EVENT RECAP: 6th Annual Gold Meets Golden Brunch

GLOBES WEEKEND GETS SPORTY WITH OLYMPIC ROYALTY FOR SIXTH ANNUAL “GOLD MEETS GOLDEN” BRUNCH

Pictured: Nicole Kidman, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Bill Porter, Nadia Comenici, Cathy Rigby, Michelle Kwan, Patricia Clarkson, Victoria Summer

Top Hollywood Celebrities Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams, Jessica Chastain, Bradley Cooper, Octavia
Spencer, Mandy Moore, Chrissy Metz, Billy Porter, Patricia Clarkson, Matt Bomer, Topher Grace and, Alyssa Milano Will Welcome Athletes and Olympians Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner, Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner Kersee, Mark Spitz, Greg Louganis, Dorothy Hamill, Janet Evans, Cullen Jones, Edwin Moses, Tony Hawk, Danell Leyva, Adam Rippon, Mirai Nagasu, Terrell Owens, Rashad Jennings, Katie Uhlaender, Tai Babilonia, Randy Gardner, Cathy Rigby, Alex & Maia Shibutani; and Paralympians Tatyana McFadden, Amy Purdy, Candace Cable, Roderick Townsend and more to gathered at the House on Sunset for Special Celebration on Saturday, January 5

Hollywood has long been inspired by the sports industry and vice versa, but rarely do these two worlds have the chance to mix and mingle. On Saturday January 5, 2019, Los Angeles once again
welcomed some of the greatest athletes from across the world to celebrate during one of the year’s most Golden weekends. The 6th annual event raised funds for Angel City Sports, an organization who provides needed equipment, training, and competitive opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities, many of whom aspire to compete in the Paralympic Games, and spotlight the Foundation for Global Sports Development, a sports community leader that delivers initiatives to support and develop sports programs around the world. As the longest continuous corporate partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, “Gold Meets Golden 6” was presented by The Coca-Cola Company.

The concept for the daytime brunch began when athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games were surprised by shout-outs from their favorite Hollywood celebrities, and several of those athletes were invited to Hollywood Awards season. The outcome was “Gold Meets Golden” – a chance for Gold Medalists and other athletes to engage with some of entertainment’s best award nominees, and realize how much they inspire one another. The 2013 inaugural ‘GMG’ was hosted by sports-loving celebrities Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Jon Bon Jovi and Stacy Keibler, who welcomed legendary sports names Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner, John Naber, Gabby Douglas, Missy Franklin, Kerry
Walsh-Jennings, Nathan Adrian, Natalie Coughlin, Evan Lysacek and Alyson Felix.

Over the years, the growing event has been attended by a variety of television, film and music stars such as Kerry Washington, Hugh Jackman, Ricky Martin, Nick Jonas, Alison Janey, James Franco, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Sofia Vergara, Matthew McConaughey, Matt Bomer, Sarah Paulson, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Naomi Campbell, Gina Rodriguez, Maria Shriver, Katie Holmes, Armie Hammer, Jessica Chastain, Seth Meyers, Christian Slater and Hayden Panettiere. They have been joined by athletes from almost all sporting disciplines: Simone Biles, Billie Jean King, Apolo Anton Ohno, Ashton Eaton, Terrell Owens, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mark Spitz, Aly Raisman, Mary Lou Retton, Greg Louganis, Caitlyn Jenner, Kobe Bryant, Nastia Liukin, Gracie Gold, Sasha Cohen, Danell Leyva, Jake Dalton, Bonnie Blair, Dan Jansen, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Misty May Treanor, Al Joyner, Lolo Jones, Ashley Wagner and Jason Collins.

With the recent announcement of the Olympics triumphant return to Los Angeles in 2028, Hollywood has been handed a fresh dose of Olympic and Paralympic Fever. While last year’s Gold Meets Golden celebrated the past, the 2019 event looked toward the future by celebrating Youth in Sports. The event will benefit Angel City Sports, an LA-based adaptive sports organization that provides access to equipment and coaching for young Paralympic hopefuls, and produces an annual Paralympic competition for athletes with physical disabilities, the Angel City Games
presented by The Hartford. See www.AngelCitySports.org for more info on this year’s beneficiary.

The Coca-Cola Company unveiled some of their new Olympic merchandise as they look toward the next 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. A special room featured golden items from the new sports to be debuted at these upcoming Games. As the presenting sponsor of the Olympic Torch Relay, rare golden Olympic torches was on display.

The special occasion took place at the newly refurbished House on Sunset, the exclusive, privately held Paul R. Williams masterpiece on Sunset Boulevard.

At the event, attendees got a first look at the new LAX Private Suite program from United Airlines, the official travel partner for Gold Meets Golden and also a proud sponsor of TeamUSA. Reknowned Winery J Vineyards’ Michelin-star Chef Carl Shelton will be providing a gold-medal menu of Brunch libations, including gold-dusted marmalade pop-tarts, a tower of golden croquettes, and a gold signature sparkling wine fountain. Discovery Destinations spotlighted the new 2020 Olympic sport of Sports Climbing, with a state-of-the-art projection-mapped, interactive Augmented Reality photo experience. Popular travel website “The Points Guy” and their founder Brian Kelly shared some tips and tricks on how to maximize travel experiences and help future Olympic travelers obtain “Gold Status and Beyond.”

Carrying a traditional torch for the event ignited by past performance of LA LA Land’s “City of Stars,” and Keala Settle’s “This is Me” from the Greatest Showman, which each won Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song, this year’s Gold Meets Golden stage was occupied by Globe-nominated Billy Porter (FX’s POSE, Broadway’s Kinky Boots, who performed the Globe-nominated hit song “Shallow” from “A Star is Born.” The performance will featured a special new Gold grand piano (courtesy of the Hollywood Piano Company and , David Anderson Pianos), which was signed by attending celebrities and athletes, and auctioned off online following the event to benefit the Angel City Games.

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