Biden Campaign Taps A-List Roster for Star-Studded Hollywood Fundraiser: Inside the Operation (Exclusive)

Adrienne Elrod, a senior adviser for Biden's reelection campaign, tells PEOPLE how they chose the president's latest celebrity partners — including George Clooney and Julia Roberts

Joe Biden's 2024 campaign is tapping into its Hollywood base for a star-studded weekend fundraiser in Los Angeles, which aims to drum up enthusiasm for the Democratic ticket and rally an army of celebrity campaign surrogates ahead of the November election.

George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Jimmy Kimmel are leading the program, and President Barack Obama will appear alongside Biden.

A similar event in New York City brought the campaign a record $25 million in March.

Related: Obama, Clinton and Biden Reunite for Most Lucrative Political Fundraiser in U.S. History: Photos

Four months of planning will culminate in the high-stakes fundraiser on Saturday, June 15, going for anywhere from $250 to $125,000 per ticket.

The event falls at an especially important time for Biden, who had been banking on a cash advantage over Donald Trump to boost his approval ratings ahead of the general election. Trump saw a sharp surge in donations after his felony convictions, helping to close the fundraising gap.

Related: Barack Obama Tells Voters Why He Picked Joe Biden for VP — and How It Applies Now

Senior Biden campaign adviser Adrienne Elrod — who specializes in pairing Democratic candidates with influential celebrity partners — tells PEOPLE what went into the team's decision-making ahead of Saturday, including who should lead the bill.

Despite its impressive roster, Elrod says that the program will "have an intimate feel," achieved in no small part by a local production team that's been working in overdrive to get things in order.

Here's an inside look at how Biden's upcoming fundraiser will go down, based on PEOPLE's conversation with Elrod and details provided by the campaign.

Jimmy Kimmel Will Interview Presidents Biden and Obama

Jimmy Kimmel was brought in to lead a conversation between Presidents Biden and Obama about what's at stake in the upcoming presidential election. Elrod tells PEOPLE that the Biden campaign sought out Kimmel because he's widely adored — and because he has a personal story that connects him with the presidents' work.

When Kimmel's youngest child, Billy, was born in 2017, he quickly learned that his son had a congenital heart disease, which has since required three open-heart surgeries.

"He has talked very openly about the Affordable Care Act and how it's been a great benefit to his family," Elrod notes, "and [that] he certainly can't imagine what it would be like if he and his family couldn't afford healthcare for their child." (Prior to ACA, preexisting conditions clauses were prevalent in many health care plans.)

Related: Jimmy Kimmel Reveals Son Billy, 7, Successfully Underwent Third Open Heart Surgery: 'Happy, Healthy Kid'

The conversation itself will bear a similar tone to Stephen Colbert's moderated discussion with Presidents Biden, Obama and Clinton at the campaign's March fundraiser.

"There's certainly going to be some humor, because it's Jimmy Kimmel," Elrod says, "but it is also going to be a serious conversation." She tells PEOPLE that in addition to health care, they will discuss the state of democracy, reproductive rights, and personal freedoms — all of which Biden will argue are at risk.

George Clooney and Julia Roberts Will Bring Their Starpower

Repeat collaborators George Clooney and Julia Roberts were tapped as something of emcees for the fundraiser, alongside Biden 2024 co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Elrod tells PEOPLE that when it comes to planning a major event, the headliners are key. "Once you get a couple of the big names confirmed, then everything else tends to fall in place," she says, calling Clooney and Roberts "two of the absolute best" who have known rapport.

"They've been longtime supporters of the Democratic Party, longtime supporters of President Biden," she says. "They both know President Obama really well."

Related: Julia Roberts and George Clooney's Friendship Timeline

The movie star friends previously found themselves in the presence of Biden during a White House reception for the 2022 Kennedy Center honorees. Roberts and her husband showed up to celebrate Clooney, who was honored that year.

Related: Julia Roberts Wears Dress Covered in Photos of George Clooney to Kennedy Center Honors

Then Come More Entertainers, Plus a Surprise Musical Performance

While Clooney and Roberts are the top-billed stars participating in Saturday's program, a few other notable figures are expected to take the stage during the evening.

The Biden campaign confirms that actors Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Jack Black and Sheryl Lee Ralph will each play a role in the night's events, though they wouldn't rule out additional participants.

Ralph, for one, has already been active on the 2024 campaign trail, appearing with Vice President Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania last month for a conversation about reproductive rights.

Related: Sheryl Lee Ralph and Kamala Harris Reunite in Pa. to Talk About Women's Rights

At the Radio City Music Hall fundraiser in March, live music played a central role in the program, with Lizzo, Queen Latifah, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele all performing.

The campaign is keeping the Los Angeles event's performer(s) under wraps for now, but PEOPLE understands that at least one performance can be expected, as well.

Related: Lea Michele Marks Milestone Performance at Biden Fundraiser After Baby No. 2 News: 'I’ve Never Sung Pregnant'

Additional Celebs Will Pack the Audience

A nice feature of choosing to host a high-priced fundraiser in the home of the film industry is that the audience will prove just as noteworthy as the program lineup.

The Biden campaign notes that several familiar faces are expected in the room, including (but not limited to) Keegan-Michael Key, Connie Britton, Misha Collins, Jeri Ryan, Jonathan Del Arco, Mandana Dayani, Blake Cooper Griffin and Adam Met.

Key, Britton and Met were all in attendance at Biden's pre-inauguration concert and fundraiser in January 2021.

Related: Keegan-Michael Key and Debra Messing to Host Pre-Inauguration Concert on Sunday Night

Whether attendees are nationally recognized or not, the Biden campaign hopes that everyone in the audience walks away ready to stump for the incumbent.

"It's really important to make sure that we're using not just celebrities, but other external-facing surrogates who can get our message out far and wide beyond the typical folks who are tuned into the election right now," Elrod explains of the campaign's thinking.

"[President Biden] can't be in 500 places at one time, which is why you need outside external voices who can not only amplify your message, but validate your credentials to a broader audience," she adds, "which of course oftentimes includes people who are not watching MSNBC and CNN all day, but people out in America who are living their lives."

Backstage, an L.A. Staple Will Supply the Ice Cream

Even behind the scenes, Elrod says, key members of the L.A. community will be chipping in for Biden's visit. One is Craig Susser, founder of celebrity hotspot Craig's Restaurant in West Hollywood.

"He's known as the guy who welcomes the Democrats when they're in town," Elrod says, and on Saturday, he will pop by the as-yet-undisclosed venue with a "local treat" from his self-named vegan ice cream brand.

"You know who likes ice cream? The current president of the United States," Elrod says. "Those of us backstage, probably at the staff level, look forward to devouring some of Craig's famous vegan ice cream while we're there."

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