this year. “We started CTAOP because we saw that the youth in my home country, in South Africa, falling through the cracks,” Theron explained. “HIV rates were going through the roof, as well as gender-based violence rates. And even now, today, South Africa has a femicide rate five times the global average. It’s devastating. So, we knew we had to get involved.”

While those issues might seem far from the world of Hollywood, they’re actually of universal concern. “What we’re talking about is equity, dignity and passion,” Theron said of CTAOP and Baby2Baby’s parallel aims. “It’s glaringly obvious how important it is right now — as we here in the United States are seeing the rights of women being stripped away from us in real time — it is important for us to remember that the rights of girls and young women out there need to be supported.”

Grammy-winning singer and Baby2Baby Angel ambassador Ciara shared similar sentiment on the green carpet as she — like many of the Baby2Baby attendees, who are among Hollywood’s most philanthropic and politically-inclined — had spent the past few months ahead of the 2024 election on the campaign trail.

“The last four days have been surreal,” Ciara told Variety. “Days of wonder, days of concern, days of fear, days also of hope. Days of reminding myself to walk by faith and to be positive in the midst of all of this that’s happening.” But that’s why she’s channels her energy into organizations like Baby2Baby — it’s all in pursuit of putting goodness into the world. “You get out and do whatever you can in the biggest way possible. All of us can make a difference, especially when we do it together.”

Ciara was far from the only bold-faced name on the program for gala, held at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The evening kicked off with an exclusive video from the set of the new season of  “The White Lotus,” featuring Baby2Baby Angel Michelle Monaghan and Patrick Schwarzenegger, followed by a welcome from Jennifer Garner. Then, Ciara, Ayesha Curry and Katy Perry took the stage to highlight Baby2Baby’s incredible year-round work. Baby2Baby board member Julie Bowen and her “Modern Family” co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson led the fundraising portion of the evening, which saw the likes of Miranda Kerr, Paris Hilton, Sofia Richie Grainge, Rick Caruso, Tyler Perry, Jay Shetty and Chrissy Teigen and John Legend opening their wallets. To close out the celebration, Nelly performed a medley of his biggest hits, including“Ride Wit Me” and “Hot in Herre,” and recruited Baby2Baby board member Kelly Rowland to join him onstage for their 2002 hit single “Dilemma.”

On the green carpet, Nelly and Ashanti reflected on why it was important to participate in the event — especially as new parents. (The couple welcomed their first child together, baby boy Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, in July.) “It’s so hard. I couldn’t imagine not having the support like I have. I’m able to help and it’s a blessing,” Ashanti told Variety, as Nelly chimed in. “As fathers, you put so much pride in protecting and wanting to make sure everybody’s safe, so anytime you get a chance to come out for something such as this great event, it works.”