Nicholas Charles Sparks is an internationally bestselling American novelist and screenwriter. He has 16 published novels, with themes including cancer, death, pirates, and love. Seven have been adapted to film, including Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, and most recently The Lucky One.
This weekend includes a list of personalities for the fundraiser for the best-selling author’s charities is impressive.
There is a special invitation preview screening of the film at 9 p.m. Friday at New Bern Civic Theatre, with the public invited to attend the red carpet arrival of celebrities along Pollock Street, beginning at 8 p.m.
The screening will host members of the military and their families.
Special Invited Celebrity Guest:
NFL players, along with former Super Bowl champion Brees, include quarterback Matt Leinart and T. J. Yates, the second-year QB from UNC-Chapel Hill, Rashad McCants,” UNC champ and NBA free agent”, Shane Tallant from “HGTV” and “EXTRA, Hannah Storm, Jay Harris and Jay Williams of ESPN, Stephen Colletti, Bethany Joy Lenz and James Lafferty of “One Tree Hill;” Jake T. Austin of “Wizards of Waverly Place;” Hill Harper of “CSI: New York;” Maiara Walsh of ABC’s “Family Switched at Birth;” Alexander Heartman of “Power Rangers;” Scott Wolf of “Party of Five;” and Josh Henderson, the lead in the remake of the TV show “Dallas”, Brett Claywell of “One Tree Hill” and “One Life to Live” is also slated. Kellie Pickler of “American Idol”, weather Channel guests include Jim Cantore and Stephanie Abrams.
Sponsored by Pepsi, the weekend’s proceeds benefit causes in the Nicholas Sparks Foundation — Hope for the Warriors for wounded veterans; Paws with a Cause, which provides assistance dogs for people with disabilities;
Along with the Friday 9 p.m. red carpet showing of “The Lucky One” at New Bern Civic Theatre, the Nicholas Sparks Film Festival also opens at the Pollock Street Theater and continues Saturday and Sunday with six Sparks' movies.
Based on Sparks’ bestseller “The Lucky One,” stars Zac Efron — “17 Again,” “Charlie St. Cloud” — alongside Schilling — TV’s “Mercy” and Blythe Danner of the “Meet the Parents” franchise.
Tickets to the celebrity weekend events are available on the Web:
http://www.Sparksevent.org
