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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 9 January 2020
Celebs donate millions to help Australia wildfire efforts

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. a donation of $500,000 di-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Elton rectly to the local fire servic-
John and Chris Hemsworth es that are battling so hard
are among the celebrities on the frontlines. My heart
donating big bucks for re- goes out to our friends and
lief efforts as wildfires engulf family in Oz."
Australia. Metallica announced a
Hemsworth, the Austra- donation on Tuesday night
lian actor who plays Thor of $750,000 to a firefighting
in the Marvel movie fran- agency and emergency
chise, took to social media services agency in Victoria.
Monday to share that he An emotional Rose Byrne,
will donate $1 million and who is Australian, spoke
asked his millions of follow- about the crisis and the re-
ers to show support as well. lief efforts on Tuesday night
He said that "every penny at the New York premiere
counts." of her movie "Like a Boss."
So far, the wildfires have "Really what people need
scorched an area twice is just donations because
the size of the U.S. state of it's all volunteer based, the
Maryland. The blazes have firefighters and all the rural
killed 25 people and de- services and the wildlife ser-
stroyed 2,000 homes. The vices trying to rescue the
fires, fueled by drought animals," she told The Asso-
and the country's hottest In a Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020 file photo, Elton John arrives at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards ciated Press.
and driest year on record, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, Calif. She added: "It's devastat-
have been raging since Associated Press ing. It's such a beautiful
September, months earlier country. There's always
than is typical for Australia's $1 million. The singer said Hemsworth and John join "I am totally devastated drought but this is the hot-
annual wildfire season. he wanted to bring atten- a growing list of celebrities watching what is happen- test year on record and
John announced during his tion to the devastation that who have pledged to do- ing in Australia right now they need rain but a lot
Farewell Yellow Brick Road wildfires have caused, say- nate toward relief efforts, with the horrific bushfires," of rain, not just a little bit
concert in Sydney, Austra- ing it has reached a "bibli- including Nicole Kidman, Pink wrote in a recent social which is what's happening
lia, that he will also donate cal scale." Pink and Keith Urban. media post. "I am pledging now. q

'Modern Family' to bid farewell in April series finale

By BETH HARRIS did."
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — The younger cast mem-
"Modern Family" will air its bers, including Rico Ro-
finale after 11 seasons on driguez, Ariel Winter and
April 8, and there are no Nolan Gould, grew up on
spin-offs in the works involv- the show. Sarah Hyland,
ing its large cast. who was 18 when "Modern
Eric Stonestreet jokingly Family" began, mentioned
pitched one featuring Cam the "keyboard trolls" who
and Mitch, the gay couple criticized the changing ap-
played by him and Jesse pearances of her and Win-
Tyler Ferguson, after execu- ter over the years.
tive producer Steven Levi- "Between the two of us, we
tan told a TV critics meeting have gone and tackled
on Wednesday that noth- them with all of our spite
ing is planned. and wit," Hyland said.
The Pritchett-Dunphy-Tuck- Rodriguez credited O'Neill,
er clan isn't done traveling, who was sick Wednesday,
though. They visit Paris in an for taking him under his
episode airing Feb. 12, con- wing as a 10-year-old new-
tinuing their tradition of trips comer.
to such places as Australia, "Some of the jokes would
Hawaii, Las Vegas, New just fly right over my head,"
York and Wyoming. This image released by ABC shows the cast of the ABC sitcom "Modern Family". Rodriguez said. "He was al-
"I was able to do a lot of Associated Press ways there for me."
shopping, so it was per- Before the finale, ABC is
fect," said Sofia Vergara, Awards as television's best member saying to Chris, priority was their baby and presenting a fan-curated
who became a breakout comedy. 'Well, there goes Middle raising it and doing it right, tribute on March 11. The
star when the series began Levitan and co-creator America,'" said Levitan, and people said it was network will kick off the
in 2009. Christopher Lloyd knew whose concern proved to hard to argue with that." night in prime time with the
The show starring Ed O'Neill from the start the show be unfounded. "We got Stonestreet added: "We series' very first episode, fol-
was an immediate hit and would include a gay cou- zero blowback. They were were able to make all the lowed by favorite episodes
holds the record with "Fra- ple who adopts a baby. embraced because here same mistakes raising a that fans get to vote on
sier" of five straight Emmy "When we locked it in, I re- was this couple, their first child that everyone else next month. q