Chanel pre-Oscars event brings nominees together ahead of big night

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — The patio of the storied Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel was packed to the brim with Hollywood stars for the annual Chanel and Charles Finch dinner on Saturday, the final event before the 97th Academy Awards.

Everyone was ready to celebrate, undaunted by the long day ahead or the pressure of the awards show Sunday. Oscar nominees at the dinner included Adrien Brody, Demi Moore, Jeremy Strong, Ralph Fiennes and Fernanda Torres.

Lupita Nyong’o, who voiced the robot Roz in “The Wild Robot,” which is up for best animated film, said she is just excited to attend the show and see how the night plays out.

“When you vote, it’s more interesting,” Nyong’o said. “Also, it’s been a crazy time in the world, so the fact that we still get to sit around and celebrate imagination? That’s a privilege. And I’m looking forward to doing that.”

The black carpet on Saturday was a conveyer belt of celebrities: actors Elle Fanning and Dakota Fanning arrived together, chatting casually with TV journalist Gayle King. Director and producer Judd Apatow made it a family affair, posing with his daughter, actor Maude Apatow.

“Oh, I think I will take a boyfriend picture, thank you so much,” actor Natasha Lyonne told photographers before grabbing her date’s hand. Noticing “Bridgerton” actor Regé-Jean Page nearby, she said with a smile, “They’re both my boyfriends.”

Other dinner guests included “Dune” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, “Wicked” star Jeff Goldblum, musician and producer Questlove, filmmaker Patty Jenkins and actors Riley Keough and Olivia Wilde. Some attendees, like Fiennes and comedian John Mulaney, skipped the waiting photographers.

On the patio inside, Harvey Keitel was thrilled to see Willem Dafoe and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The two, who co-starred in “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” were soon joined by actor Lily-Rose Depp. Behind them, actor Michael Keaton snuck by to see a friend, while Mulaney and his wife, actor Olivia Munn, huddled in a corner chatting with actor Zoey Deutch.

Brody held court with some admirers elsewhere, while “The Brutalist” filmmaker Brady Corbet stayed close to his partner and co-writer Mona Fastvold. Strong navigated the room in sneakers and actor Julie Delpy tried to get a word with Moore.

In another corner, actor Felicity Jones chatted with filmmaker Gia Coppola, who said the event is a celebratory night where the two art forms of cinema and fashion can come together.

Most attendees were bedecked head to toe in Chanel, a fashion house that has been intertwined with cinema since its earliest days.

In 1930, Samuel Goldwyn invited Gabrielle Chanel to Hollywood to dress film stars including Gloria Swanson. On her return to Paris, Chanel collaborated with French filmmakers like Jean Renoir and dressed many of the new wave actresses such as Jeanne Moreau and Romy Schneider.

Finch, a British producer and entrepreneur, helped kick off Saturday’s event before attendees took their seats in the dining room with a brief speech about being guests in this country and not standing for tyranny, which had Corbet cheering enthusiastically.

Finch said the best part of the evening is when it’s over and he is certain people have had fun.

“Also, when I get to see these people the next day win an Academy Award,” Finch said. “Celebrating film is always the most amazing part of the night.”

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