The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) today announced actor, activist and fashion icon Billy Porter will be honored at The Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS fundraising gala on September 17, 2021, joining previously announced honorees Dr. Anthony Fauci, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and Sandra Thurman.
All four will be honored with the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award. Rising singer-songwriter, Jake Wesley Rogers will perform at the event, which will be generously supported by Presenting Sponsor, Gilead Sciences, Inc. Additional sponsors for the event are Diamond Sponsor BVLGARI and American Airlines, ETAF’s official airline.
Billy Porter is an Emmy, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning actor, singer, director, composer and playwright. His electric portrayal of ‘Pray Tell’ in the FX’s breakthrough series “Pose,” earned him the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, as well as Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Award, and Television Critics Association nominations. He most recently earned a third Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for this role. Porter is currently making his film directorial debut with the high school coming-of-age film “What If?,” written by Alvaro García Lecuona. Upcoming, Porter will release his first literary project, “Unprotected,” which will be published by Abrams Press on October 19, 2021.
Championed by everyone from Sir Elton John and Zane Lowe to Billboard, People, PAPER, Rolling Stone and more, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jake Wesley Rogers has turned his most formative years into some of the most evocative music this year. Social media buzzed as Academy Award winners Kate Hudson and Hilary Swank amongst other high-profile celebrities expressed fandom. His new single “Weddings & Funerals” sets the stage for the arrival of his debut EP, Pluto. Rogers sold out bicoastal dates on his 2021 headline tour and is set to support Tony, EMMY, and GRAMMY Award-winner Ben Platt on his 2022 arena tour.
The Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS will include a seated dinner, an exciting live auction in partnership with Christie’s featuring unique works of art and luxury experiences with Lydia Fenet serving as auctioneer, and a live performance by Jake Wesley Rogers. Guests will also be given a first-time up-close look at exclusive items from The Elizabeth Taylor Archive including highlights from Elizabeth Taylor’s personal life, film career, and humanitarian legacy. This year marks the 30th anniversary of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
The Host Committee includes Dr. Gabriel & Christine Chiu, Colin Farrell, Aileen Getty, Sir Elton John & David Furnish, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Ireland, Earvin “Magic” & Cookie Johnson, Daniel O’Day, Elizabeth Segerstrom and Barbra Streisand.
The Benefit Committee includes Wallis Annenberg, Angela Bassett, Carole Bayer Sager, Kate Burton, Alexandra Daddario, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Danai Gurira, Paris Jackson, Christian Lacroix, Judith Light, Catherine Opie & Julie Burleigh, Zac Posen, Zachary Quinto, Lorraine Schwartz, Omar Sharif Jr., Kerry Brown & Stacey Sher, Darren Star, Kimberly Steward, Lauren & Benedikt Taschen and Vanessa Williams.
