What do Harry Reid and Wil.I.Am have in common ? Well , like Common ( the rapper ) , they and dozens of other big-name celebrities are in Charlotte this week for the Democratic National Convention . Even though President Barack Obama 's big acceptance speech was moved indoors due to weather concerns , Thursday night is expected to be the big night for stars to shine . Singer/songwriter James Taylor and recording artists Marc Anthony , Mary J. Blige and The Foo Fighters graced the main stage of the convention . And CNN 's Shannon Travis was the first to report that Scarlett Johansson , Natalie Portman and Kerry Washington , all Hollywood royalty , have been secretly scheduled to speak the same night that President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will accept their party 's respective nominations . R & B band Earth , Wind and Fire was also scheduled to perform , but canceled after the change of the convention location to a smaller venue . Actor Khalil Kain was spotted walking Uptown 's crowded streets during the convention 's kickoff event on Labor Day . Across from a vendor selling pro-Obama t-shirts and buttons , Kain told CNN that Obama is `` the hardest working president I 've ever seen . '' Actress and activist Rosario Dawson joined CNN at the CNN Grill Monday and Tuesday night . She 's making her away around the DNC on a mission to get more Latinos to vote in November . After leaving a VotoLatino policy forum , Dawson joined an immigration reform protest where undocumented immigrants were arrested , The Charlotte Observer reports . CNN 's Suzanne Malveaux talked with CSI New York 's Hill Harper about his personal relationship with Obama . Harper went to Harvard Law School with Obama and has known him for over 20 years . `` I 've been impressed with the type of man he is , what he stands for . '' Longtime Obama supporter and actor Kal Penn addressed the DNC in a comedic speech in which he created his own hashtag ( # sexyface ) , and discussed his love for the president in a style mocking Clint Eastwood . `` Thank you , invisible man in the chair , for that . And for giving my friends access to affordable health insurance and doubling funding for the Pell Grant . '' Kal Penn brings # sexyface to the DNC . Actors spotted on the convention floor this week : . -- John Leguizamo . `` Obama creates the egalitarian equal opportunity America that I love to be apart of and it made me who I am today . '' -- Alfre Woodard . `` This president has been more active and accomplished more than any other president in this country . '' -- Tim Daley . `` I think the fact that he 's achieved what he has , which I do n't want to underestimate because it is significant , is miraculous considering the opposition . '' -- Gabby Douglas , Olympic gold medalist , who led the DNC in the Pledge of Allegiance Wednesday . The `` Desperate Housewives '' actress Eva Longoria sat down with Piers Morgan and discussed her role as an Obama surrogate . `` I 've been speaking to two big communities important to the president -- the women 's community and the Latino community -- and so I will be speaking about those issues , a little narrative about my American Dream and how I 'm living proof of that . '' Longoria hosted a party Wednesday night with a performance by Flo Rida . Spotted at the CNN Grill in Charlotte . Other celebrities spotted around the DNC : . -- Jeff Bridges . -- Anthony Hamilton . -- Ashley Judd . -- John Legend . -- Janelle Monae . -- Perez Hilton . -- Adrian Grenier . -- Amber Riley . -- Lynn Whitfield .
Despite bad weather , lights shining at Charlotte convention . James Brown , Mary J. Fox , and the Foo Fighters among those gracing the main stage . Members of Hollywood royalty come out to support Obama / McCain ticket .