Updated Wednesday, February 18, 2:27 p.m.
This will be updated as the big weekend approaches.
Tuesday, February 17
*Strong Start*
Vanity Fair + Fiat Young Hollywood Celebration
No Vacancy, 8 p.m.
Mark and Jonnie Houston’s spot plays host to this Oscar week kickoff party for the second year in a row. The door is tight, but not as convoluted as the normal architectural sleight of hand.
James Corden is scheduled to start his “Late Late Show” on CBS a month after the Oscars. Before that, he and VF’s Hollywood face Krista Smith host this toast to young Hollywood talent in the cool spot. Fiat puts on this night, with proceeds going to UK HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust.
BVLGARI and Save the Children
Spago Beverly Hills, 7 p.m.
Tuesday night has been the night for BVLGARI in the past. Nominee Laura Dern, “Birdman’s” Naomi Watts (a brand spokesperson), former Oscar winner Adrien Brody, Kelly Rowland, Ashley Greene, and Camilla Belle are expected amongst the fashion-heavy crowd. They will celebrate the launch of a coffee table photography book tied to the children’s philanthropy.
Socialite turned DJ Marjorie “Mad Marj” Gubelmann makes a west coast spin.
Wednesday, February 18
Common Performs at Global Green USA
Avalon Hollywood, 8 p.m., Common performs at 9:30 p.m.
This could be Common’s dress rehearsal for his Oscar night performance of the nominated “Glory”. It is only a few blocks away.
Comic Theo Von, who got his start on MTV’s “Challenges”, hosts with Ashley Greene of “Twilight” fame. Global Green regulars Orlando Bloom, Ed O’Neill, Amy Smart, Norman Lear, and Paula Abdul are on the host committee for the 12th annual event.
Thursday, February 19
Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon
Beverly Wilshire Hotel, 11 a.m.
After 12 years at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Jeffrey Katzenberg‘s “Night Before” MPTF Fundraiser is fleeing the property over the Sultan of Brunei’s simultaneous ownership and severely intolerant and backwards anti-women and anti-homosexual policy regime.
Beverly Hills Hotel, you lost Essence magazine too.
Laverne Cox, Lorraine Toussaint, Samira Wiley, Uzo Aduba, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw will instead be walking the carpet in downtown Beverly Hills.
Vanity Fair + Chrysler Toast to Richard Linklater and “Boyhood”
Cecconi’s, 6 p.m.
This will draw names beyond the IFC/“Boyhood” family. After 12 years in the making, and another year promoting it non-stop, the “Boyhood” crew is finally nearing the finish line. This benefits Linklater’s hometown film champions, the Austin Film Society.
Friday, February 20
Rory Kennedy’s “Last Days in Vietnam” Lunch with Dom Perignon
Chateau Marmont, 12:30 p.m.
Last year, the gold standard of bubbly saluted Morgan Neville for “20 Feet from Stardom.” Two days later, he was on stage at the Dolby. That’s a good sign for Kennedy and her well wishers, who will get a new Dom vintage with each course of the lunch.
Great British Film Reception
London Hotel, West Hollywood, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
In the past few months, PBS, “Downton Abbey” cast, and an Eddie Redmayne led birthday singalong have gained party privileges at British Consul General Chris O’Connor’s house. Last year, 48 hours before Steve McQueen capped the Oscars by going airborne on stage for “12 Years a Slave”, he accepted honors onstage in that same backyard. Despite all that good karma in Hancock Park, the party is making a booking pun move to the London West Hollywood.
This one is an attitude-free zone. One or both of the two men nominated for playing British geniuses will arrive in Aston Martins to the Delta and British Film Commission sponsored event.
Jennifer Hudson and Cathy Schulman Host Women In Film Pre-Oscars Cocktail Party
Hyde Sunset
There are 44 female Oscar nominees this year, and I’m betting WIF President Cathy Schulman knows every one of them by face.
The champagne flows freely here, and J Hud, should she be needed, has a big enough voice to get everyone in the room to shut up. Schulman won her Oscar for “Crash” a year before Hudson’s “Dreamgirl” victory.
WIF practices what they preach, putting Oscar nominated makeup artists to work by curating the gift bags. With MAC backing in the goods, there will be grabbing. MaxMara, BMW, Tiffany & Co., and Perrier-Jouët are also onboard with WIF.
Tom Ford Fashion Show
Full Name: Tom Ford To Present His Autumn/Winter 2015 Womenswear Collection In Los Angeles
Milk Studios, 7 p.m.
Fashion week comes to L.A. with a marquee name. Usually showing this collection at London Fashion Week, this is the first time that L.A. gets to see it first.
This is not an “exhibit” or other euphemism for “debut”. It is a real fashion show.
Vanity Fair + L’Oréal Paris D.J. Night
1OAK (Downstairs), 9 p.m. – midnight
Don’t be fooled by the address or venue. It will be the same small vibe and feel in the downstairs space for about 200 people as previous years events in other spaces, not the bombastic big room where Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim performed over Grammys weekend. It will be the smaller room where Leonardo DiCaprio perched last Saturday.
Once upon a time this Oscar weekend dance party was in the loft space now occupied by Buzzfeed Video, behind the Arclight. Now they are moving, with Freida Pinto in tow as a co-host, to Sunset. Taryn Manning and VF regular Ms. Nix will also spin at the night benefitting Girl Rising.
Agency Parties
UTA gathers at chairman Jim Berkus’ home in Beverly Hills, where Michelle Pesce will spin. CAA and WME also celebrate on Friday night at private homes.
Saturday, February 21
Spirit Awards – Live Telecast
Technically: “Film Independent Spirit Awards”
Tent on the Santa Monica Beach, Saturday, February 21, 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. PT
Stay out later on Friday night.
The Spirit Awards start two hours later this year, at 2 p.m. instead of noon. The reason? It’s going live on IFC. That means no more tape delay until Saturday night, and much more schmooze time in and around the tents, where Heineken, Piaget, and Lincoln will be popping up brunch lounges.
A year ago, all four Oscar acting winners and tbe Best Picture winner had a dress rehearsal here by winning a Spirit award the day before the big show.
After Andy Samberg and Patton Oswalt hosting over the last two years, the IFC show is going with his-and-hers hosts, Kristen Bell and Fred Armisen, who have already done better than the last high-profile his-and-hers hosts on Oscar weekend, Anne Hathaway and James Franco.
“Birdman” is up for the most trophies – six.. “Boyhood,” “Nightcrawler,” and “Selma” could win big with five nominations each.
Sony Pictures Classics Dinner Party
The Supper Suite by STK, West Hollywood
They are going to have a hard time fitting everyone in this year. It’s not just the headline nominations for Julianne Moore (“Still Alice”), Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, and Bennett Miller (“Foxcatcher”), and the Best Picture nod for “Whiplash” amongst others. Michael Barker and Tom Bernard also have a Best Documentary feature (“Salt of the Earth”) and two Foreign Language entries. Last year Richard Linklater’s “Before Midnight” table of filmmakers was a cornerstone at this event, the Oscar edition of David Manning’s traveling film dinner party series. Now Rick’s the competition.
Motion Picture Television Fund’s Night Before
As mentioend above, Fox Lot
No carpet, no press, no no-names. Delta Air Lines, Dodge, L’Oreal, Relativity Media, and Target get behind Jeffrey Katzenberg’s fundraising effort.
Grey Goose Pre -Oscar party with Michael Sugar, Warren Zavala and Doug Wald
Sunset Tower, Saturday night
The invitation warns “Guest list strictly enforced” and “Confirmation Email Required”.
It’s not just bark. Last year, well connected industry insiders had to angle for entry at the popular party, hosted by Grey Goose. This party reporter was thrown a friendly usher from Armie Hammer and Elizabeth Chambers, otherwise I would not be able to tell you that there was actual, non-ironic dancing until late.
Known for: A strong industry presence and the next generation of people who will become donors to the event listed directly above.
Ecoluxe Lounge Salute to the Oscars Party Presented by Choices Recovery
Beverly Hilton, 8 p.m.
Nominated “Foxcatcher” screenwriter E. Max Frye and below the line nominees from “Whiplash” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” are expected.
Oscar Sunday, February 22
The 87th Oscars and Governors Ball
Dolby Theatre, Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland
This is the earliest date the Oscars have come in the last 20 years. Ticketholders and nominees are lucky for more reasons than the obvious: There are only 3,300 seats in the Dolby and nearly twice that number in members voting on the winners: 6,124. Only about half of the telecast ticket holders, 1,500, make the cut for the Governors Ball.
Booze is big business at the Oscars.
David Beckham and Simon Fuller’s single grian whiskey Haig Club, which recently launched in the US with a 20 person dinner in West Hollywood, is arriving in glasses at the Oscars. As of a week ago, the face of the brand was not slated to attend the show in that capacity.
The Academy recently closed a new three year deal with french champagne house Piper-Heidsieck, which also flows freely at Cannes as their official bubbly partner. The pours start right off of the red carpet with a pre-telecast reception, were the red labeled Jeroboams and Magnums will tip. Later in the night, only winners will get the Rare 1988, as it is exclusive to the statuette engraving room at the Governors Ball (it has a gold foil trim that can be peeled off and turned in to a tiara, as the CEO demonstrated at a pre-Oscars lunch last week, with chef Wolfgang Puck looking on.)
From up north in Napa, Sterling Wines saved 200 cases special for Oscar night.
For everyone not going to the Oscars, stay away. Street closures start at 2 a.m. Saturday night and will make passing anywhere near here more aggravating than having J.K. Simmons drill down on whether your performance is “leading” or “dragging”.
Elton John AIDS Foundation Viewing Party
West Hollywood Park, 4:00 p.m.
David Furnish, Chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, recently wrote to let supporters know that a study found EJAF and the Ford Foundation to top all other giving for LGBTQ health issues by a margin of over $4 million.
One of the primary revenue revvers for that flow comes from this dinner, party, cocktails, concert, and auction, that includes the opportunity to leave the party and go to Vanity Fair with Sir Elton and David. Elton picks his seat mates on the day of, which was Katy Perry and Adam Lambert a few years ago.
This party columnist is the nervous defending champion of Sir Elton’s famed Oscar ballot pick’em competition, the winners of which get a Chopard watch. Audi, Neuro Drinks, Wells Fargo, MAC Viva Glam, the Fiore Group, and the Starkey Hearing Foundation are leading sponsors.
*Studio Party to Hit* Fox Oscar Party
Boa, West Hollywood
24 nominations between Fox Searchlight and 20th together, there are a lot of statues that could flow through here. Nominations come from films including: “Birdman”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, “Wild”, “Gone Girl”, “Planet of the Apes”, “XMen”, and “How to Train Your Dragon 2” could all float through the west end of Sunset Blvd.
Pesce plays here too, and on awards nights, there has been dancing in the back room.
Vanity Fair
9390 Santa Monica Blvd., Staggered Arrivals
New space and all the faces. They do staggered invitations with some coming early for the dinner, while others arriving in increments after the show. For more on their move from West Hollywood to Beverly Hills,click below.
Also read: Vanity Fair Oscar Party Moving to Beverly Hills
Guy O’Seary and Madonna’s Late Night Party
Undisclosed, Late until later
Even global A-listers get yelled at for pulling out their phones. For the best (read:only) insight in to this, check out Jennifer Lawrence’s pal’s day-after download from last year.
Winning a trophy does not get you in. Remember “the hair guy” from the 2011 Oscars, the “I should have gotten a haircut” winner, NYU student Luke Matheny (above)? He did not get in here, even with a trophy in hand. Instead, he let drunk people hold his Oscar while capping the night with friends at Mel’s Diner down on Sunset.
Lounges, Spas, and Swag
Kari Feinstein’s
Requested Use of Official Name With A Long Sponsor Plug: Kari Feinstein’s Pre-Academy Awards Style Lounge Presented by Painted Woman by Kameco.
Andaz Hotel, Thursday and Friday, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Best get: Trips to a resort in Bali.
Debbie Durkin’s
Requested Use of Official Name:Debbie Durkin’s EcoLuxe Lounge
Beverly Hilton, Saturday 10a.m. – 6 p.m.
Best get: Glamping vacations to Glacier Park, Yellowstone & The Moab Desert via Under Canvas.
#VFSC @WeWork a.k.a. “V.F. Social Club”
WeWork Space in Hollywood (7083 Hollywood Blvd.), 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily from Monday-Sunday
A collaborative work space for the social media influencers in town covering Oscar week events. Good names from social media and Oscar nominees themselves are in the works for panel discussions. Details are forthcoming.
Vanity Fair, Lancôme and Clarisonic Makeup Artist Spa Day
Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel, Thursday, February 19
Lancôme, Clarisonic and Vanity Fair Beauty Director SunHee Grinnell host an intimate afternoon in celebration of the industry’s top makeup artists.
Monday, February 23 – The Day After
Consul General of France, Mr. Axel Cruau, Reception for French Nominees
French Residence, Beverly Hills, 12:30 p.m.
President’s Day will have already passed. There is no Hollywood holiday the day after. It’s back to work for all but the French.
Because the French Oscars (the Cesars) are on Friday night, where people will be thanking “Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma”, some nominees do not arrive in L.A. until it is too late to do a pre-party.
One of the Cesar best director nominees is up for a film named “Girlhood”, while in the Best Foreign Film category pits a fantasy multi-year Oscars with “12 Years a Slave” going against “Boyhood” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel”.
Northern Trust Open
Riviera Country Club, Now-Sunday
The PGA comes to the Palisades during Oscars week, crowning their own champion earlier on Oscar Sunday. They are going for a “more than golf” theme, with a very L.A. foodtrucks and a concert by O.A.R.
More to come…
Follow real time party coverage throughout the week here on The Party Report, also on twitter at @CelebSightings. Please send your updates and invites to Mikey Glazer here.