1. Paul Newman
Late actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and auto racing enthusiast. His most famous accomplishment was founding the “Newman’s Own”, a line of food products. The brand products included; salad dressing, pasta sauce, lemonade, popcorn, salsa, and wine, among other things. From the start Newman has established a policy that all proceeds, after taxes, would be donated to charity. In 2006, the franchise has donated in an amount of 250 million dollars to charities. His son’s accidental death from drug overdose, has led Newman to start a “Scott Newman Center “for drug abuse prevention in memory of his late son-Scott. Among his other charity related achievements is his active participation and co-sponsoring the PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award, designed to recognize and protect the First Amendment. Newman not only donated money for the good cause, he also dedicated his life to making this world a better one.
2. Mel Gibson
Actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Although Gibson’s modesty prevented him from openly disclosing his active charity contributions. It was recently reported that his involvement and generous donations for charity such as “Healing the Children” provided lifesaving medical treatment to needy children worldwide. It is estimated that his personal contributions towards supporting of the art, building houses in the remote and often flooded areas in Mexico, medical foundations in Fiji and donations to the Holy Family church, which he belongs to be $9,899,654 US. This Good Samaritan is not only passionate about his film creations, but also about returning the goodness given him to others in need.
3. Brad Pitt
Actor and film producer. He has topped “World Sexiest Man”, won the heart of the most beautiful woman in Hollywood- Angelina Jolie, and adopted 3 children from different parts of the world. However his greatest project with Jolie is donation 8,400,000. His active work for Jolie-Pitt charity included; New Orleans reconstruction, refugee aid, cross-cultural understanding and education of the public about ongoing world issues. He publically stated that his Romantic involvement with Jolie has made him a better man, who is trying to build a better world for his 6 children. The sexiest man alive, turned out to be a caring and generous one too.
4. Lance Armstrong
He is an American professional road racing cyclist. This courageous testicular cancer survivor is a devoted father to his four children. His love life became a hot topic of media tabloid after romancing Sheryl Crow and Kate Hudson. His life altering experience from battle with cancer has opened his eyes on how little it is known and researched about this mysterious disease. In efforts to raise the awareness and educate the public Armstrong donated 5 million dollars towards the cancer research. This gifted athlete has proven that anything is possible, when there is a will, there is a way.
5. Bono
Whose real name is Paul David Hewson is an Irish singer and musician, best known for being the lead singer of the Irish rock band U2. When it comes to his active work for charities, Bono knows no limitations wither it is fighting hunger; poverty and social injustice. He is on a known to be in direct contact with world leaders and policy makers in his efforts to make the world a better place. Bono is the leading man in the fight against poverty, and has helped to create the ONE Campaign, DATA, (RED) and EDUN, a clothing company which is striving to stimulate trade with poverty stricken countries. Although the exact amount of his donations to charities remains unknown, his active campaigning and involvement with charitable work received 3 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize, in 2007 Bono became a knight.
6. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Austrian American bodybuilder, actor, businessman, and politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of the state of California. Married to the descendant of Kennedy clan he has 4 children, and lived the ultimate “American dream”. A victim of a child abuse Schwarzenegger made a promise to himself to become rich and “to be somebody”. And he did. He was sculpting his body as well as expending his knowledge and mind. His determination and competitive spirits brought him all the way to the top. His major achievement was becoming “the Governor of California”, early on into his position; he signed a bill creating the nation’s first cap on greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, he does not accept his governor’s salary of $175,000 per year, and instead donates it to charities. His passion for sport, which gave him a chance for better life, inspired Schwarzenegger to become an official games spokesman for the Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai, China. Over the years he donated 4.1 million dollars towards different charity organizations.
7. Nicolas Cage
American actor, who starred in over 60 films. His public image of a pretty boy did not stand in a way of his true acting talent. He’s been recognized Independent Spirit Award, an Academy Award for Best Actor and Toronto Film Critics Association Award. His charity works includes involvement with homeless charity “Chrysalis”. After the Hurricane Katrina hit United States Cage personally donated 1 million dollars towards rebuilding and help for the victims of natural disaster. He also donated $2 million to provide shelters, medical and psychological rehabilitation for child soldiers around the world.
8. Jackie Chan
A Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. His action movies and stunts had wowed his fans all over the world. However, not many people now his active involvement in charity work. He is currently a supporter of charities including UNICEF, Operation Smile and his own Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation, last year saw Chan using much of his spare time to visit the remotest parts of China on the Dragon’s Heart Charity Missions. His own Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation helps young people in a variety of worthy causes, including medical services, aid to victims of natural disaster or illness, scholarships and youth activities. He is currently serving as an UNICEF ambassador and personally donated 100.000 to Chrysalis, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping economically disadvantaged and homeless individuals.
9. Paul McCartney
A multiple Grammy Award-winning English singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record producer, film producer, painter, and animal rights activist. He gained his popularity as a member of all man group “Beatles”, which became music’s classic. McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the most successful musician and composer in popular music history, with 60 gold discs and sales of 100 million singles. He is also known as an advocate for animal rights, vegetarianism, and music education; he is active in campaigns against landmines, he is a patron of “Adopt-a-Minefield”, seal hunting, and Third World debt. He personally donated 1.9 million dollars towards helping the victims of the Tsunami.
10. Steven Spielberg
American film director, screenwriter and film producer. Forbes magazine places Spielberg’s net worth at $3.1 billion, his movies become instant Blockbusters, he is listed as the most powerful and influential figures in the world of the motion picture industry. He personally donated 1.5 million dollars towards the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, patron of the” Righteous Persons Foundation”, founder of the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. For his contributions to society and film industry he was honoured as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth.
Source: http://top-10-list.org/2009/06/23/top-10-most-influential-male-celebrities/