Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance are honoring their close friends Magic Johnson and his wife Cookie.
The couples posed together on the red carpet as they arrived at the 2023 Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS on Thursday (September 21) held at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Fellow guests in attendance included Magic and Cookie‘s son EJ Johnson, Paris Jackson, Mean Girls actor Daniel Franzese, Samuel L. Jackson and wife LaTanya Richardson, Kathy & Rick Hilton, Chucky actress Jennifer Tilly, DWTS pro Gleb Savchenko and girlfriend Elena Belle, and Bling Empire star Christine Chiu.
Keep reading to find out more…
Angela and Courtney served as hosts for the evening, and during the ceremony, Magic and Cookie were honored with the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award.
Ahead of the event, Magic praised Cookie for standing by his side after he was diagnosed with HIV in 1991.
“To have Cookie’s support, it made it easier for me to tell the world. I also had the support of Dr. Buss, the Lakers and also the NBA. Knowing that Cookie and I had our strong relationship, and also our faith too. Because Cookie and I pray,” Magic shared with Variety. “Cookie’s a prayer warrior — and I think that helped us too. God really blessed me. The medicine and the support of my beautiful wife. But also those people in the league in terms of Dr. Buss, the Lakers. They supported me then and Commissioner David Stern supported me.”
He continued, “To know that you have all the people, as well as my parents, and my brothers and sisters. I can’t tell you how much that meant, knowing that I had their support as well. That helped me to go do what I needed to do to be here a long time.”
Later this fall, Angela will be receiving a major honor.
FYI: Angela is wearing a Dolce & Gabbana dress with Bulgari jewelry. EJ is wearing an Alaïa dress. Paris is wearing a Celine dress, Christian Louboutin shoes, Levian earrings, and rings from Noudar and Cartier. Kathy is wearing a Rebecca Vallance dress along with shoes and a bag by Jimmy Choo. Christine is wearing an Alberta Ferretti dress.
Click through the gallery for 45+ pictures of the stars at the event…