Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Joins Elton John's Annual Oscars Viewing Party; Rina Sawayama to Perform

The Elton John AIDS Foundation is pleased to announce Elton John and chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation David Furnish's return as hosts for the 31st annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

EMMY Award-winning actor Eric McCormack and Golden Globe Award-winning actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez will join the iconic event as special guests, with singer-songwriter and actress Rina Sawayama set to perform. Additional talent names taking part in the evening will be announced in the coming weeks.

Presenting Sponsors of the party include Bob and Tamar Manoukian, NEURO Drinks, Chopard, ELTON JOHN EYEWEAR, Gilead Sciences, A+E Networks, Cheryl and Haim Saban and Robert K. Kraft.

"I am overjoyed to be reuniting with old and new friends on one of my favourite nights of the year, especially after missing last year's viewing party due to an unfortunate clash of schedules with my 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road' tour," says Sir Elton John, Founder, Elton John AIDS Foundation. "As always, I am so appreciative of every attendee, donor and sponsor who continues to support the Foundation's work across the globe in the fight to end AIDS. With such meaningful generosity, we can make a healthier and more inclusive world."

Since the inception of the Academy Awards Viewing Party in 1992, the event has supported the Elton John AIDS Foundation's efforts to raise millions for their life-saving work. All funds raised during the evening will support the Foundation's network of partners and local experts across four continents to challenge discrimination, prevent infections and provide treatment as well as influence governments to end AIDS.

"Elton and I are looking forward to the Foundation's milestone event celebrating our achievements with so many supporters and allies, but more importantly, raising much-needed awareness and funds for the innovative work that the Foundation is doing to end the AIDS epidemic," says David Furnish, chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "With rising new HIV infections and the tragic and needless loss of lives in many parts of the world, the support of our work is more crucial than ever."

"While we've seen tremendous progress since the Foundation's inception 31 years ago, the current, troubling state of the world brings risk of relapse, and there is still much work ahead," says Anne Aslett, CEO of Elton John AIDS Foundation.

"By supporting our annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party, you are directly helping us maintain services by providing access, agency, care, and justice to those who need it the most - the LGBTQ+ community, people who sell sex or use drugs, and young people who lack the information or agency to protect themselves."

The Foundation is especially grateful to Judy and Leonard Lauder for serving as the evening's Co-Sponsors, the City of West Hollywood for its continued collaboration, our official airline partner, American Airlines and our spirits partner Tequila Don Julio.

Fresh off her UK and US headline tour, which sold out the Roundhouse in London and saw five-star reviews from The Guardian and NME, newly minted British-Japanese pop star Rina Sawayama has followed up her celebrated debut album SAWAYAMA with sophomore LP Hold The Girl. A colossally ambitious record marrying intimate storytelling with arena-sized tunes, the album reached #3 in the UK charts, the highest ever for a Japanese artist.

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