The Screen Actors Guild Foundation announces the appointment of Lou Diamond Phillips as the new spokesperson for its national literacy program, BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools).
As spokesperson, Phillips will represent BookPALS in all promotional campaigns and speak on a wide variety of literacy-related topics throughout the U.S. He will also represent the Foundation and its programs in conferences, workshops, and special events. Phillips replaces Andre Braugher, who served as spokesperson since 2002.
The father of three girls, Phillips reinforces the importance of reading via first hand experience. "Children's curiosity is boundless and reading feeds that appetite for learning and creativity. Having read to my three girls, I'm convinced that reading to them early and often has helped make them better students and better people. I'd like to pass those joys on to as many kids as possible."
Phillips first came to the public's attention when he starred as Ritchie Valens in "La Bamba" (1987). The following year he garnered critical acclaim for his performance in "Stand and Deliver" by winning the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor and receiving a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe nomination. He has also starred in a wide variety of film roles including "Courage Under Fire" (1996) and "Supernova" (1998). Phillips' talents also include live theater, where he starred as the King of Siam in the Broadway musical "The King and I" and earned a Tony nomination for Best Actor. Prolific behind the camera as well, Phillips directed the feature film "Sioux City" (1994) and served as associate producer on "Ambition" (1991). He will next be seen in "Gone But Not Forgotten," a Hallmark miniseries co-starring Brooke Shields.
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Photos: Lou Diamond Phillips reads to kids at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles
The Screen Actors Guild Foundation announces the appointment of Lou Diamond Phillips as the new spokesperson for its national literacy program, BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools).
The father of three girls, Phillips reinforces the importance of reading via first hand experience. "Children's curiosity is boundless and reading feeds that appetite for learning and creativity. Having read to my three girls, I'm convinced that reading to them early and often has helped make them better students and better people. I'd like to pass those joys on to as many kids as possible."
Phillips first came to the public's attention when he starred as Ritchie Valens in "La Bamba" (1987). The following year he garnered critical acclaim for his performance in "Stand and Deliver" by winning the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor and receiving a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe nomination. He has also starred in a wide variety of film roles including "Courage Under Fire" (1996) and "Supernova" (1998). Phillips' talents also include live theater, where he starred as the King of Siam in the Broadway musical "The King and I" and earned a Tony nomination for Best Actor. Prolific behind the camera as well, Phillips directed the feature film "Sioux City" (1994) and served as associate producer on "Ambition" (1991). He will next be seen in "Gone But Not Forgotten," a Hallmark miniseries co-starring Brooke Shields.