The Tamesis
“Let’s go, baby,” Jessie Buckley announced upon arriving at Chanel and Charles Finch’s annual pre-Oscars dinner at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The Best Actress contender was on cloud nine as she danced to ’70s disco tunes, her sky blue and emerald hues glowing with joy. When asked if she was feeling tired (these stars have been on the awards season conveyor belt for 10 weeks), she didn’t miss a beat and said, “Well, you can sleep when you’re dead!”
The truth is, in sickness and in health, the show must go on. Even a kidney stone attack couldn’t convince Finch to cancel the Saturday night party, which he has co-hosted for 17 years: “I was rolling on the floor in agony, thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing here at this party again? Am I crazy?'” But you’ll remember that, actually, what we’re doing here is a beautiful and joyful thing. “
Feathered Rose Byrne looked glowing and happy after a day at the pool in the Southern California sunshine. “We hiked Runyon [Canyon] “Today too,” she added, pointing to Bobby Cannavale. As the Best Actress nominee had her portrait taken, her husband sweetly captured the moment on his phone.
At 8:30 p.m., the courtyard outside the Polo Lounge was so packed with celebrities that not even a cat could shake it. Ebullient Teyana Taylor caused a stir in thigh-high leather boots and a colorful shearling coat that had debuted just five days earlier at Matthieu Blazy’s Paris outing. (Ending the cycle of viral videos of the actress styling herself, watching the runway looks intently and seemingly planning her next request.) On-screen couples of the moment, love story Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon are keen to reunite for what will be their first Oscars weekend. “I feel like a mermaid,” Pidgeon said of her Métiers d’art 2026 periwinkle sequin slip dress. “This color! Just like toothpaste—but super chic.”
Chanel’s new-faced young ambassadors Gracie Abrams and Lily-Rose Depp arrived simultaneously, with stylist Spencer Singer, who works with them, as their date. (Abrams’ father, producer JJ Abrams, was also in the crowd.) Kristen Stewart was also in action. A regular on the front row of Chanel campaigns and her latest directorial debut, The age of water, This is one of many independent films Chanel has supported over the years.
Nicole Kidman is no stranger to Oscars weekend, or this party. The old friend of the house arrived at the party wearing a dress and jacket embroidered with cute little ladybugs—a poignant choice, as they were symbols of her late mother’s memory. “I’m wearing my mom’s clothes,” she said, pointing to them. After seeing Wagner Moura and his wife Sandra Delgado, she grabbed his hands and told him: “This is a big one, big Weekend – good luck. “
The crowd grew after champagne and cocktails before heading inside for dinner. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Bezos were also there, Netflix Ted Sarandos, Al Pacino, Maya Rudolph, Jessica Alba, Elle Fanning, Harvey Keitel, Ava DuVernay, Ethan Hawke, Javier Bardem, Meg Ryan, Jeff Goldblum, John Mulaney and Olivia Munn, Sigourney Weaver, Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow and their daughters Maude and Mick Jagger were present. A crowd of screaming fans waited patiently outside North Crescent Avenue for his signed poster.
With only 150 seats, the restaurant guarantees a seat for everyone attending Hollywood’s biggest weekend someone. As the hour wore on, they chatted about the business over grilled chicken and New York steak, culminating in one of the restaurant’s famous marshmallow Marilyn sundaes. But we haven’t gotten carried away. At 10:30 p.m., the curfew went into effect and guests began to docilely leave. Some people clearly need beauty sleep, after all.
