If President Obama has ever acted cool in courting celebrities, on Thursday he’ll be dropping that act and heading for the mother lode.
In what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest one-off fundraisers in the history of the presidency, Obama will pitch to a houseful of boosters from Hollywood’s inner circles at a sold-out event in Studio City.
And it’s not just any house – it’s George Clooney’s 7,354-square-foot crib.
With the exception of a couple supporters – namely, the winner of the Obama campaign’s “Obama, Clooney and You” sweepstakes and a plus-one – guests reportedly paid as much as $40,000 each to secure a seat. That tallies up to nearly $6 million from partygoers, plus another estimated $4 million to $6 million from the contest, which gave would-be donors the chance to feast with the stars for a $3 (or more) pledge made via the president’s campaign site.
Also read: Team Obama Saves Spots for 2 Winners at George Clooney Dinner
Although some celebrities have dialed down their enthusiasm for Obama since the last election cycle, he still has friends in Hollywood – many of whom will be attending the dinner.
And the fundraising game has also changed significantly since Obama’s 2008 campaign, as the Supreme Court’s controversial 2010 Citizens United ruling made way for Super-PACs and supersized donations to stuff candidates’ war chests with unprecedented amounts.
As the big night approaches, here’s a look at what some of Obama’s backers in Hollywood have done for him lately. Click on the image below for details about the donors.
Photos: Getty Images