Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance To Host The Elizabeth Taylor Ball To End AIDS

The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) today announced award-winning actress, director, and executive producer Angela Bassett and award-winning actor Courtney B. Vance will host the upcoming Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS on September 21, 2023 at The Beverly Hills Hotel. The evening will be generously supported by Diamond Sponsor Bulgari, the Roman High Jeweler, whose creations were loved by Elizabeth. 

Bassett is known for captivating performances on television, including the hit drama “9-1-1,” as well as in iconic films such as “Malcolm X,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” “Mission: Impossible - Fallout,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and “What's Love Got to Do with It,” the latter two garnering her Academy Award nominations. In addition to being honored as one of this year's Time100 and Time Women of the Year, she has earned multiple EMMY nominations and is the recipient of numerous awards including a SAG Award, 16 NAACP Image Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, the Black Girls Rock! Icon Award, Critics Choice Awards, Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema & Television Career Achievement Award, an AAFCA TV Honor, and Glamour's Women of the Year Award to name a few.

From Vance's stunning portrayal of Johnnie Cochran in FX's “The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story” and the beloved and pivotal character “Uncle George” in HBO's critically acclaimed drama horror series “Lovecraft Country,” to his star turn in NatGeo's “Genius: Aretha” as Rev. C.L. Franklin and most recently in the riveting crime drama “61stStreet,” he has earned two EMMY Awards, a Tony, a Critics Choice Award, an AAFCA TV Honor, an ABFF Honor, a Black Reel TV Award, the Trumpet Excellence In Entertainment Honor, and multiple NAACP Image Awards, as well as SAG, Golden Globe, and Hollywood Critics Association nominations.

This power couple's company, Bassett Vance Productions is in partnership with MTVE Studios to create diverse and inclusive content for Paramount Global. Their first project, “One Thousand Years of Slavery,” aired in February 2022 on the Smithsonian Channel, and “Heist 88,” a feature film starring Vance, will air on Paramount+ starting September 29 and on Showtime Networks on October 1.

The Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS, which will honor Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Cookie Johnson with The Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award, will include a seated dinner, an exciting live auction in partnership with Christie's featuring unique works of art and luxury experiences, and a live performance by 7x GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter Gladys Knight. Guests will also be given an exclusive look at items from The Elizabeth Taylor Archive including highlights from Elizabeth Taylor's personal life, film career, and philanthropy. The event will be generously supported by Presenting Sponsor Gilead Sciences.

Working tirelessly on the AIDS crisis throughout the 1980s, Elizabeth Taylor established The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in 1991 to carry out her vision for an AIDS-free world. ETAF works to provide the direct care needed for people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. Emphasizing Elizabeth's voice, commitment, and concentration on hard-to-reach communities, ETAF's domestic advocacy initiatives remain a priority. HIV Decriminalization nationally is ETAF's primary advocacy initiative. ETAF's programs have also expanded to ensure that HIV prevention education and access to treatment are available through domestic and international initiatives.

For more information, visit ETAF.org or contact Cathy Brown, ETAF, at cbrown@etaf.org.

Part of the LVMH Group, Bulgari was founded in the heart of Rome in 1884. Over the decades, the Brand has established a worldwide reputation as magnificent Roman High Jeweler and icon of Italian art of living thanks to its exquisite craftsmanship, visionary design and audacious color combinations.

Through a pioneering vision intrinsic in the brand's DNA since its founding, the company's international success has evolved into a global and diversified luxury purveyor of products and services, ranging from fine jewels and high-end watches to accessories and perfumes, and featuring an extended network of boutiques and hotels in the world's most exclusive shopping areas.     

Demonstrated through its numerous philanthropic partnerships, Bulgari deeply believes in innovating the present for a sustainable future through its commitment to Social & Environmental Responsibility and giving back – to nature and to the community. www.bulgari.com