Elton John and David Furnish. Photo by Michael Kovac
The first virtual Academy Awards® Pre-Party to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation will be hosted by Emmy® and Tony Award®-winning actor and New York Times bestselling author Neil Patrick Harris alongside Sir Elton John and David Furnish, with a spectacular stripped back performance by GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Dua Lipa for the virtual event on Sunday April 25 at 7pm ET.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation said in a statement that the “Oscar Party will raise vital funds for the 1,600 young people who contract HIV each and every day. Sadly, AIDS is the leading cause of death among young people in Africa, and the second leading cause globally. To reach young people, we must listen to their needs and tailor their HIV care appropriately.”
Tickets for the Pre-Show are currently on sale via Ticketmaster. The Pre-Party Special will be powered by Cisco Webex to securely bring the event live to audiences.
Neil Patrick Harris
“This year, we are bringing our Oscar Party into people’s homes for the first time virtually for an unforgettable evening with David (Furnish), myself, our dear friend Neil Patrick Harris and the incredible Dua Lipa plus many fabulous surprise names,” says Sir Elton John, Founder, Elton John AIDS Foundation. “Now more than ever, we need to ensure that one pandemic does not override another, and we cannot forget the 38 million people living with HIV globally who need our care, love and support so we hope everyone joins us for this special one-of-a-kind Oscar Pre-Party.”
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.
“Young people represent 25 percent of the world’s population but are disproportionately affected by HIV making up 36 percent of new infections,” says Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. “For the first time ever, this year, the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Academy Awards Viewing Party will be a special virtual ticketed show and we’ll bring the Party to your home. Just like the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world to explore virtual events, it’s also forced us to explore many modes of innovative virtual health care to serve youth affected by HIV so this year, we’re raising funds to support young people at risk and living with HIV all over the world so we can continue the best care suited to youth in this digital era.” (Read our exclusive interview with EJAF CEO Anne Aslett.)
“I've always been a huge supporter of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and could not be more honored to host this year's virtual gala with my close friends Elton and David,” says Neil Patrick Harris. “Coming off the back of working on ‘It’s a Sin’ about the AIDS epidemic in the 80s, this cause resonates more deeply with me than ever. The tireless work done by the Foundation to help end the AIDS epidemic is incredibly inspiring, and I'm proud to have a small part in the effort to continue raising awareness for the movement.”
Dua Lipa. Photo by Hugo Comte
Dua Lipa joined Elton John for a surprise Instagram Live recently to talk about the event which you can watch here.
The 29th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party is supported by Rosewood London.
Visit www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org for additional information.
View the full press release.