Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis man the phone bank for Red Nose Day

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were among the stars helping to raise money during America's Red Nose Day telethon on Thursday night (26May16).

The second annual event was based in Los Angeles' Universal Studios, where Scottish-American TV presenter Craig Ferguson kicked off the live two-hour telecast.

More than 50 celebrities participated in the telethon, both in attendance and in pre-recorded videos, which featured comedic sketches from the likes of Paul Rudd, Sarah Silverman, Tracy Morgan, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, Margot Robbie and the cast of The Walking Dead.

One video had celebrities poking fun at similar charity events, in which stars are only featured saying a single line or even one word, in hopes viewers will donate to the cause. The clip featured A-listers such as Julianne Moore, Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Gates, Emma Watson, Liam Neeson, Zac Efron, and Bono, who ended the segment with a simple dramatic look to the camera.

In another pre-taped segment, Julia Roberts paid an emotional visit to Children First Academy in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met low-income families and kids suffering from various ailments, while Jack Black gave an uplifting update on the homeless Ugandan orphan he met last year (15).

Meanwhile, Ashton and Mila worked the phone bank at Universal Studios, alongside stars such as Mel B, Tony Hale, Mandy Moore, Minnie Driver, Malin Ackerman, and Scott Foley, among others.

Elton John, a longtime supporter of the U.K.'s Comic Relief campaign, gave a powerful pre-taped performance of his song A Good Heart, while country musician Blake Shelton sang his inspirational track Saviour's Shadow.

This year (16), viewers raised more than $30 million over the past month and during the telecast. Half of the money will be spent in the U.S. for children's charities, while the other half will serve poor communities in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

The U.S. Red Nose Day telethon launched last year (15), raising more than $23 million (£15 million). The event launched in the U.K. over three decades ago and has raised more than $1 billion.