The only place to be last night in Hollywood was the always splashy Sunset Towers for an old fashioned soiree honoring Korean director Bong Joon Ho and the stars of his smash hit, “Parasite.”
The get together was hosted by Oscar winning director Guillermo del Toro, who held court and took pictures with Bong, the man everyone wants to meet this weekend. “Parasite” may be the surprise winner of many Golden Globe awards tomorrow night. del Toro’s co-host was Hollywood’s hottest hostess, actress Colleen Camp, who knows the secret of how to put a room of cool cats together.
Colleen’s guests were the top of the A list starting with Leonardo DiCaprio — with his traditional baseball cap clamped to his head for dear life– and including “Marriage Story” star Laura Dern and her director, Noah Baumbach, “Knives Out” director Rian Johnson and his star, Ana de Armas, as well as “Bombshell” director Jay Roach with his rock star wife Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles.
There were also beloved Hollywood stars like Jacqueline Bisset (who doesn’t age, and doesn’t have plastic surgery), and Piper Laurie. 10 time Oscar nominated songwriter Diane Warren (who’s eyeing her 11th nomination this week) made the scene, as did Ted Danson and his newly minted songwriter wife, Oscar winner (1980) Mary Steenburgen.
Many who chomped down on the Sunset Towers’ fried chicken, caesar salad, and delectable mini burgers had just seen “Parasite” at an earlier screening and were recovering from the trauma of seeing society upended. How did they like the film? “I loved it!” declared Bisset.
At the other end of Sunset Blvd, at the new– and I mean, built yesterday, stunning– Edition Hotel, more stars turned out for “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo. Cynthia, whom we know as the sensational Tony winning musical star from “The Color Purple” on Broadway, is the “It Girl” of the year. She’s also playing Aretha Franklin in an 8 episode mini series. Erivo has e-rived!
It was certainly a day of spotting stars around town. Over at the Four Seasons Hotel bar, a common gathering place, none other than Clint Eastwood held court in the center “living room” with the stars of his “Richard Jewell” including Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, and Paul Walter Hauser. Yes, Clint Eastwood, looking spiffy in a suit and tie.”Richard Jewell” — which should be a Best Picture nominee at the Oscars– was one of the AFI’s top 10 films of the year.
I did ask Clint about all those photos from the holidays of him and Arnold Schwarzenegger skiing. Were they there together, I asked? “Well, he was there and I was there, and we took some pictures,” Clint said. And Clint was skiing? I asked. I mean, he’s almost 90–ninety– years old. He looked at me like I was crazy. “Of course!” he replied. Like D’uh…
Late last night, as all festivities were drawing to a close, we stopped by the eternally hip Chateau Marmont, where “French actor Louis Garrell— sensational in “Little Women”–hosted a table of pals including the shimmering beauty Lily Rose Depp. “She is very young,” Louie said in a heavily accented French, and Lily– daughter of Johnny Depp– immediately stood and shook my hand and introduced herself. She’s been raised very well!
Left on a table at the Chateau’s intimate dining room was a copy of W Magazine (they’re still in print after Conde Nast sold them for peanuts) that had been printed on oversized newsprint and smelled of cheap chemicals. Poor W! The unwieldy size reminded me of the floppy left wing political newspaper that’s a sight joke on “Mrs. Maisel” this season. But ugh, that smell! The new owners of W should look into glossy paper.Â
additional reporting by Leah Sydney
