Tony Barson/WireImage.comBrad Pitt and George Clooney aren't just going to look good in Venice, they're going to do good in Venice.
Both leading men are set to light up the Lido Wednesday night, walking the red carpet as their new Coen brothers flick, Burn After Reading, opens the 65th Annual Venice Film Festival. But the dynamic duo have actually arrived ahead of schedule to appear at a fund-raiser for their pet charity project, Not On Our Watch, later tonight.
The Darfur-benefiting charity, which also counts Ocean's costars Matt Damon and Don Cheadle among its founders, will take center stage tonight, when Clooney and Pitt will be on hand to discuss humanitarian and advocacy issues that are of importance to the organization, while simultaneously schmoozing Italian glamour-pusses like only they can to boost the foundation's bankroll.
"Scheduling is very difficult," the foundation's executive director, Alex Wagner, told the Associated Press. "Two of them happened to be in Venice at the same time because of the Burn After Reading premiere...so there was a brainstorming session."
It's the type of brainstorming session that's not without precedent.
Last year, Clooney and Pitt were joined by Damon and Cheadle at the Cannes Film Festival, where the foursome harnessed their star power for a fund-raising event for relief for Darfur.
While that event took place aboard a yacht and cost attendees $25,000 a head to get in, this year's red carpet charity event will consist of a dinner on Venice's Giudecca island and will be attended by 200 industry heavyweights and a healthy number of Italian VIPs.
Since its launch a year and a half ago, the charity has raised more than $10 million for its two major causes, Darfur and the more recent Myanmar cyclone.
Last week it was announced that the luxury brands Belstaff and Audi were teaming up with Not On Our Watch to raise funds and bring awareness to the troubled Sudan region.