The ALS Association Celebrates ALS Awareness at the Movies

Eddie Redmayne at The Association’s Greater New York Chapter’s 20th Annual Lou Gehrig Sports Awards.

While awards season officially closed this week with the opulent Academy Award ceremony, much of the world has opened its eyes when it comes to ALS, thanks to the tremendous performance of Eddie Redmayne, who took home the “Best Actor” Oscar for his portrayal of noted British physicist Stephen Hawking in the film “The Theory of Everything.”

Hawking, who has lived with ALS for more than 50 years, has had a successful scientific career and has authored several books including A Brief History of Time. During his emotional acceptance speech, Redmayne said, “This Oscar belongs to all the people around the world battling ALS…I will be its custodian.”

For his depiction of Hawking, Redmayne has also won the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for “Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading Role,” a Golden Globe Award for “Best Actor, Motion Picture Drama,” and the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) “Film/Leading Actor in 2015” award.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled for Mr. Redmayne. With every award this year for his portrayal of Hawking, he has managed to bring added awareness to this disease, which means so much to people living with ALS,” said Barbara J. Newhouse, President and CEO of The ALS Association.

In November 2014, Redmayne attended The Association’s Greater New York Chapter’s 20th Annual Lou Gehrig Sports Awards benefit at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City. Other attendees at that event included Pat Quinn and Anthony Senerchia, two of the three young men living with ALS who helped to propel the Ice Bucket Challenge to international prominence.

Click here for more information.

To see the 2014 Walk video click here.

View our most recent 990 by clicking on the image below.  2014 990 coming soon.