The Nicest Actresses of All Time
Kindness in the film world rarely grabs headlines, yet many actresses consistently pair their craft with service—quietly funding classrooms, showing up for relief efforts, and building organizations that outlast any box-office run. This list celebrates performers whose careers include sustained, tangible contributions to people and causes, from global health and education to animal welfare, disaster response, and human rights.
Each entry highlights concrete efforts: foundations they’ve launched, ambassador roles they’ve held, and programs they’ve powered. It’s not about hype; it’s about work that helps—scholarships awarded, clinics supported, policy initiatives advanced, and communities strengthened.
Audrey Hepburn
As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Audrey Hepburn undertook field missions across Africa, Asia, and Latin America to advocate for immunizations, clean water, and child nutrition. After stepping back from acting, she used her platform to amplify children’s rights and mobilize support for primary health care.
The Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund furthers that work by backing education and child-focused programs. Its grants have supported vaccination drives, school feeding efforts, and training for community health workers.
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie has worked with UNHCR since 2001 and serves as Special Envoy, focusing on protection for refugees and solutions to displacement. She has funded schools, health clinics, and community projects in refugee-hosting regions.
Her philanthropy includes co-founding the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and supporting legal pathways for stateless children. She has also endowed scholarships for access to education and backed conservation and cultural-heritage preservation.
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor co-founded amfAR and created the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation to fund HIV testing, treatment access, and stigma reduction. She was an early, outspoken advocate who helped direct attention and resources to HIV/AIDS.
Her foundation provides community grants for prevention and care, including mobile testing and patient navigation. These programs have expanded outreach to underserved populations and strengthened local clinic capacity.
Shirley Temple
Following her screen career, Shirley Temple Black served as a diplomat and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, championing immunization and child-welfare campaigns. She promoted cooperation among governments and NGOs to improve outcomes for children.
Her work supported vaccine logistics, cold-chain improvements, and health-worker training. She also fostered cultural and educational exchange programs that connected public agencies with civil-society partners.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton founded the Imagination Library, which has mailed hundreds of millions of free books to children from birth through preschool. By partnering with local affiliates, the program delivers age-appropriate titles directly to families.
Beyond literacy, Parton has funded scholarships, disaster relief, and medical research. Her gifts have supported vaccine development, pediatric care, and rebuild grants for schools and libraries.
Betty White
Betty White dedicated decades to animal welfare, supporting the Los Angeles Zoo, the Morris Animal Foundation, and shelters nationwide. She helped fund conservation research and improved veterinary care.
Her donations underwrote wildlife studies, shelter upgrades, and adoption campaigns. She also backed public-education initiatives that increased spay–neuter services and humane treatment standards.
Emma Watson
Emma Watson served as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and helped launch HeForShe to engage men and boys in gender equality. She has supported girls’ education, legal literacy, and workplace equity.
Watson has funded scholarships for women in STEM and backed transparency in fair labor within fashion. She has also supported campus initiatives, mentorship programs, and grants to community legal services.
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway, a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, advocates for paid parental leave and equitable caregiving policies. She supports global campaigns addressing unpaid care work and family protections.
Her giving includes fundraising for disaster response, food security, and children’s health. She has supported grants to community organizations providing childcare access and workforce re-entry services for parents.
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner serves as an ambassador for Save the Children, focusing on early childhood education and rural family services in the United States. She has testified to protect funding for home-visiting and nutrition programs.
Garner co-founded Once Upon a Farm and partners with food-access groups to reach families with healthy options. She has also supported mobile libraries, book drives, and parent-support networks.
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock has repeatedly funded disaster relief, including major gifts after earthquakes and hurricanes to the American Red Cross and school-rebuilding efforts. Her contributions often arrive during urgent response windows.
She has backed first-responder support, classroom grants, and community-center reconstruction. These gifts have paid for supplies, temporary housing, and long-term recovery projects.
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron founded the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project to support youth-focused organizations working on HIV prevention, safety, and education. The program emphasizes community-led, evidence-based interventions.
CTAO has funded youth centers, peer-education programs, and mobile health services. Its grants also support psychosocial care, life-skills training, and program evaluation.
Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett is a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador who advocates for displaced people and leads fundraising appeals. She has supported education and livelihoods programs for refugee families.
Her philanthropy also includes arts education and climate initiatives. Projects she backs have provided teacher training, scholarship funds, and support for cultural institutions that run community workshops.
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and longtime supporter of UN Women (formerly UNIFEM), advocating for women’s rights and protection from violence. She has promoted maternal health and child immunization.
Kidman has raised funds for cancer research and domestic-violence services. She has supported hospital equipment purchases, shelter programs, and prevention campaigns.
Salma Hayek Pinault
Salma Hayek Pinault co-founded Chime for Change to advance education, health, and justice for girls and women. The initiative channels funds to vetted grassroots organizations.
She has supported domestic-violence shelters and maternal-health services. Grants have paid for legal assistance, safe housing, and training for health workers and advocates.
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon supports women’s entrepreneurship and storytelling through investments and nonprofit partnerships. Her initiatives raise funds for education programs, legal support, and crisis services for families.
She has backed mentorship networks, scholarships, and micro-grants for small businesses. Classroom grants and book donations through partner programs extend literacy resources to schools.
Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts has supported global health and conservation efforts, including disease-prevention campaigns and clean-water projects. She has participated in fundraising media that direct grants to on-the-ground partners.
Her giving includes early childhood initiatives and disaster relief. She has helped fund filtration systems, community health-worker training, and emergency shelter materials.
Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet co-founded the Golden Hat Foundation to support individuals and families living with autism. The foundation promotes communication tools and caregiver resources.
Winslet has raised funds for cancer care and family hardship grants. She has supported respite services, therapy access, and hospital unit upgrades.
Geena Davis
Geena Davis founded the Institute on Gender in Media, using research to improve representation of women and girls in entertainment. The institute partners with studios to shift hiring and on-screen portrayals.
Its findings inform trainings, writers’ rooms, and content audits. Davis also supports youth sports access and STEM outreach through program grants and scholarship support.
Viola Davis
Viola Davis funds scholarship programs and supports food-security initiatives, including school pantries and community partnerships. She has backed services for foster youth and survivors of domestic violence.
Her philanthropy includes arts-education grants and mentorship programs. She has supported housing stabilization funds and college-readiness initiatives.
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep supports arts education with scholarships and grants to theater programs and writers’ labs. She has funded women’s rights and legal-aid organizations.
Her giving also includes historic preservation and environmental stewardship. Streep’s grants have helped maintain community theaters, archives, and conservation projects.
Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o has worked with wildlife-protection groups, including campaigns against elephant poaching. She supports girls’ education and creative-arts programs.
Her efforts include funding for conservation training, anti-poaching equipment, and school scholarships. She has also supported literacy workshops and arts residencies for youth.
Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson has supported anti-trafficking, refugee assistance, and climate action with humanitarian and environmental partners. She has raised funds for survivor services and legal aid.
Her arts-in-education support includes community theater and inclusive programming. She has backed counseling services, safe-housing projects, and local environmental initiatives.
Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren supports youth theater, veterans’ charities, and health organizations serving older adults. She participates in campaigns that fund cancer research and hospice care.
Her patronage includes national arts institutions and scholarship funds. She has helped finance touring productions, caregiver programs, and palliative-care training.
Judi Dench
Judi Dench is a patron of environmental and arts charities, supporting woodland conservation and film education. She has assisted fundraising for medical research and community theaters.
Her contributions maintain habitats and creative training programs. Dench has funded tree-planting, student bursaries, and local venue renovations.
Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews supports literacy, pediatric health, and music education through performances and fundraising. She contributes to hospital initiatives and children’s charities.
Her work includes book donations, author visits, and arts scholarships. She has funded instrument programs and reading corners in schools and libraries.
Michelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh has served as a global road-safety advocate with the FIA and UN campaigns, promoting helmet use and safer mobility. She supports anti–wildlife trafficking and heritage preservation.
Her initiatives have delivered public-education drives, policy briefings, and training for traffic enforcement. She has also backed ranger support and cultural site conservation.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Priyanka Chopra Jonas is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador supporting child rights, education, and health programs. She founded the Priyanka Chopra Foundation for Health and Education to fund scholarships for girls.
Her campaigns address menstrual health and malnutrition. She has supported school infrastructure, teacher training, and community health outreach.
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone founded the Live Love Laugh Foundation to expand access to mental-health resources and reduce stigma. The foundation trains frontline workers and supports counseling services.
It funds rural outreach, school awareness campaigns, and helpline operations. Padukone has also supported caregiver training and research partnerships.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has served as a Smile Train ambassador, supporting free cleft surgeries for children. She established the Aishwarya Rai Foundation for health and education initiatives.
Her philanthropy includes eye-care campaigns and disaster relief. Grants have covered surgical missions, post-operative care, and school-supply drives.
Danai Gurira
Danai Gurira co-founded Love Our Girls and serves as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador focusing on gender equality and violence prevention. She supports arts programs that amplify women’s voices.
Her initiatives fund education, health access, and civic leadership training. She has backed fellowships, safe-space workshops, and voter-engagement efforts.
Zendaya
Zendaya supports hunger relief, education programs, and youth empowerment. She has partnered with organizations that provide emergency aid and housing support.
Her philanthropy includes scholarships, mentorships, and school-supply campaigns. She has funded STEM workshops, creative labs, and community center upgrades.
Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell supports childhood nutrition, homelessness services, and disaster relief through fundraising and product donations. She backs mental-health access and family support.
Bell has financed classroom micro-grants, shelter programs, and hygiene-kit drives. She also supports teacher wish lists and local food pantries.
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson has supported hunger relief, disaster response, and health-care charities through campaigns and events. She contributes to arts-education programs in underserved schools.
Her giving includes veterans’ support and medical-research grants. She has funded therapy services, school arts residencies, and community clinic equipment.
Gal Gadot
Gal Gadot supports children’s hospitals, veteran families, and initiatives for first responders. She participates in campaigns promoting girls’ empowerment and STEM education.
Her visits and donations have funded pediatric equipment and rehabilitation services. She has supported scholarships, robotics clubs, and recovery programs.
Brie Larson
Brie Larson supports survivor advocacy, inclusive filmmaking, and tech training for underrepresented communities. She has raised funds for food security and housing assistance.
Her efforts include mentorship networks and grants for emerging creators. She has backed coding boot camps, filmmakers’ labs, and rent-relief funds.
Rachel McAdams
Rachel McAdams supports environmental groups focused on climate action and sustainable transportation. She co-founded an eco-education initiative promoting practical, everyday impact.
She has funded conservation grants, urban greening, and public transit education. Projects include tree canopies, bike safety outreach, and school climate clubs.
Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore has funded global food-aid programs and partnered on school feeding and disaster response. She backs job-training and youth-mentorship initiatives.
Her philanthropy extends to animal welfare and children’s hospitals. She has supported veterinary clinics, pediatric units, and workforce-readiness programs.
Halle Berry
Halle Berry supports domestic-violence shelters and survivor services, including legal aid and counseling. She works on campaigns to expand protective housing and prevention.
Her giving includes diabetes research and youth programs. Berry has funded self-management courses, after-school programs, and shelter refurbishments.
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman supports women’s entrepreneurship and microfinance through community lending partners. She funds education initiatives, school meals, and STEM opportunities.
Her advocacy extends to animal welfare and environmental causes. Grants have enabled classroom labs, garden programs, and humane education.
Emily Blunt
Emily Blunt supports the American Institute for Stuttering, helping expand therapy access and scholarships. She fundraises for medical research and pediatric care.
Her philanthropy includes arts education and literacy programs. She has supported speech-therapy training, book grants, and hospital-family services.
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington supports arts-in-education, voter participation, and survivor services. She raises funds for classroom supplies and college-access programs.
Her philanthropy includes legal-aid partnerships and mental-health initiatives. She has backed counseling, civic workshops, and scholarship funds.
Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson founded the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to expand mental-health services, particularly in Black communities. The foundation funds therapy scholarships and school-based wellness programs.
Her campaigns promote culturally competent care and workforce training for counselors. She has supported provider directories, campus wellness events, and telehealth access.
America Ferrera
America Ferrera supports immigrant-rights groups, voter engagement, and girls’ education. She co-founded platforms that provide leadership training and community resources.
Her philanthropy includes scholarships, mentorship, and policy advocacy. She has funded college-bridge programs, legal clinics, and civic fellowships.
Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria established the Eva Longoria Foundation to support Latina entrepreneurs and students through mentorship, scholarships, and micro-grants. She raises funds for migrant-family services and disaster relief.
Her initiatives include research partnerships to improve program outcomes. She has supported small-business training, STEM camps, and emergency housing assistance.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, supporting children’s health, education, and emergency relief. She funds arts organizations and public-school programs.
Her philanthropy includes literacy campaigns and cultural-access grants. She has backed book drives, museum partnerships, and after-school arts residencies.
Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley supports domestic-abuse services, refugee aid, and children’s health through fundraising campaigns and PSAs. She has backed medical research and hospital programs.
Her giving includes arts grants and youth outreach. She has supported safe-housing funds, neonatal equipment, and creative learning projects.
Emilia Clarke
Emilia Clarke founded SameYou after experiencing brain injury, supporting neuro-rehabilitation for stroke and brain-injury survivors. The charity funds clinical innovation and patient support.
Clarke has raised funds for hospital units and caregiver services. She has backed therapy pilots, peer groups, and specialist training for neuro-rehab teams.
Sofía Vergara
Sofía Vergara supports cancer-care charities and research organizations, using her own health journey to promote screening and early detection. She funds pediatric hospitals and disaster relief.
Her philanthropy includes entrepreneurship programs and micro-loans for women. She has backed small-business training, patient navigation, and medical equipment purchases.
Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt founded CoExist to promote animal welfare and environmental stewardship, supporting shelters and adoption campaigns. She funds wildlife protection and urban conservation.
Her initiatives include menstrual-health awareness and children’s education drives. She has backed school kits, composting projects, and sterilization programs for strays.
Grace Kelly
After becoming Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly established what is now Princess Grace Foundation–USA to support emerging artists in theater, dance, and film through scholarships and fellowships. The foundation provides career-shaping grants to creators.
Her humanitarian work extended to hospital fundraising and child-welfare projects. Annual awards and endowments continue to sustain arts education and professional development.
Share your additions and the good works you’ve seen—who would you include in the comments?
