It was Stan Lee, via his comic book Spiderman, who said it best: “With great power comes great responsibility.” It’s not an original idea. Some attribute the expression to Voltaire, others to Franklin D. Roosevelt. The concept is the same no matter who says it. The more one controls, the more salient that individuals actions. Some celebrities don’t only sing it, they cha-ching it (and they bring it, k?). Stan Lee is one of ’em. He started the Stan Lee Foundation to support literacy, arts, and education. What follows are a few of the other celebrities who focus their powers on important causes. They dedicate time and money because they can. One hopes we all would, given the opportunity.
25. Hayden Panettiere
As an animal rights activist, the actress from the series Heroes, Hayden Panettiere protests animal abuse, especially the sort aimed at our aquatic pals. Her career might be on the backburner right now, but not her conservation efforts. Panettiere regularly reaches out to ambassadors of Norway and Japan, asking for an end to whale and dolphin hunting.
24. Shay Mitchell
The star of Pretty Little Liars, Shay Mitchell is an activist for human rights violations. She uses her time and money to travel to places like Syria or Kenya. There she labors in humanitarian relief, posting to her social media profiles to spread the word. He recent efforts in the Azraq Syrian refugee camp went out to all her Instagram followers.