Seaside rides, familiar faces, and a fundraiser with real heart

Hollywood is never short of reasons to roll out a step-and-repeat. On Sunday, October 25, 2026, the reason was a particularly good one: UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital’s 26th annual Party on the Pier at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. The hospital called on Young Hollywood to show up for children and families who need its support, and the young performers did more than pose for the cameras: they helped run boardwalk games alongside volunteers. INYIM Media was on the scene for the conversations, the fun, and a fundraising day with a purpose well beyond the carpet.

Our standout on-camera encounters came with Jodie Sweetin, Isaac Ordonez, Marta Kessler, and Raphael Alejandro. If anyone connected Young Hollywood’s past and present, it was Sweetin—someone who grew up in that spotlight herself. A former child star turned outspoken advocate, she offered the perfect bridge between the generation that paved the way and the one finding its voice now. The famous faces brought people to the pier; the work they were doing there was the point.



Discover More
More Than a Day at the Pier
Explore the official source and related picks curated around this story.
Some links may be affiliate links. INYIM may earn from qualifying purchases.
Jodie Sweetin and the INYIM moment on the carpet

Jodie Sweetin hardly needs an introduction to anyone who grew up with Full House and later found the Tanner family again on Fuller House. She knows what it means to grow up in Hollywood—and what it means to use that visibility as an adult. Actress, activist, and straight-up badass! Sweetin has been outspoken about equality and standing up for others. With the hospital calling on Young Hollywood, her presence felt like a particularly fitting link between its past and future. At the pier, her presence helped connect generations of performers around a cause bigger than the spotlight.
And that is why this gathering worked: established performers and the next wave of talent met on common ground. The carpet may be familiar territory for Sweetin, but helping turn public attention toward children’s health is the kind of appearance with staying power.
Isaac Ordonez trades the Wednesday mood for boardwalk football

We have been following Isaac Ordonez since his introduction as Pugsley Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday—not only on screen, but through the fashion editorials and premiere looks we have enjoyed spotlighting on INYIM’s Fashion pages. He has been growing into his own look and identity in public, and we have been paying attention. So when we called him an “IT boy” during our interview, it was not a throwaway compliment. He received it with genuine appreciation. For INYIM, he represents an exciting part of the next generation of Young Hollywood.
Then came the boardwalk. INYIM’s original photographs caught Ordonez helping run Giveback Quarterback with volunteers: footballs in hand, guests taking their shots, and a toy-donation station beside the game. The posted invitation was simple—donate a toy to support patients and families at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, then take a chance at the football toss. Between our carpet conversation and the game booth, Isaac gave us one of the clearest looks at what this event was meant to be: young talent getting directly involved.
At the football booth, INYIM’s original photographs capture Isaac alongside volunteers and visitors as the Giveback Quarterback activity unfolded on the boardwalk.












Marta Kessler and Raphael Alejandro join the next generation giving back
Marta Kessler, memorable as Constance Contraire in The Mysterious Benedict Society, was another of the young performers who caught our attention during the carpet conversations. Alongside her was Raphael Alejandro, an actor we already loved in Netflix’s Incoming and one of our go-to series, Apple TV’s Acapulco. Seeing Raphael in person brought a welcome familiarity to our coverage: this was not just another name on an arrivals sheet, but someone whose work we have genuinely enjoyed watching.
We spoke with Marta and Raphael about their work and why an event benefiting children’s health mattered to them. Along the boardwalk, young celebrities were also helping volunteers run the games and greet the people supporting the hospital. That hands-on spirit made the fundraiser feel less like an exclusive Hollywood affair and more like the community day it was meant to be.

Fun on the boardwalk, with a larger purpose
The day’s lineup made the most of its oceanside setting, with Pacific Park rides, carnival games, creative activities, photo opportunities, and treats. Mattel supplied toy prizes, while the Play Zone offered crafts and activities supported by the Goldhirsh-Yellin Foundation. UCLA’s People-Animal Connection therapy animals were also part of the day’s programming—an especially fitting presence at an event about comfort, connection, and care.
Journalist Lisa Ling was also among the familiar faces at the pier, where performers, advocates, and families came together in support of the hospital.
But beyond the rides and red carpet is the work that matters year-round. According to UCLA Health, proceeds from Party on the Pier provide unrestricted support for high-priority pediatric programs, research, and innovative treatments. The hospital cares for patients from newborns through young adulthood, with medical teams and specialists working alongside families through some of their most difficult moments.
The fundraiser has built a substantial legacy. Organizers reported that the 2025 edition raised more than $1.1 million. This year’s return marked 26 years of using a day at the pier to rally support for children’s health.
At INYIM, we love spotlighting the people whose creativity connects with an audience, whether they work in film, television, music, or online entertainment. Seeing them step outside that work and lend their time to a children’s hospital offers a different kind of story. The names may bring people to the carpet, but the cause is what deserves their attention. That’s the part of Party on the Pier we’re taking home with us.
Sources: UCLA Health / Party on the Pier; UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital; The Brand Agency / UCLA Health post-event media alert, October 25, 2026; Getty Images event coverage; Netflix Tudum; Apple TV Press; Us Weekly. Photography: Vivian Best/Getty Images for UCLA Health and INYIM Media. Original reporting and interviews: INYIM Media.




