Yungblud, Sharon Osbourne, Andrew Watt, Chris Robinson, and more were in attendance
The 34th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards® Viewing Party brought together Hollywood’s biggest stars and advocates at West Hollywood Park on March 15, raising $10.6 million towards ending AIDS. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is one of the leading AIDS organizations in the world, funding lifesaving HIV prevention, treatment, and care for the communities who need it most.
The evening featured a raw and unfiltered performance by double-platinum selling British artist, BRIT and GRAMMY® Award winner Lola Young. Performing songs from her third studio album, I’m Only F**king Myself, including “d£aler” and “SPIDERS,” she brought her signature grit and honesty to the stage and had the crowd singing every word of her breakthrough hit, “Messy.”
“Elton, David and the Foundation are all about celebrating who you really are, and that’s exactly what my music is about,” said Lola Young. “My generation didn’t live through the height of the AIDS epidemic, but that means we have a responsibility to speak up for the millions of people still pushing to live freely, especially LGBTQ+ communities who led the way from the start. It means so much to me to be part of a night that celebrates authenticity and supports a cause that really matters,” said Lola Young.
In addition to introducing Lola Young to the stage, Elton John co-hosted the benefit alongside David Furnish, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, continuing a powerful tradition that has made the Foundation’s Viewing Party one of the most premier and impactful events of Oscars weekend.
“The Academy Awards Viewing Party reflects why we started this Foundation 34 years ago: to honor the friends we lost and advocate for the people still vulnerable. Every year we come together, and every year artists like Lola Young make the night unforgettable. In a moment full of incredible British talent, Lola stood out. She’s bold, brilliant, and completely herself. West Hollywood, thank you for showing up and helping us keep pushing to end AIDS,” said Elton John, Founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
“This evening captured the spirit of what makes this event so special – extraordinary talent, dear friends, and a shared commitment to making a difference. It was wonderful to welcome Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka back for their third year as co-hosts who time and time again bring such generosity and heart to the stage. Thanks to the incredible support of everyone who joined us, the Elton John AIDS Foundation can continue expanding access to HIV prevention, treatment, and mental health services worldwide,” said David Furnish, Chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Additional attendees included: Adam Lambert, Alysa Liu, Andrew Watt, Ashlyn Harris, Bernie Taupin, Becky G, Betsey Johnson, Billie Jean King, Brandi Carlile, Callum Turner, Camille Razat, Charlotte Tilbury, Chris Colfer, Chris Paul, Colton Haynes, Damiano David, David Geffen, Diego Boneta, Dove Cameron, Dua Lipa, Eric McCormack, Fran Drescher, Haley Kiyoko, Katy O’Brien, Ilana Kloss, Jake Wesley Rogers, Jane Seymour, Jason Ritter, Jesse Jo Stark, JC Chasez, John Magaro, Julien Baker, Kate Beckinsale, Keke Palmer, Lana Condor, Laverne Cox, Lisa Ann Walter, Madison Chock, Maura Higgins, Melissa McCarthy, Olivia Palermo, Orville Peck, Patricia Arquette, Renata Notni, Robbie Graham Kuntz, RuPaul, Sonia Mena, Sophia Bush, Stephanie Beatriz, Spencer House, Tiffany Haddish, Tina Knowles, Tove Lo, Tristan Schukraft, Donatella Versace, Yungblud, Zoe Saldaña, among others.
The evening began with a Champagne Bollinger cocktail reception hosted by American Airlines to celebrate their centennial anniversary. Guests enjoyed a curated culinary experience crafted by Chef Wayne Elias and specialty cocktails by Tequila Don Julio.
The fundraising portion was led by auctioneer and author Lydia Fenet, whose spirited call-to-action inspired generous contributions in support of the Foundation’s lifesaving work. A standout moment was the auction of Jack Coulter’s Tiny Dancer, which was introduced by an inspiring video of the behind-the-scenes creation of the artwork. Living with synaesthesia, Coulter experiences sound as color, translating music into abstract technicolor compositions. This work was created during a live piano rendition of “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John, marking the first time he had ever performed the song on solo piano without vocals.
Additional auction highlights included:
- Steve Schapiro, Robert Redford and Lauren Hutton, Sonoma, California, 1970
- Elton John Pinball Machine made by Jersey Jack Pinball
- Postcards from London: A Burberry Experience
- William Claxton Peggy Moffitt in Rudi Gernreich, Topless Swimsuit, 1964
- Chopard Haute Joaillerie chandelier earrings
- Peter Hujar Nude Self-Portrait Series (Avedon Master Class), 1967
- Andre Miripolsky, Elton takes Manhattan 1980, 2025
- Pair of Rolex Cosmograph Daytonas “Yin & Yang” Engraved with Elton and David’s Signatures
- Dua Lipa’s custom Jean Paul Gaultier Bright Pink Corset
- Jack Coulter, Tiny Dancer
- Dinner with Elton John and David Furnish
- Two invitations to the Vanity Fair Oscars after party
This year, the Foundation established its first-ever After Party Benefit Committee, hosted by supporters Becky G, Stephanie Beatriz, Diego Boneta, Dylan Efron, Tommy Genesis, Chase Hudson, Xochitl Gomez, Isabela Merced, Jessica Wang and Juanpa Zurita, who helped keep the festivities going late into the night.
“The truth is that we can end AIDS. The tools exist and we know how to reach people with prevention and treatment. What stands in the way is stigma, inequality, and the dangerous decline in global funding. That’s why nights like this matter. The generosity of this community allows the Elton John AIDS Foundation to reach the people too often left behind – LGBTQ+ communities, young women, people living in places where access to care is still out of reach. When we invest in them, we don’t just save lives. Because of the generosity in this room, we move the world closer to ending AIDS for good,” said Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Presenting sponsors of the event included A+E Global Media, Chopard, Gilead Sciences, Robert and Dana Kraft, Bob and Tamar Manoukian and MISTR, which supported the Academy Awards Viewing Party After Party. Supporting co-sponsors include Iris and Michael Smith, plus centennial champagne toast and official airline partner American Airlines, spirits partner Tequila Don Julio, and the City of West Hollywood.
Funds raised from this year’s event will strengthen the Foundation’s efforts to prevent new HIV transmissions, expand access to treatment, combat stigma and discrimination, reform harmful policies, and protect the communities who need it most. HIV is not over: someone dies of AIDS-related causes every minute. As global funding declines and attacks on LGBTQ+ communities intensify, the Foundation refuses to look away.
PHOTO GALLERY:
