The 26th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party hosted by Sir Elton John and David Furnish raised $5.9 million for the global effort to end AIDS. The gala, which took place on Sunday, March 4, at West Hollywood Park in Los Angeles, was generously supported by Presenting Sponsor BVLGARI.
Attendees bejeweled in BVLGARI included Sir Elton John and David Furnish, BVLGARI Brand Ambassadors Jasmine Sanders and Jon Kortajarena, Asia Chow, Sofia Richie, Hailey Clauson, Leila Yavari, David Jarre, and Lais Ribeiro, among others. The Foundation also welcomed Tom Payne and Jennifer Akerman, Tim Allen, Sonia Ammar, David Bisbal, Kate Bock, Helena Bordon, Sandra Brant, Candace Cameron Bure, Candace Bushnell, JC Chasez, Erika Christensen, Chris Colfer, Joan Collins, Clifton Collins Jr., Kerry Condon, Darren Criss, Jackie Cruz, Miley Cyrus, Ebonee Davis, Zooey Deschanel, Eva Dolezalova, Colman and Raul Domingo, Peter Dundas, Jay Duplass, Tyler Ellis, Tracey Emin, Roland Emmerich, Allie Marie Evans, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ashley Fink, Peter Fonda, Toni Garrn, Karen Gillan, Tony Goldwyn, Lucian Grainge, Clare Grant, Seth Green, Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna, Chris Hardwick, Colton Haynes, Lydia Hearst, Liam Hemsworth, Luke and Sam Hemsworth, Jacqueline Jablonski, Tracey Jacobs, Caitlyn Jenner, Quincy Jones, Gus Kenworthy, Billie Jean King, Jaime King, Jacob Kiszka, Joshua Kiszka, Samuel Kiszka, Heidi Klum, Gladys Knight, Robert Kraft, Karolina Kurkova, Ryan Kwanten, Danielle Lauder, William P. Lauder, Brandon Thomas Lee, Sandra Lee, Spike and Tonya Lee, Don Lemon, Humberto Leon, Chris Levine, Dan Levy, Judith Light, Adriana Lima, Tara Lipinski, Tatiana Luter, Andie MacDowell, Gisella Marengo, Ricky Martin, AnnaLynne McCord, Eric & Janet McCormack, Lea Michele, Janet Mock, Matthew Morrison, Hari Nef, Petra N?mcová, Kyle Newman, Elizabeth Perkins, Shadi Petosky, Busy Philipps, Natasha Poly, Bleona Qereti, Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Nikki Reed, April Richardson, Lionel Richie and Lisa Parigi, Paulina Rubio, Viktoriya Sasonkina, Nicole Scherzinger, Adam Senn, Jane Seymour, Shanina Shaik, Tyler Shields, Sebastian Stan, Daniel Stevens, Romee Strijd, Bernie Taupin, Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jennifer Tilly, Steve Tisch, Jasmine Tookes, Rufus Wainwright, David Walliams, Megan Williams, Nicole Williams, Mary Wilson, Rami Yacoub, Bellamy Young, and Zedd, among others.
Guests arrived at the Academy Awards Viewing Party for cocktails followed by a gala dinner and viewing of the 90th Academy Awards® telecast. This year, Co-Sponsor BBVA Compass made it possible for the world-renowned Roca Brothers of the Michelin three-star restaurant El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, to design and prepare the magnificent gala dinner enjoyed by guests. Hatt & Söner provided champagne, wines were provided by Domaine Bertaud Belieu, and spirits were provided by Chopin Vodka and Clase Azul Tequila.
The dinner was followed by a lively auction conducted by Alexander Gilkes of Paddle8, which featured the BVLGARI DIVISSIMA necklace in white gold and diamonds, the photograph Back Flip: Paradise Cove, 1987 by the late Herb Ritts, an opportunity from Champagne Hatt & Söner to create a personal bespoke vintage, the one-of-a-kind Music Is Love Heart designed and signed by Elton John and created in purple crystal by LALIQUE, the 31 signed and framed celebrity-designed heart images created for the December 2017 Kwippit/Elton John AIDS Foundation AIDS awareness campaign, the photograph Lightness of Being, 2018 by Chris Levine, an exclusive red crystal version of Tyler Ellis’ popular Perry clutch and the Perry Ellis bowtie for the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and two tickets to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
BVLGARI brought illusionist David Jarre to astound guests with his special brand of magic during the course of the evening. At the party, he predicted the Best Picture Oscar winner. David incorporated a BVLGARI Octo Roma watch into his illusion, which was auctioned at the end of the event during the live auction with the name of his Best Picture prediction embossed on the back.
BBVA Compass, TheBLUEFISH, and M?A?C Viva Glam partnered with EJAF as the evening’s Co-Sponsors; Fin Gray and Michael Melnick, Bob and Tamar Manoukian, Matthew Mellon, Rosa Cha, and Guy and Lisa Ruffin were Associate Sponsors; Tesla was the official automotive sponsor. The Foundation is especially grateful to the City of West Hollywood for continued collaboration with EJAF on shared goals. American Airlines is EJAF’s official airline.
In his remarks, EJAF Founder Sir Elton John thanked his guests for enthusiastically participating in an audience participation feature, which enabled guests to make gifts to the Foundation on the spot using their cell phones. Throughout the evening, live messages from EJAF friends Chris Colfer and Lea Michele, Judith Light and Eric McCormack, Billie Jean King, and Andie MacDowell encouraged guests to text in pledges to support the Foundation’s urgent mission. Guests who donated $5,000 or more received a Greg Gorman limited edition 1991 photograph depicting actress Laura Dern evoking the glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
“This is an especially critical time in the effort to end AIDS,” said Elton. “Even without a cure, we currently have the necessary prevention and treatment methods in hand to achieve an AIDS-free generation. What we lack are the dollars and the political will to achieve universal access to these lifesaving programs. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is helping to lead the way, and our work has never been more urgently needed.”
We are deeply grateful for the wonderful volunteer leadership of our Event chairs Tim and Jane Allen, Alessandra Ambrosio, Jean-Christophe Babin, Beck, Joseph W. Blount, Boy George, Jim Carrey, Ciara, Chris Colfer, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Cara Delevingne, John Demsey, Zooey Deschanel, Michelle Dockery, Jennifer Kelly Dominiquini, Jay Duplass, Ava DuVernay, Tracey Emin, Roland Emmerich, Frank Giustra, Fin Gray and Michael Melnick, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, Patricia Hearst, Tracey Jacobs, Allison Janney, Caitlyn Jenner, Quincy Jones, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, Heidi Klum, Robert K. Kraft, Diana Krall and Elvis Costello, Ryan Kwanten, Amy Landecker, Diane Lane, Sandra Lee, Spike and Tonya Lee, Judith Light, Eugenio Lopez, Rob and Sheryl Lowe, Eric and Janet McCormack, Joe McMillan, Lea Michele, Thomas E. Moore III and Mark Reynolds, Matthew Morrison, Mike and Kelly Myers, Kumail Nanjiani, Yvonne Orji, Sharon Osbourne, Katy Perry, Tyler Perry, Busy Philipps, Andrew Rannells, Pamella Roland, Jane Seymour, Sarah Silverman, Gillian Hearst Simonds and Christian Simonds, Steve Sims, Sharon Stone, Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Steve Tisch and Katia Francesconi, Steven Tyler, Denzel and Pauletta Washington, Evan Rachel Wood, and Jeffrey Wright.
All of us at EJAF are thrilled with the results of this signature fundraising event, and we are deeply grateful to all of the individuals and organizations that helped to make this benefit such an incredible success.
