Inside Hollywood’s The Dolby Theatre, home to this year’s 96th Academy Awards, parties were underway as soon as celebrity guests pooled within the spectacular venue—just after their red carpet arrivals but long before the start of the ceremony. Three floors with chic corner bars, connected by one grand spiraling stairwell, allowed attendees to toast the evening with a glass of Champagne Fleur de Miraval Exclusivement Rosé. Accompanied by an electric enthusiasm, nominees like Emma Stone (in advance of her Best Actress victory), Christopher Nolan (prior to Oppenheimer’s significant haul), Jodie Foster, and Paul Giamatti passed through these pre-parties alongside a roster of cinematic talent that included Anya-Taylor Joy, Willem Dafoe, Eva Longoria, Barbie’s Ncuti Gatwa (wearing an eye-catching Tiffany brooch), Young Royals‘ Omar Rudberg (in Prada, with glittering Cartier accessories), and The Holdovers’ Dominic Sessa (in sleek Tom Ford). With the ceremony underway, each floor bar acted as a gathering place every commercial break to celebrate, discuss, and predict what would happen next—from Vanity Fair’s epic after-party to the official Governors Ball. Below, a roundup of the very best moments from the Oscar after-parties.
Hosted by Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, the guest list was a veritable who’s who of the hottest, coolest, and straight-up most iconic names in the world of film, TV, music, sport, and fashion. At 10pm, the line for the red carpet, which had replaced the usual signature sapphire blue, was still snaking out the door as a high-wattage crowd waited to be photographed before entering the custom-built venue attached to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.
Outside, Steven Yeun, Chloë Sevigny, Awkwafina, Olivia Wilde, and Greta Lee all gathered around the Funke pizza bar, which was serving up wood-fired, spicy Diavola and Margherita slices. Jack Huston caught up with his uncle Danny as Jeremy O. Harris grabbed Billie Eilish to congratulate her on her second Oscar win. Moments later the crowd burst into whoops and cheers as the singer was surprised with the gift of a pink crystal encrusted clock necklace by none other than rapper Flava Flav himself, who wore a matching one bearing his name in the Barbie font. Read the full report here.