On Monday night, the annual God’s Love We Deliver Golden Heart Awards gala served as a crossover event for the Fashion Cinematic Universe.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” star Anne Hathaway, fresh from filming in Milan, was uptown at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, chatting with Anna Wintour early in the evening. Steps away, costar Meryl Streep’s daughter, actress Grace Gummer, walked the carpet with husband Mark Ronson.
They were all seated at the same long dinner table along with event host and longtime God’s Love We Deliver champion Michael Kors.
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“ You know what? I have to tell you, after all these years and so many friends who are in the entertainment business, I always say: just surprise me,” said Michael Kors, asked if he’s picked up any movie intel through his friendship with Hathaway. “I can’t wait to see where they take it.”
While anticipation continues to build ahead of the film’s release next spring, Kors’ enthusiasm that night was dedicated to marking the 40th year of God’s Love We Deliver. Hathaway was honored at this year’s gala along with Broadway star Audra McDonald.
“ These are two women who are truly forces of nature. I always say that I love the consummate juggler,” Kors said. “And both of them are the consummate jugglers because of these stupendous careers, the talent that explodes on stage, on screen — plus [they’re] fabulous moms and great friends.”
Many in the crowd have lent a hand at the nonprofit’s SoHo headquarters, where volunteers are put to work chopping and preparing medically tailored meals for New Yorkers living with chronic illnesses. During cocktail hour, Kors’ enthusiasm for the nonprofit continued to inspire support from potential new volunteers.
“My only hobby is cooking,” Zoey Deutch told the designer, marking herself as a potential recruit as she made her way to the cocktail hour, where VIP guests like board member Blaine Trump, James Corden, Olivia Jade Giannulli, Sarah Pidgeon, Chloë Sevigny and more congregated.
“ I was honored with an award a couple years ago,” said Ben Platt, the evening’s performer, en route to his dinner seat with husband Noah Galvin. “I always prefer the opportunity to sing for my supper when it comes to supporting an organization, so I’m very happy to be asked to do what I love best — which is to sing and to support not only the organization, but also Anne and Audra, who are both huge inspirations.”
Kors tempered expectations while introducing McDonald, the first honoree of the night, to the stage. “At the Golden Heart Awards, we do have a rule that we do not ask our honorees to perform,” said the designer. “So in lieu of that, I brought a brief clip of this woman’s genius.”
“ I have to say, what moves me the most about this organization is that they embody love as a verb,” McDonald said after the video snippet of her performance as Rose in last year’s revival of “Gypsy.” “ God’s Love reminds us that compassion is not passive. It isn’t pity. It’s a daily practice.”
The four-time Tony winner closed out her speech with an Irish blessing — sung a capella, much to the crowd’s delight.
After a live fundraising round that tapped and the main dinner course, Gigi Hadid introduced Hathaway, the second honoree.
“A quick shout out to Bradley Cooper,” said Hathaway, calling out the actor’s contribution to cocktail hour via his sandwich shop Danny & Coop’s. “Thank you for the cheesesteaks that were provided tonight and your friendship. Both are exceptional and life affirming.”
Hathaway has been involved with God’s Love Deliver for more than two decades. She first attended a luncheon for the nonprofit as a young actress, when she “was not yet recognizable to anyone other than 6-year-old girls,” she said.
“I didn’t know a lot about what they did, but I thought, maybe we’ll do some good. I also just remembered tonight, the reason I went was because I was a young actress, and Meryl Streep was gonna read something,” she added. “In that room, in my favorite city, I found myself in the most powerful, concentrated amount of golden hearted-ness I have ever felt. And I never wanted to not be a part of it.”
“She forgot to mention that she’s also a great assistant,” quipped event cohost Wintour afterward, a nod to her “Devil Wears Prada” character, before inviting Platt to close out the evening with his three-song performance.
Platt dedicated a song to each honoree — “Maybe This Time” for McDonald, “I Dreamed a Dream” for Hathaway — and ended with Judy Garland’s “Over the Rainbow.”