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29TH ANNUAL ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION
ACADEMY AWARDS® VIEWING PARTY
RAISES $3 MILLION TO HELP
END THE AIDS EPIDEMIC
LOS ANGELES, April 25, 2021 – The 29th annual
Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards® Pre-Party hosted
by Emmy® and Tony Award®-winning actor Neil Patrick
Harris alongside Sir Elton John and David
Furnish, raised $3 million
for the global effort to end AIDS with thanks to our
generous donors, sponsors and supporters. The Foundation’s
first-ever virtual gala took place on Sunday, April 25 and
featured a stripped back performance by GRAMMY®
Award-winning recording artist Dua Lipa and
appearances by very special guests including Lady Gaga, Cynthia
Erivo and the cast of It’s a Sin, among
others. For the first time, EJAF supporters worldwide were
invited to attend the famed Oscar party by joining a
60-minute pre-show special produced by Fulwell 73 at
Rosewood London. The one-of-a-kind Pre-Party was powered by
Cisco Webex to
securely bring the event to audiences.
Guests at the Pre-Party received a warm welcome from Sir
Elton John and David Furnish, as well as special appearances
from the likes of Olly Alexander, Nathaniel Curtis, Omari
Douglas, Cynthia Erivo, Callum Scott Howells, Elizabeth
Hurley, David Williams, Lydia West, and others. Neil
Patrick Harris brought humor to the show and Dua Lipa lit
up the virtual Pre-Party with performances of her
chart-topping hits including, “Levitating,” “Pretty Please,”
“Hallucinate” and “Don’t Start Now.” Guests were also
treated to an extra-special duet with Sir Elton John and Dua
Lipa performing “Bennie and the Jets” and “Love
Again.” Following the Pre-Party, the live Oscars telecast
portion of the evening was hosted by Emmy® Award-winning
actor Eric McCormack and featured a performance by
country singer MacKenzie Porter for donors and
supporters.
‘We haven’t missed a year yet and we certainly weren’t going
to miss our 29th annual Oscar Party to benefit my
Foundation – even if it meant going virtual,' says Sir Elton
John, Founder, Elton John AIDS Foundation. ‘It was so much
fun to perform with the gorgeous Dua Lipa and open up our
Party to supporters all over the world. I’m so grateful to
Neil for hosting, everyone who attended and all my friends
who participated so that we could continue this legendary
event to raise vital funds to end the AIDS epidemic.’
Bringing the event worldwide, the Pre-Party special was
hosted across four different time zones leading into the
live broadcast of the Academy Awards® in each market.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in unimaginable
ways, but the Foundation is committed to ensure that one
pandemic does not override another. UNAIDS estimates that
there will be an extra half a million deaths from AIDS this
year alone in sub-Saharan Africa due to service disruptions
as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the funds
raised will support young people at risk and living with HIV
all over the world. There are 1600 new cases of HIV in young
people globally every day. This age group are smart and
savvy and require health care services and support in
different ways than adults do, and the Foundation will work
to ensure that services are accessible on the platforms that
are best suited to young people. The COVID-19 pandemic has
forced the world to explore many modes of virtual health
care and we need to ensure that this continues in a digital
era to serve young people affected by HIV.
Cisco Webex and Parx Casino partnered with the Foundation as
the evening’s Leading Partners. Co-Sponsors included Gilead
Sciences, Robert Kraft, Judy and Leonard Lauder, and
Associate Sponsors Elena and Victor Pinchuk, Rosewood
London, Sam’s Club, Iris and Michael Smith, as well as
Official Airline American Airlines and Official Champagne
Partner Charles de Cazanove. Event Chairs include Bob and
Tamar Manoukian, Brett A. Pletcher and Aruna Ravichandran.
Since the annual event’s inception in 1992, The Academy
Awards® Viewing Party has supported the Elton John AIDS
Foundation's efforts to raise millions for their lifesaving
work. With its presence across four continents, the
Foundation is committed to overcome the stigma,
discrimination and neglect that keeps us from ending AIDS.
Full Electronic Press Kit (EPK) with video and photos
available at LINK.
Fans can still purchase tickets to view additional streams
of the Oscar Pre-Show special for $19.99 via Ticketmaster
at https://shops.ticketmasterpartners.com/elton-john-aids-foundation.
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Follow the Elton John AIDS Foundation:
Facebook: @EltonJohnAIDSFoundation
Twitter: @ejaf
Instagram: @ejaf
TikTok: @eltonjohnaidsfoundation
About The Elton John AIDS Foundation:
The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in 1992 and
is one of the leading independent AIDS organisations in the
world. The Foundation’s mission is simple: an end to the
AIDS epidemic. With the mobilisation of our network of
generous supporters and partners, we fund local experts
across four continents to challenge discrimination, prevent
infections and provide treatment as well as influencing
governments to end AIDS. www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org
About Cisco Webex:
Cisco Webex delivers collaboration solutions that give
everyone a voice -- and business the ultimate edge. Because,
when businesses enable employees to bring their best selves
to work, everyone wins. Designing for these connections is
at the heart of everything we do -- from product design to
new innovations to the way we engage inside and out. To
learn more visit www.webex.com.
About Cisco:
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Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their
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imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other
company.
About Fulwell 73:
Fulwell 73, set up in 2005 by lifelong friends Ben Winston,
Leo Pearlman, Ben Turner and Gabe Turner, strives to make
top-quality television and film productions. In January 2017
it was announced that James Corden would be joining the
company with immediate effect as a fifth full partner.
The company first came to the public’s attention in
September 2007 with the release of its debut feature In
the Hands of the Gods (Lionsgate). Since then Fulwell’s theatrical
film releases include: the most successful sports
documentary of all time, The Class of 92 (Universal
Pictures); the huge box office hit One Direction 3D: This
is Us (Sony/Columbia), I Am Bolt (Universal) and
critically acclaimed and award winning independent features
such as The Guvnors (Metrodome). Fulwell is currently
in production on their first studio feature film Cinderella for
Sony Pictures, based on an original idea from James Corden,
written and directed by Kay Cannon, starring Camila Cabello,
Idina Menzel, Billy Porter, Pierce Brosnan and many more.
Recent television productions include Sunderland ‘Til I
Die for Netflix, Peter Crouch: Save Our Summer and Jack
Whitehall’s Sporting Nation for BBC, Quibi’s Cup of
Joe, the hit documentary Bros: After the Screaming
Stops for BBC, Carpool Karaoke: The Series for
Apple, Auschwitz Untold: In Colour for Channel 4 and
the hit Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special for BBC One.
It is also the producer of multi Emmy and Critics Choice
award winning, The Late Late Show with James Corden,
with CBS Television Studios.
About Rosewood London:
Rosewood London, centrally located in the heart of London on
High Holborn and housed in the original headquarters of the
Pearl Assurance Company, showcases a sensitive renovation of
the 1914 Edwardian, Grade II-listed building. Combining
English heritage with contemporary sophistication, the
retained Belle Époque
architectural features include the original carriageway
entrance to the grand courtyard and a spectacular Pavonazzo
marble staircase, which rises over seven storeys. The hotel
has the feel of a stylish London residence and houses 263
guestrooms and 45 suites including the Grand Manor House
Wing, an exclusive seven-bedroom suite with its very own
postcode. Tony Chi and Associates created the interiors of
the public areas including 11 event spaces and the Mirror
Room, serving elegant, innovative cuisine and afternoon tea.
The Martin Brudnizki-designed Holborn Dining Room and
year-round outdoor terrace offer British classics with a
twist whilst Scarfes Bar serves creative cocktails alongside
live jazz.
For more information: rosewoodhotels.com/London
Connect with us: Facebook Twitter Instagram @RosewoodLondon
#rosewoodlondon
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