18 in ’08 Launches Celebrity PSA Series Exclusively On MySpace

NEW YORK, June 30 — Film and television stars Olivia Wilde (“House” and “The O.C.”) and Peter Sarsgaard (“Jarhead” and “Boys Don’t Cry” and more recently “Rendition”) appear in two new public service announcements encouraging young people to register and vote in the 2008 election. The PSAs are available today and tomorrow exclusively on MySpace (www.myspace.com/18in08) and were released by 18 in ’08 (www.18in08.com), a nonpartisan youth-run organization dedicated to registering, mobilizing and engaging young voters for the 2008 election. The PSAs were produced by Crossborders (www.crossborders.tv).

“You and I are about to change the world,” Olivia Wilde announces at the top of the video. Her video statement is a bold, impassioned, and personal commentary, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming election and urging young voters to make a difference by registering, getting involved, and voting. “The stakes are really high this year,” says Wilde. “Decisions will be made by the next President that will affect our generation’s future for decades to come. It has never been more important to get involved now.”

18 in ’08: Olivia Wilde

The PSAs also highlight the nonpartisan nature of political engagement and why young voters must get involved. Notes Peter Sarsgaard: “You have choice. You can sit around and wish the world were different or you can listen to the different ideas, think about which one appeals to you most, vote for that person and it will change.”

18 in ’08: Peter Sarsgaard

David D. Burstein, Executive Director of 18 in ’08 and director of the documentary film of the same name, pointed out: “Our whole movement is based on peer-to-peer communications. It makes a special impact when young film and television stars — who are widely respected as serious, thoughtful voices of their generation-speak out on the importance of youth voting. Olivia and Peter, and the young leaders we will feature in future PSAs, are underscoring the theme that the 2008 election will have major impact on our generation collectively.”

The PSAs and will be available starting Wednesday, July 2, across the web, as well as at www.18in08.com. Additional video PSAs featuring celebrities from entertainment and sports, as well as young activists engaged in a variety of causes, will be released over the next few months, leading up to the November election.