GEORGE Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon have called for urgent action to address the situation in Darfur as part of their publicity for Ocean’s Thirteen at Cannes.

The celebrity trio hosted an exclusive charity bash on a yacht off the French Riviera resort which succeeded in raising $9.2 million in support of the Sudanese people who have been uprooted by the savage conflict in Darfur.

And Clooney told reporters that the publicity tour for their latest film also offered “a chance to raise some money for something we thought was important”.

The problem in Darfur, which he has witnessed in person, “isn’t going to go away until the rest of the world is outraged enough to stop it,” he insisted.

Elaborating on their shared concerns a little more, Clooney went on to inform reporters: “We did the film and it is entertainment. But we knew we were coming here and it’s a great international platform.

“We knew there would be a lot of international cameras and a chance to raise some money and help some people immediately and raise awareness about something that is individually important to all of us.

“We thought this a great opportunity to do both. Specifically about Darfur – Don [Cheadle], Brad, Matt and I have all been in that region and around there; it’s something that has been an important part of us on this panel’s lives the last few years.

“We find that there’s a lot more tension in the United States internationally about this issue and we thought it important to be talking about it.”

Matt Damon added: “Given our individual interest in what is going on there, it seemed like we’d be remised if we didn’t try to redirect some of those resources towards something that’s a life and death struggle happening right now as we sit here.”

Find out more about Ocean’s 13 at Cannes

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