Not all superheroes wear capes!

SPYSCAPE’s mission is to inspire you to uncover your superpowers through stories and experiences based on spy and superhero narratives.That’s why we’ve created our latest program, True Superheroes.

Our True Superheroes can come from any walk of life, but they must meet three key criteria: overcome significant adversity, make an amazing contribution to society, and inspire others to do the same.

On National Superhero Day (April 28) 2023, we will host our first True Superheroes Gala Awards ceremony at our glamorous 60,000 sq ft HQ in New York City, designed by architecture superhero Sir David Adjaye.

You’ll find the first 33 of what will eventually be close to 200 nominees below, and you can also nominate your own True Superheroes and sign up for our True Superheroes newsletter - you might even win tickets to our 2023 Gala in New York City!

Music: True Superheroes

Nile Rodgers - CHIC co-founder Nile Rodgers was deeply affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and organized a celebrity re-recording of his hit song for Sister Sledge We Are Family to raise money for relief efforts. The recording sowed the seeds for the We Are Family Foundation which now funds schools in Africa. Read: Nile’s True Superhero story.

Dolly Parton - Country singer Dolly Parton is also a much-loved actress and philanthropist. She grew up in a poor family in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains and soon became a Grand Ole Opry favorite. She has devoted much of her life to charity, including a book-gifting program that distributes 1m books a month to children. Read: Dolly’s True Superhero story. 

Stevie Wonder - Only a handful of artists have the cultural magnetism that enables their work to influence our lives - Stevie Wonder is one of them. The UN Messenger of Peace is highly recognized for his philanthropic work and efforts to ensure Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered each January as a civil rights hero. Read: Stevie’s True Superhero story. 
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Environmental True Superheroes

Jane Goodall - World-renowned primatologist, environmental activist, and humanitarian Jane Goodall discovered the devastating effects of habitat erosion in the 1980s, leading her to study environmental change. The UN Messenger of Peace works tirelessly to make the world better through her Roots & Shoots project. Read: Jane’s True Superhero story. 

Jerome Foster II - Jerome Foster II stood outside the White House for 58 weeks during Trump’s presidency and held a sign: ‘School strike for climate’. Joe Biden invited him inside to be the White House’s youngest-ever advisor. Now Jerome’s got a new message for politicians on climate change: “Stand up or they step down.” Read: Jerome’s True Superhero story.

Phyllis Omido - Phyllis Omido is the activist behind a landmark $12m judgment awarded to Kenyan shantytown residents poisoned by lead. Even US activist Erin Brockovich is impressed: “A single mother with no formal training discovers a deadly water contamination… This is the story of Phyllis Omido, and she is my hero." Read: Phyllis’ True Superheroes story.

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Hollywood’s True Superheroes

Millie Bobby Brown - Unicef’s youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador is working to solve a universal problem: bullying. “It’s a terrifying feeling to look at your phone and see that messages people are sending you are filled with anger and hate - and even threats,” the actress told the UN in a speech when she was 15. Read: Millie’s True Superheroes story. 

Robert Downey Jr. - Robert Downey Jr.’s life story is a complex tale of a Hollywood bad boy on the brink, a saga of damnation and redemption, and the story of a true superhero. Robert has opened The Footprint Coalition, an organization that aims to reduce carbon footprints around the world. Read: Robert’s True Superheroes story. 

Ryan Reynolds - From running the NYC marathon for Parkinson’s Disease to buying the Wrexham soccer club in Wales to help the community club, it’s fair to say Ryan Reynolds doesn’t just play at being a superhero. The Hollywood A-lister and his wife are also fundraising for Ukraine relief efforts. Read: Ryan’s True Superheroes story.

Paralympic Athletes: True Superheroes

Alex Zanardi - Alex Zanardi is a racer, a champion, and an icon to many but most of all he’s a fighter. He found fame in the 1990s as a Formula One and IndyCar racing driver, lost his legs in a horrific crash in 2001, but miraculously returned to motorsport two years later before taking up the sport of handcycling. Read: Alex's True Superheroes story.

Anastasia Pagonis - Anastasia Pagonis went from debilitating depression to Team USA’s first Gold medal of the Tokyo Paralympics, shattering her own world record. It’s an incredible win for a young woman who - only three years before the Games - was diagnosed with autoimmune retinopathy which causes blindness. Read: Anastasia’s True Superheroes story.

Abbas Karimi - A member of the Refugee Paralympic Team, Afghan-US swimmer Abbas Karimi has come a long way since he was born, without arms, in Kabul in 1997 and began his difficult journey through refugee camps and into the safety of America. He now works with the UN to champion the disabled. Read: Abbas' True Superheroes story.

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Architecture’s True Superheroes

‍David Adjaye: Throughout his career, superstar architect David Adjaye has been a proponent of philanthropy. He not only curated a Miami auction that raised more than $10m for HIV/AIDS, he’s also an inspiring mentor to young Africans. Read: David’s True Superheroes story. 

Jeanne Gang: Chicago architect Jeanne Gang builds relationships as well as skyscrapers. She uses physical space to strengthen community ties. “I believe we can do much more than create individual buildings,” she said. “We can help steady this planet we all share.” Read: Jeanne’s True Superheroes story. 

Renzo Piano - Architect Renzo Piano is a superhero in Italy where he is focused on a pro bono project to rebuild the country’s city suburbs and mentor a new generation of architects. Their joint mission is to mend a suburb, one Italian community at a time. Read: Renzo’s True Superheroes story.
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Sports’ True Superheroes

Cristiano Ronaldo - The Portuguese football legend is one of the world's most followed people on Instagram but the sports star is also a superhero for his charitable work. Cristiano Ronaldo is an ambassador for three major charities: Save the Children, Unicef, and World Vision, and has spoken up for many more. Read: Cristiano’s True Superheroes story. 

Serena Williams - With a record-breaking 23 Grand Slams, the four-time Olympic Gold medalist is an icon of the sporting world and an inspiration for athletes and women around the globe. “Ladies, it can be done,” Serena Williams said, accepting Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year award. Read: Serena’s True Superheroes story. 

Francis Ngannou - Francis Ngannou is the Ultimate Fighting Champ heavyweight titleholder, weighing in at 250 pounds and standing 6’4” tall. Born in Cameroon, West Africa, he hopes to be a hero at home by building the country’s first fully-equipped gym so athletes can make their dreams come true. Read: Francis' True Superheroes story. 

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Fashion’s True Superheroes

Ralph Lauren - Ralph Lauren became sensitive to other people’s illnesses after recovering from a brain tumor. “I do my part in this country to help people who can’t be helped or they need help,” Ralph said. “I don’t think I’m the gift of the world - I just do what I do, and I love it, and I’ve been lucky.” Read: Ralph’s True Superheroes story.

Vivienne Westwood - Dame Vivienne Westwood is Cool Earth’s most committed supporter, donating more than £1.5m to the mission. Her fashion brand reflects her ideals with sustainably sourced materials. She is also working with the WTO to encourage the growth of ethical businesses in Africa. Read: Vivienne’s True Superheroes story.

‍Christian Louboutin - The king of stilettos created the Red Soles for Hope campaign to raise money for AIDS research, then partnered with (RED) to help fight AIDS in Africa. Now he’s working on his Walk a Mile in My Shoes initiative to support racial justice and end child incarceration. Read: Christian’s True Superheroes story.

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Food’s True Superheroes

Jamie Oliver - Jamie Oliver is best known for his optimist cooking shows and recipes. What’s lesser-known about the chef is his relentless campaign to reduce obesity: “Diet-related disease is the biggest killer in America, in Canada, and in England, but it’s just not glamorous. There are no bullets or car chases.” Read: Jamie’s True Superheroes story.

Guy Fieri - Guy is the Food Network's breakout star but he's been making headlines for different reasons lately. After setting up his Sonoma vineyard, Fieri spent three straight summers bringing meals to firefighters during the California wildfires. He then raised $25m to help restaurant workers through the Covid. Read: Guy's True Superheroes story.

Jack Monroe - In an era of celebrity chefs, Jack Monroe may not be the first name that springs to mind, but make no mistake - Jack is a superhero. The British activist convinced supermarket giant Asda to reintroduce its Smart Price food range into every one of its 500-plus supermarkets to fight poverty. Read: Jack’s True Superheroes story.

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Art’s True Superheroes

‍Yayoi Kusama - Yayoi Kusama's unconventional approach to charity reflects her art. She once overlaid a portrait of Veuve Clicquot’s founder with bright red polka dots for a charity auction. In 2017, she founded Japan’s Yayoi Kusama Museum to give visitors a chance to learn about her mental health struggles. Read: Yayoi’s True Superheroes story.

David Hockney - David Hockney is not just one of the most important artists of his generation but also a very generous one. The UK ‘Giving List’ named him one of Britain’s largest philanthropists in 2012 after he donated $124m of his art to his charitable foundation, which in turn donates to museums each year. Read: David’s True Superheroes story.
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Tracey Emin - Things took a very serious turn in 2020 when Tracey Emin needed a bladder cancer operation to save her life. Her brush with death made Tracey focus on what’s really important to her now: the gift of time, her charity work, and her legacy. Read: Tracey’s True Superheroes story.

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Design Artist’s True Superheroes

George Pérez - George Pérez has been inspiring fans for a generation with his comic book superheroes and tireless work for the Hero Initiative, a group that has donated more than $1m to comic creators in medical or financial need. He’s also donated work to raise money for children’s hospitals and veterans’ groups. Read George's True Superheroes story. 

Lisa Wood - The artist behind Tula Lotay put together her first Thought Bubble comic book conference in 2007 and hasn’t looked back. It’s been a challenge for Britain’s comic book artist - she left school barely able to read and write because of dyslexia - but she now inspires others to pursue their dreams. Read Lisa’s True Superheroes story.

‍Gene Luen Yang - Gene Luen Yang is a comic book artist who’s taught algebra and racial tolerance through a series of comic book characters and his graphic novel American Born Chinese (2006). The math teacher has also developed comics as a teaching aid for students who may have learning disabilities. Read: Gene's True Superheroes story. 

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Literary True Superheroes

Stephen King: Horror writer Stephen King is among the wealthiest authors in the world, which allows him to give about $4m a year to local charities including his library in Bangor, Maine, the fire department, and schools. Now he’s hoping to turn his family home into a writers’ retreat. Read: Stephen’s True Superheroes story. 

J.K. Rowling: The Harry Potter author is a superhero to charities including the Volant Charitable Trust which supports women, children, and young people at risk. Rowling's philanthropic donations are substantial - Forbes estimated them at $160m in 2012 - and she also donates to medical causes. Read: Joanne's True Superheroes story.

George R.R. Martin - When the author’s not overthrowing dynasties or killing off characters, he oversees Stagecoach, a non-profit he helped set up in honor of a Santa Fe friend who died. The author of A Game of Thrones dreams about bringing jobs to New Mexico through mentoring, internships, and education. Read: George’s True Superheroes story.