The awards have been handed out, the lights dimmed once again on the Oscar stage and the red carpet rolled up until next year. But for Tinseltown’s brightest stars, the night wasn’t over when the Academy Awards came to a close – in fact, the fun was just beginning. Hundreds of celebrities – including many of the night’s top nominees – headed for the hottest spots in Hollywood for the traditional after-Oscar parties.
Not long after the curtain dropped on the ceremony, the Academy’s official celebration, the Governors Ball, was in full swing. 1,500 A-list guests descended on the Kodak Theatre’s Grand Ballroom, resplendent with lit-candle chandeliers and 10,000 orchids decorating the room. Each table, set for a gourmet dinner of steak and salmon, featured a centerpiece of fish swimming in elevated tanks.
Two thousand bottles of wine and 480 bottles of champagne accompanied 14,000 hors d’oeuvres and 60 pounds of caviar, served as a 30-piece orchestra played in the background. Oscar winning guests included Sidney Poitier, Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent, Ron Howard, Ben Kingsley, Julia Roberts, Russell Crowe, Whoopi Goldberg and Denzel Washington. Halle Berry, who granted three hours of interviews after her big win, sat down for her first bite to eat of the night.
In West Hollywood, Morton’s was the place to be for Vanity Fair’s annual fest, which is known for its tight security and even tighter guest list. Chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, among 150 guests watching the ceremony at the exclusive pre-party Oscar dinner, stood during Halle’s acceptance speech and broke down in tears when the actress thanked her. Former Supreme Diana Ross and TV journalist Diane Sawyer rushed to her side to give the multimillionairess a comforting hug.
Later in the night, stars mingled in every corner of the room at the post-Oscar cocktail party: Nicole giggled as Hugh whispered in her ear, while Gwyneth chatted with husband and wife team Uma and Ethan. Also among the 1,000 celebrities who received hand-delivered invitations for the event were Warren Beatty, Janet Jackson, Geri Halliwell, Renee Zellweger and Sir Paul McCartney. However, the party came to an early end when electrical problems caused the lights to shut off – sparking the joke: “The party packed so much star wattage that the power went out.”
The Elton John AIDS Foundation and InStyle magazine joined forces to present the flamboyant singer’s 10th annual party at Moomba in West Hollywood. And Elton, who performed at the event, had some fighting words for rival parties, promising his band was “going to blow away those old farts over at Vanity Fair”. Enjoying the charity music fest were Kevin Spacey, Bob Dylan, the Backstreet Boys, Benicio Del Toro and party hoppers Paul McCartney and Denzel Washington. Halle, also making the party rounds, arrived at the end of the night holding her Oscar aloft, exclaiming, “I did it! I did it!” to the fans gathered outside the night spot.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
