Emily Smith
Inside the Vanity Fair Oscar party
By Emily Smith
March 5, 2018 | 12:58pm
Allison Janney, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Frances McDormand and Gal Gadot Getty Images
"Hold tight, everyone, Diddy's in the house," a member of Sean Combs' entourage yelled as the mogul swept into the Vanity Fair Oscar party, with Naomi Campbell and French Montana in tow.
An energetic Combs bounded into the packed party around midnight, embracing Mary J. Blige, grabbing Kobe Bryant's Oscar, joking around with Drake, and playfully wrestling with Quincy Jones.
French Montana, Sean Combs and Naomi CampbellFilmMagic
Nearby, Best Supporting Actress winner Allison Janney was having the time of her life, sipping a martini and waving her golden statue as she was congratulated by James Corden, Lin-Manuel Miranda and a host of other A-listers at the starry party, hosted by new Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones.
A beaming Bryant, between posing for selfies with Miranda and Lupita Nyong'o, told Page Six he'd never dreamed of winning an Academy Award: "I've won a lot of trophies in my life, but I never thought I'd get an Oscar. I can't believe it. I am stoked."
Back down to earth, "Star Wars" icon Mark Hamill was sitting nearby cross-legged, and complained, "My feet are killing me. I don't know how you women wear those high heels."
Monica LewinskyGetty Images
Meanwhile, Jared Leto (who won an Oscar for his role in "Dallas Buyers Club" in 2014) made a beeline for Paris Jackson, who showed off her tattoos in an edgy, barely-there green gown, high-fiving her and asking her about her acting work. In an ensuing conversation we only dream we could have heard, Jackson was later seen schmoozing with "Star Trek" legend Sir Patrick Stewart.
In the fine tradition of Vanity Fair Oscar parties, there were numerous interactions between people whose paths otherwise might never cross. Kate Beckinsale was seen in deep conversation with Monica Lewinsky. "Late Night" host Corden cornered Jeff Bezos, and was heard asking the Amazon founder's wife, MacKenzie, "So you are the brains in the relationship, then?" Corden later told us of his conversation with billionaire Bezos, "You wouldn't believe it, but we have a lot in common."
Olympic skater Adam Rippon, wearing a Jeremy Scott bondage-inspired outfit, looked stunned when Faye Dunaway approached him and asked him for a selfie. Then, "Get Out" director Jordan Peele (who made history as the first African-American to win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay) temporarily swapped his statue for an Olympic medal with pairs skaters Alex and Maia Shibutani.
Jeff and MacKenzie BezosGetty Images for VF
The party, held in a specially constructed space at the Wallis Annenberg Center in Hollywood, was awash with vintage Dom Pérignon, which guests sipped between a steady stream of In-N-Out burgers.
In another corner, "Lady Bird" star Saiorse Ronan, still in her delicate pink Oscar gown with a big statement bow, chatted with white-suited wonder boy Timothée Chalamet, Amanda Seyfried and Emma Roberts.
Not having quite as much fun was singer Hailee Steinfeld, who arrived in an ill-advised short dress with an enormous train, which ended up under practically every partygoer's feet. At one point, she seemed so frustrated with the frock that producer, DJ and musician Zedd gallantly offered to hold the treacherous train.
Outside on the terrace, where the stars gathered to smoke, were Roberts, cloaked in feathers and clutching a bottle of champagne, Sienna Miller in sequins, and an ever-handsome Jon Hamm (seemingly not drinking or smoking) holding court with Sarah Silverman.
Upping the glamour stakes were models Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Shanina Shaik and Kendall Jenner — who was oddly reluctant to pose for photos with Caitlyn Jenner, who had arrived separately.
Tiffany HaddishGetty Images
"Girls Trip" breakout star Tiffany Haddish nearly sparked a food fight around 1 a.m. when the supply of In-N-Out burgers briefly petered out. Waiting at the outdoor burger stand with a small crowd, Haddish could be heard yelling, "God damn. My feet hurt and I really need a burger!"
But nobody was having a better time than Frances McDormand, who took home the Oscar for Best Actress, and then won the entire Oscars by asking all of her fellow female nominees to stand up and share her victory.
McDormand playfully smooched Gal Gadot on the Vanity Fair red carpet, joked around with Bryant inside, then cozied up to Lindsey Vonn.
Having already lost her Oscar once at the Governors Ball earlier in the night, McDormand got so carried away in celebration again that later, on the Vanity Fair terrace, she was heard again asking, "Where's the Oscar?" Thankfully one of her entourage had the statue safe.
Then McDormand, with a bucket of fried chicken under one arm and her Oscar trailing behind her, set off to find 17-year-old Olympic snowboard sensation Chloe Kim, whom she'd mentioned in her acceptance speech, gliding past well-wishers including Willem Dafoe.
Frances McDormand and Gal GadotGetty Images
Once she reached the circular Apple Music dance room, complete with DJ but no sign of Kim, she was circled by partygoers on the dance floor, and McDormand showed off some spectacular moves including the robot. Then she was tackled by her "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" co-star — and fellow Oscar winner — Sam Rockwell for a partner dance number that could only be described as "tango meets 'Thriller.'"
By 2 a.m., there was a stream of statuettes at the limo line.
Ashley Graham took photos of her film-director husband Justin Ervin with legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, who had finally won an Oscar after 14 nominations. Meanwhile, Best Actor winner Gary Oldman gabbed with a still-jubilant Janney, who waited for her car with her Oscar in her left hand and her high heels in her right.
See more photos of celebs at the Oscars:
Adam Rippon and Mirai Nagasu
Giuliana Rancic
Patrick Stewart and Sunny Ozell
Chelsea Peretti and Jordan Peele
Sam Rockwell and Leslie Bibb
Mira Sorvino
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos
Rita Moreno
Hayden Carson Begley and Ed Begley Jr.
Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon
Darrell Britt-Gibson
James Ivory
Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves in Vivienne Westwood
Betty Gabriel
Sally Hawkins
Octavia Spencer and Tate Taylor
Elizabeth Chambers and Armie Hammer
Haley Bennett
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Filed under allison janney , caitlyn jenner , frances mcdormand , gary oldman , kendall jenner , oscars , sam rockwell , vanity fair party
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