As Everything Everywhere All at Once swept this year’s Oscars, glitterati at the annual Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Academy Awards Viewing Party raised over $9 million for the organization’s efforts to end HIV.
Last year, Sir Elton John joined the fundraiser via satellite from Lincoln, Nebraska, where he was performing as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. This year, he joined the festivities in person along with his husband, David Furnish, and special guests actors Eric McCormack and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and singer Rina Sawayama.
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Since 1992, the viewing parties have raised over $90 million for HIV programs across the globe, including in the United States.
“We mustn’t forget that HIV is still causing needless suffering around the world, and we must protect those most vulnerable to this disease with testing and compassionate care,” said John in a press statement. “We can see an end to AIDS in our lifetimes, but first we must break down stigma and discrimination and provide equal access to health care to finally end the epidemic for everyone, everywhere.”
“Elton and I are so touched and elated by the generosity we’ve seen throughout this glittering and massively successful evening,” added Furnish, who is also chairman of the foundation. “This funding will help us continue HIV and AIDS prevention and care programs across the world, save millions of lives and help countless people to have a brighter future.”
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Last year, a report from Funders Concerned About AIDS ranked the Elton John AIDS Foundation as the fifth largest philanthropic funder of HIV programs in 2020 (following Gilead Sciences, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust and ViiV Healthcare).
John’s decades-long AIDS work earned him a National Humanities Medal last year from President Joe Biden. For more, see “Watch a ‘Flabbergasted Elton John Receive a Medal for His HIV Advocacy.”
The money raised funds the foundation’s numerous efforts to fight the epidemic. Recently, the organization teamed with Walmart to train pharmacists to better serve the HIV community.
Who attended this year’s viewing party? The press release offers a roundup of celebrities and bold-faced names:
Among the crowd of supporters, the Foundation welcomed Donatella Versace, Maren Morris, Fan Bingbing, Emma Watson, Wiz Khalifa, Heidi Klum, Dove Cameron, Hilary Duff, Brooke Shields, Lucien Laviscount, Noah Schnapp, Kesha, Regé-Jean Page, Saweetie, Stella Maxwell, Tyga, Sharon Osbourne, Sophia Bush, Maggie Rogers, Jenna Dewan, Julianne Hough, Smokey Robinson, Karen Pittman, Simona Tabasco, Michael Imperioli and other distinguished guests. An exclusive “Spotlight” sunglass frame from the Elton John Eyewear collection was gifted to dinner guests. The evening concluded with an electric performance by Rina Sawayama, who performed “Minor Feelings,” “Hold The Girl” and “This Hell.” Guests were also treated to a captivating duet between Sawayama and Elton John himself, with the song “Chosen Family.”
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