‘Twilight’ Star Kellan Lutz Shows Softer Side At Sundance Film Festival; Teaches Sick Kids To Snowboard
Calvin Klein model and Twilight film series star Kellan Lutz is making some waves this week while in Park City, Utah, for the annual Sundance Film Fest, where Lutz attended the Stella Artois and Water.org “Buy A Lady A Drink” launch event. The campaign is designed to raise funds to provide clean drinking water to the over 750 million people worldwide who currently do not have access to it. Stella Artois partnered with Water.org to donate $1.2 million toward the effort. Lutz tweeted a link on Thursday to the campaign’s website, BuyALadyADrink.com, where specially-designed Stella Artois chalices designed with cultural inspiration from India, Ethiopia, and Honduras are available for purchase, with each chalice purchased accounting for five years of clean water for one person in a developing country.
In addition to Lutz’ promotion of the humorously named effort, Lutz, a noted philanthropist and charitable activist, helped teach chronically ill children how to snowboard alongside model/actress Chanel Iman and X-Games star Dingo, according to Just Jared. Lutz spoke to RumorFix about his excitement to participate in the event.
“I am a good teacher because I had good teachers growing up, so, I will spend a lot of time with them. For me it is about making them feel safe and to enjoy the experience.”
The snowboarding event was a joint effort by the Find Your Grind Foundation and Learn To Ride in Utah. Lutz explained the mission of the relatively new Find Your Grind charity, founded by Lutz’s friend, Nick Gross.
“This is a good organization. I’m happy to be here and give back. Find Your Grind started four to five months ago and is an organization to foster dream building to provide youth with an opportunity to pursue passions that they might not know they have yet for certain things.”
“I am a good teacher because I had good teachers growing up, so, I will spend a lot of time with them. For me it is about making them feel safe and to enjoy the experience.”
Lutz, who pursued a degree in chemical engineering before turning to acting, began his career as a Calvin Klein model while landing bit acting roles on television programs such as 30 Rock, 90210, and Heroes before landing his big break in the film adaptations of the Twilight vampire saga. Since then, Lutz has starred in such features as Immortals, The Legend of Hercules, and The Expendables 3. Lutz’ charitable efforts and activism includes starring in a commercial for PETA, raising funds for West African primate conservation charity Ape Action Africa, and an endorsement of The Paw Project, which acts against the declawing of exotic and domesticated cats in America. Lutz’ latest film, Experimenter, is scheduled to air in competition at the Sundance Film Festival.
