Highlights from starry celebrations up to Hollywood’s biggest night.
![(L-R) Michelle Yeoh, winner of the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for "Everything Everywhere All At Once," and Brendan Fraser, winner of the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for "The Whale", attend the Governors Ball during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California.](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Governors-Ball-Yeoh-Fraser-GettyImages-1473117967-H-2023.jpg?w=1296&h=730&crop=1)
Parties returned in full force this year for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, with studios, agencies, fashion houses and other organizations like Vanity Fair, Elton John and MPTF hosting their own soirees.
My Book:
Highlights from the 2023 festivities.
Governors Ball
The Oscars’ official afterparty, held upstairs from the Dolby Theatre, welcomed big winners including the Everything Everywhere All at Once team, Sarah Polley and Brendan Fraser, who had their new trophies engraved and posed for photos with their statues, as Ke Huy Quan’s excitement could be contained as he stood on the engraving station table. Harrison Ford, Angela Bassett, Ariana DeBose, Ava DuVernary, Brian Tyree Henry, Brendan Gleeson, Miles Teller, Riz Ahmed, Seth Rogen, Sigourney Weaver and Troy Kotsur were among those at the Governors Ball before heading out to the rest of the party circuit.
![(L-R) Jonathan Wang, Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, winners of the Best Director and Best Picture award for "Everything Everywhere All at Once," attend the Governors Ball during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California.](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Governors-Ball-Jonathan-Wang-GettyImages-1473119983-EMBED-2023.jpg?w=1000)
![Ke Huy Quan, winner of the Best Supporting Actor award for "Everything Everywhere All at Once," attends the Governors Ball during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California.](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Governors-Ball-Ke-Huy-Quan-GettyImages-1473119426-EMBED-2023.jpg?w=1000)
![(L-R) Michelle Yeoh, winner of the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for "Everything Everywhere All At Once," and Brendan Fraser, winner of the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for "The Whale", attend the Governors Ball during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California.](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Governors-Ball-Michelle-Yeoh-Brendan-Fraser-GettyImages-1473118213-EMBED-2023.jpg?w=1000)
![Harrison Ford attends the Governors Ball during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California.](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Governors-Ball-Harrison-Ford-GettyImages-1473114043-EMBED-2023.jpg?w=1000)
![Jamie Lee Curtis, winner of the Best Supporting Actress award for "Everything Everywhere All at Once," attends the Governors Ball during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California.](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Governors-Ball-Jamie-Lee-Curtis-GettyImages-1473115672-EMBED-2023.jpg?w=1000)
Vanity Fair
Hosted again by editor-in-chief Radhika Jones and held at a custom space next to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, the event off with an exclusive dinner (100 guests) and viewing party that rolled straight through to packed afterparty. The overall configuration of the event was laid out as a series of indoor and outdoor rooms with open-air garden courtyard and everywhere one looked, there were clusters of A-list conversations and unexpected pairings.
In addition to bites by Evan Funke of Mother Wolf and Paula LeDuc Fine Catering & Events, party featured In-N-Out burgers, custom Johnnie Walker and Tequila Don Julio bars and lounges, a central round DJ booth and bar presented by Richard Mille and a “Departures Lounge” where guests could snag Rothy’s Flats and Gnarwhal Coffee for the road.
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Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 31st Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party
The 31stannual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Viewing Party took place on Sunday, hosted by Sir Elton John and David Furnish with special guests Eric McCormack and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez. The event raised more than $9 million and featured a performance by Rina Sawayama, with Donatella Versace, Maren Morris, Fan Bingbing, Emma Watson, Wiz Khalifa, Heidi Klum, Dove Cameron, Hilary Duff, Brooke Shields, Noah Schnapp, Kesha, Saweetie, Stella Maxwell, Sophia Bush, Maggie Rogers, Jenna Dewan, Smokey Robinson, Karen Pittman, Simona Tabasco and Michael Imperioli among the attendees.
![Elton John, Eric McCormack, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and David Furnish attend the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 31st Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 12, 2023 in West Hollywood, California.](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Elton-John-Oscar-Party-David-Furnish-GettyImages-1473100289-EMBED-2023.jpg?w=1000)
![Zooey Deschanel and Sophia Bush speak onstage at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 31st Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 12, 2023 in West Hollywood, California.](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Elton-John-Oscar-Party-Sophia-Bush-GettyImages-1473096655-EMBED-2023.jpg?w=1000)