Ansel Elgort, Justin Timberlake, and More Celebrities Risking Brain Freeze for Charity

By Sarah M. Smith

Unless you live under a rock, it’s hard to ignore the latest social movement that's taken over Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram one icy bucket at a time. The Ice Bucket Challenge to strike out ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) has flooded newsfeeds across America, after originating in the computer of Pete Frates, who was diagnosed with the incurable disease in 2012. Over the last few days everybody’s been doing it: Your neighbor, his dogs, professional athletes, and, of course, celebrities. From Martha Stewart’s salon dunk to Ansel Elgort going shirtless for a good cause, it seems like there isn't one person in America who hasn’t poured icy water on their head in support of ALS research.

Here’s how it works: When nominated, you must either accept the challenge and fill your bucket or donate $100 to ALS, then ask others to do the same. If you haven’t gotten iced yet, it's only a matter of time. The latest ALS campaign has led to a 1000 percent increase in donations to the cause. So after you entertain yourself with these iced out celebs, head to the ALS Association and donate. Then maybe send a tweet of encouragement to those stars who have yet to take up the challenge. (They're waiting for your nomination!)

Ansel Elgort

Ansel’s hot-and-cold selfie video was straight up faultless. Elgort opened the video with his nominations — The Fault in Our Stars author John Green, Nat Wolf, and Dylan O’Brien — before encouraging others to join him in his icy endeavor. And then he closed with some good, old fashioned screaming. Because that water is cold!

Jaime King & Taylor Swift

The two pals donate wads of hundred dollar bills in the loudest ice bucket challenge ever.

Lena Dunham

Rocking her Sia-esque new platinum blonde hair, Dunham takes the plunge and then nominates the cast of GIRLS.

Justin Timberlake

Nominating Jimmy Fallon and the Tonight Show's crew, Justin took on the challenge from two Boston Marathon survivors. True to his word, JT kept the ice flowing with a few friends... OK, a lot of friends. There’s some serious celebrating there at the end from the Tennessee Kids.

Nick Lachey

VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live host accepted the challenge from former TRL host Carson Daly, and received help from fellow TRL alum, wife Vanessa Lachey. That water was so cold, baby Camden couldn't help but cry from seeing his dad in pain.

Ben Affleck

Ben completes his challenge and takes wife Jennifer Garner for an unexpected swim.

Kate Upton and Justin Verlander

Kate Upton chooses to cover up for her challenge and nominates her The Other Woman co-stars Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann.

Michael Jordan

MJ passes the ball to his former coach, Phil Jackson and the original Dream Team to take on the ice bucket challenge.

Emmy Rossum

The Shameless star challenged her You're Not You co-stars Hilary Swank and Josh Duhamel to get a little wet off-set. Bikini weather or not, that ice water is still freezing cold.

Elizabeth Banks 

[caption id="attachment_430886" align="aligncenter" width="615"] [Photo Credit: elizabethbanks.com][/caption]Reason #129345 why we love Elizabeth Banks: She isn’t afraid to get a little wet for a good cause. Titled “Badass Stuff,” Banks shows us how it’s done in her shower. And she’s serious with her nominations, calling out Seth Rogen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Nathan Fillion to do the deed next.

Josh Murray

The Bachelorette winner followed his televised proposal with a loving nomination for fiancé Andi Dorfman. What a gentleman.

Martha Stewart

Martha saves the hairdresser an extra step by rinsing off her locks with one big icy splash. Emphasis on icy — the water-to-ice ratio in that bucket is clearly not the same. After a cold dunk, she nominates very famous friends Gwyneth Paltrow, Blake Lively, and Ellen DeGeneres to fill their buckets next.

Lance Bass

In 15 seconds, Lance Bass gets it done — no strings attached.

The Kennedy Family

Perhaps the most epic ALS Ice Bucket video of all-time, the famous clan takes "The Wave" to a whole new level. As if they hadn’t already nailed it, Grandma Ethel nominates... President Obama! Looks like he'll opt for the donation:

We asked the White House whether Obama would accept Ethel Kennedy’s ALS bucket challenge. Here is their response: pic.twitter.com/Z5d84ti9xk

— Matt Viser (@mviser) August 12, 2014

[Photo Credit: Getty Images, YouTube]