enlarge
  • Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet
  • James Cameron and Linda Hamilton hold some of ‘Titanic’s’ 11 Oscars in 1998. The couple split and Linda left with $50 million in 1999
  • Kate Winslet speaks on stage after winning the Best Actress award for ‘The Reader’ during the 81st Annual Academy Awards held at Kodak Theatre on February 22, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
  • Leonardo DiCaprio arrives at the ‘Cinema For Peace Berlin 2009’ event at the Berlin Film Festival

1/4

  • Getty Premium

    Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet
  • Getty Premium

    James Cameron and Linda Hamilton hold some of ‘Titanic’s’ 11 Oscars in 1998. The couple split and Linda left with $50 million in 1999
  • Getty Images

    Kate Winslet speaks on stage after winning the Best Actress award for ‘The Reader’ during the 81st Annual Academy Awards held at Kodak Theatre on February 22, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
  • Getty Images

    Leonardo DiCaprio arrives at the ‘Cinema For Peace Berlin 2009’ event at the Berlin Film Festival
 
 

FIRST PUBLISHED: May 10, 2009 8:39 PM EDT
LAST UPDATED: May 11, 2009 1:41 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

The last survivor of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 is getting a hand from Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

The “Titanic” stars, along with director James Cameron, have contributed to a $30,000 fund for Millvina Dean, 98, Access Hollywood has confirmed.

The Irish Independent was the first to report the news.

The stars came forward after an appeal by photographer Don Mullan in the Sunday edition of the paper. Mullan had asked the stars and director of 1997 blockbuster to help Millvina, who has struggled with her nursing home bills.

Millvina was the ill-fated ship’s youngest passenger – only nine weeks old upon being carried unto the Titanic from Southampton, England – and is now its last remaining survivor.

The photographer had been selling a limited edition shot, entitled “Still Surviving,” of Millvina’s hands signing an autograph in order to raise funds for her, and decided to reach out to the “Titanic” stars to pitch in. The photo is part of a new exhibition of his called “A Thousand Reasons for Living.”

“I figured that if the edition sold out, it would secure Millvina for a full year. My plan, however, was to double the impact and thereby secure her for two years. I decided, therefore, at the opening of the exhibition, to publicly challenge James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, 20th Century Fox and Celine to match me dollar for dollar,’’ Don told the Independent.

He is still waiting on a response from Celine, who sang the film’s Oscar-winning theme song, “My Heart Will Go On,” and the film’s studio, 20th Century Fox.

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Keep your Access to everything in Hollywood! Breaking news and personal commentary from Nancy, Billy, Tony, Shaun, Maria & all of our producers! Follow us on and now!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What Do You Think?

How many times will you see ‘New Moon?’

  • Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in ‘New Moon’
     
  • Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart chat during the presentation of their new film ‘The Twighlight Saga: New Moon’ during the HVB youth event at the Olympic Hall on November 14, 2009 in Munich, Germany
     
  • Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson arrive at the afterparty for the premiere ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ at the Hammer Museum on November 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
     
  • Robert Pattinson runs his fingers through his hair as he hits ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ premiere red carpet, LA, Nov. 16, 2009
     
  • Michael Sheen in Summit’s ‘New Moon’
     
  • Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon, and Chaske Spence as werewolves in ‘New Moon’
     
voteview results & comments