Oscar Thursday means everyone’s out and about, favors are being returned, or ignored, friends and enemies are crossing paths in Hollywood…
At Larry Gagosian’s annual art gallery opening in Beverly Hills, Sir Elton John and husband David Furnish arrived at the mid point. They parted a sea of people like Moses, and Elton gave his blessing to the show of witty large canvasses painted by Alex Israel and inscribed by Bret Easton Ellis.
At one point it was impossible to move through the two cavernous white rooms because people– almost of none of whom I recognized– were thickly arranged hoping for glimpses of more celebs. Adrien Brody was spotted, and so was Eli Roth. Someone said they saw Cate Blanchett, but that may have been wishful thinking…
Last year Leonardo DiCaprio floated into the Gagosian sea wearing his clamped down baseball cap and sporting a big beard. He said he was shooting a movie in northern Canada, in the wet and cold. Flash forward a year and “The Revenant” is up for several Oscars. Leo is the leading candidate for Best Actor, and his campaign is based on the fact that he’s been nominated 6 times and waited 20 years to get an award.
Tonight Leo will appear at the Giorgio Armani boutique on Rodeo Drive during the cocktail hour. And get this: there’s no press allowed. As with all of Leo’s Oscar campaign press is banned from being near him. Also, the invitees to the Armani store have been sent emails instructing “no selfies, no interviews, don’t speak to the star.” Haha. what fun! Very different than past Best Actor winners…
…Meantime, all the action last night was at the Sunset Tower hotel dining room. Even thought a party for “Room” next door was lackluster, the dining room was buzzing with Chris Rock, Mark Ruffalo and lots of actors, producers, and even Hollywood legend Nikki Haskell. Chris demurred when anyone tried to ask about his Oscar monologue. The place was so busy that extra tables had to be added in the lobby of the hotel! Someone said, “What’s next? Tables in the driveway?”
