The Oscars have just finished and I'm stationed on the red carpet of the Vanity Fair party, the most famed afterparty in Hollywood. I'm toward the end of a row of reporters, deep in conversation with Yvette Nicole Brown about her desire to take a nap. Next thing I know, Queen Latifah suddenly appears and video bombs our interview, prompting my proclamation of love for her 2002 movie musical Chicago. The Vanity Fair Oscar party is in full swing and stars from film, television, and music have gathered to celebrate Hollywood's biggest night.
After one of the most feel-good ceremonies in years, that mood was certainly carried to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) where stars sauntered down the pale blue-gray carpet at Sunday evening’s post-Oscars soiree. The venue may have changed — last year’s party was held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills — but as the aroma of In-N-Out wafted through the air while a reporter was scolded for breaking the media guidelines, the location didn’t seem to matter much; the vibe was just right.
In addition to the smell of grilled burgers, love was in the air as Timothée Chalamet (who left the ceremony without a little gold man) walked in hand-in-hand with Kylie Jenner. Jessica Alba politely waited as her boyfriend Danny Ramirez took his time walking the carpet, while Cara Delevingne rolled a cigarette. Lovebirds Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor didn’t stop to think when asked the secret to the success of their 10+ year relationship with a 32-year age gap between them; “Oh god, I don’t have an answer,” Paulson laughed.
Early arrivals included funny people Jimmy Kimmel, Larry David, and Taylor Tomlinson; two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda and Hacks star Hannah Einbinder; and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins (especially radiant in a shimmery orange dress). Former Vogue editor Anna Wintour told The Independent she was “loving” her new chapter as global editorial director at the publication after stepping down last year as editor-in-chief, a role since filled by Chloe Malle.
Just as quickly as Wintour passed through, Kris Jenner appeared seemingly out of nowhere (dressed in Valentino, she told me), followed by a parade that included Nikki Glaser, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Wyle, Colman Domingo, Jon Batiste (who delivered a surprise performance for those attending the dinner portion of the evening at LACMA), and Patrick Schwarzenegger. Then, as the one and only Fran Drescher stopped to chat about Marty Supreme and SAG-AFTRA (she finished a four-year run as president in September 2025), newly single (and very tall) Nicole Kidman waltzed into view in a gold gown with her wavy blonde locks framing her face, sending the carpet into a frenzy.
Some stars were in a rush to get straight to the party, breezing past the press without so much as a glance. “You look fabulous," I shouted at RuPaul and Kim Kardashian (clad in a seemingly difficult to walk in gold gown) to no avail. Josh Safdie at least said thanks when asked about his evening. For many partygoers, the excitement was palpable. When asked about the highlight of her night, Sentimental Value star Elle Fanning exclaimed, “Winning international film!”
Marty Supreme star Odessa A'zion — adorned in a feathered frock with a plunging neckline and daring waist cutouts — took the opportunity to pause and check her reflection in the camera. Extremely relatable. “I don’t know, I’m still learning carpets. I’ve gotten better though. It used to be really embarrassing,” she told us. Ava DuVernay was just one of a handful of celebrities who admitted they were most looking forward to chowing down on In-N-Out.
Unsurprisingly, there was gushing. Lots of gushing. Teyana Taylor grew emotional talking about being “so proud of everyone who was in that room. It took all of us a lot of work to earn our seat in that room, and I’m just so proud of every single person.” Barry Keoghan applauded fellow Irish actor Jessie Buckley’s Best Actress win for Hamnet, saying, “I’m just really, really chuffed for her.”
Buckley was one of the final stars to walk the carpet, along with fellow newly minted Oscar winner Michael B. Jordan. Both were flanked by at least five others — presumably PRs — trying to shepherd them into the party without fanfare; a tough task after winning two of the most coveted awards of the evening. Their arrivals were punctuated by the echoes of shrieks from fans clamoring for a look at the actors with their little gold men. Buckley was beaming with delight; Jordan was playing it cool — as cool as one could be after just achieving the greatest feat of a career in Hollywood.
But even that comes with a price, as I learned tonight. Gareth John, one of the winners for Best Sound for F1, passed his Academy Award to me. Those statues are heavier than they look!
