Elton John‘s annual Oscar pre-party used to be the hottest ticket in town, and now the Rocketman has opened up the event to all with this year’s virtual edition on April 25. The hour-long special will be available to stream and Neil Patrick Harris is confirmed to host alongside John and his husband, David Furnish. Dua Lipa will perform alongside other musicians who are yet to be confirmed by organizers.
The event will also raise proceeds for The Elton John AIDS Foundation. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is one of the leading independent AIDs organizations in the world which will donate proceeds from the night to young people at risk and living with HIV all over the world, as part of the organization’s commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
Every year, #EJAFOscars brings together supporters and sponsors so we can ensure no one is left behind in the fight to end AIDS. This year, you’re invited!
Hosted by @ActuallyNPH with @eltonofficial & David, plus special performances by @DUALIPA & Elton!https://t.co/cIpQ2AaT0R pic.twitter.com/4ocESW2KRY
— Elton John AIDS Fdn (@ejaf) March 22, 2021
“This year, we are bringing our Oscar Party into people’s homes for the first time virtually for an unforgettable evening with David, myself, our dear friend Neil Patrick Harris and the incredible Dua Lipa plus many fabulous surprise names,” John said in a statement.
“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.”
Up to 100,000 people will be able to attend virtually in each of the different regions where the special will air. The pre-show will be hosted at four different times to coincide with the start of the Oscars around the world: 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on April 25 in the U.S.; 7 p.m. GMT on April 26 in the UK; 7 p.m. AEST on April 26 in Australia and New Zealand; and an optional repeat at 7 p.m. PT on April 26 in the U.S.
Dua Lipa added, “It’s such an honor to be a part of one of the most iconic Oscar Parties and I’m really proud to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation to help tackle the stigma that exists around HIV as we need to build a kinder and more accepting world together. And to share the stage with Elton John will be a dream come true!”
Tickets for the event can be bought via Ticketmaster here.
