No best picture ego at Vanity Fair fete
‘Oppenheimer’ crowd reserved post-oscars
LOS ANGELES — Christopher Nolan stood as staid and nonchalant as ever as crowds surrounded him and music pulsed.
His celebration was limited to casually holding a best directing Oscar, his first, and one of seven on the night for his film.
The “Oppenheimer” crowd was hardly the hardest partyer at the Vanity Fair post-oscars party on Sunday night, but it hardly needed to be, its ubiquitous hardware did all the necessary preening.
Nolan’s wife, “Oppenheimer” producer Emma Thomas, held her own statuette, for best picture, and did most of the talking as waves of well-wishers descended on the couple.
They found a couch near the dance floor with their two children and were immediately met by a woman bearing a tray of In-n-out burgers, the signature food at the signature Oscars after-party. Nolan had the relax-it’s-all-over vibe down pat.
Billie Eilish strode by with two friends, her best original song Oscar slung in one arm. It was the lone Oscar won by the film that has stood opposite “Oppenheimer” since their simultaneous release in July, but it’s already the second for Eilish at age 22.
The annual affair, hosted by Vanity Fair editor Radhika Jones, is one of several Oscar parties held across the city after the show. Most winners, including Nolan and Thomas on Sunday night, start the celebration at the Governor’s Ball, the official after-party in the same complex as the ceremony where you can get your statuette engraved on the spot.
The Vanity Fair dress code might be called “loosened black tie.” Many still wear their tuxes and gowns from the ceremony. Some come in more casual, but no less ornate, outfits.
The party’s guest list always extends well beyond Hollywood into music, fashion, literature and sports. At the entrance, where many walk their final awards season red carpet, Anya Taylor-joy greeted Matteo Bocelli, who sang during the “In Memoriam” segment with his father, the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.
Along with the ubiquitous In-nout, servers circulated with fried, cheese-stuffed squash blossoms and quattro formaggio pizza.
The dance floor was closer to the center of the action than usual this year, giving more of a club vibe but making it harder to hear people and eavesdrop on conversations.