Inside the Hottest Parties of Oscar Weekend

By Jonathan Borge
Updated Feb 26, 2016 @ 4:00 pm
Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

The folks that keep Hollywood running abide by a strict work hard, play hard philosophy. So in order to prepare for Sunday evening’s Oscars, Tinseltown's stars and those in their inner circles began popping bottles of bubbly days before the black-tie red carpet affair.

On Thursday Essence hosted youthful, talented beauties like Zendaya and Keke Palmer as well as celebrated industry leaders like Tracee Ellis Ross and Oprah Winfrey at their ninth annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon. Meanwhile Chanel invited chic ladies like Dakota Fanning and Kate Bosworth into L.A.’s Chateau Marmont to present “I Love Coco,” an exhibit that celebrated the brand’s latest beauty launch and had attendees stepping out in their favorite Chanel pieces. And that’s not all that took place that day: At Unite4:Good’s third annual Unite4:Humanity gala, philanthropic leaders like Matthew McConaughey, Gina Rodriguez, Olivia Wilde, and Seth Rogen were all honored for their charity work. Talk about a photo op!

RELATED: The Secret to a Memorable Oscar Dress

Head inside Oscar weekend's hottest parties with a look through our gallery.

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Lady Gaga

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The songstress looked regal in a black and white gown with a high slit and open back and her black opera gloves at the Weinstein Company pre-Oscar dinner held Saturday at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

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Chrissy Teigen and John Legend

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The couple enjoyed a date night at the Weinstein Company pre-Oscar dinner (presented with Chopard, DeLeon, Fiji Water, and Lexus), where Teigen enthusiastically offered standing ovations to the evening's performers.

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Zendaya

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The singer-actress captivated the Weinstein Company pre-Oscar dinner crowd with a rousing performance.

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Derek Hough

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After being announced as the new star of Singin' in the Rain on Broadway, Hough performed two number from the iconic musical at The Weinstein Company's pre-Oscar bash.

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Julianne Moore

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The Academy Award winner dazzled at the Charles Finch and Chanel pre-Oscar dinner held Saturday at L.A's Madeo restaurant. "It’s so beautiful," she told InStyle of her Chanel dress. "It’s so special, and it’s all handmade."

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Eddie Redmayne and Hannah Bagshawe

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The celebrations leading up to the 2016 Academy Awards have been a different experience for the handsome husband-and-wife pair. "Last year was such a frenzy, I sort of wasn’t really able to take it all in," Redmayne told InStyle at the Charles Finch and Chanel pre-Oscar dinner. "So this year it feels slightly more relaxed about the whole thing."

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Brie Larson

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The Room star and 2016 best actress Academy Award nominee stepped out in a shiny strapless black cocktail dress at the Charles Finch and Chanel pre-Oscar dinner. Larson paired her belted dress with pointed-toe ankle-strap heels and accessorized with a bracelet and a black handbag.

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Kristen Stewart

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For the Charles Finch and Chanel pre-Oscar dinner, the actress decided to go simple. "I didn’t want to be styled. I just picked a pair of pants and wore my jacket," Stewart told InStyle of her Chanel ensemble. "I’m wearing a little black jacket. I feel so lucky to have it. They’re like a coveted item."

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Diane Kruger

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Dressed in Chanel with a matching BCBGeneration leather jacket, the actress described how her look conveyed her celebratory mood at the Charles Finch and Chanel pre-Oscar dinner. It's "'party,' [but] a little less contrived—and just fun," she told InStyle of the ensemble.

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Jessica Biel

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The actress opted for a "combination of feminine and a little bit tough" for her outfit at the Charles Finch and Chanel pre-Oscar dinner. "Everything Chanel is so beautiful and makes you just feel confident," she told InStyle. "It’s just timeless. Everything’s timeless and you can wear forever."

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Charlotte Rampling

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The actress, a 2016 best actress Academy Award nominee, captured attention with her vivid mosaic-patterned jacket at the Charles Finch and Chanel pre-Oscar dinner.

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Alicia Vikander and Eddie Redmayne

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The Oscar-nominated co-stars of The Danish Girl reunited at the Film Is Great reception held at Fig & Olive in West Hollywood, Calif., on Friday.

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Eddie Redmayne, James Corden, Gordon Ramsay, and Jamie Cullum

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The gentlemen were a picturesque example of British talent spanning various genres at the Film Is Great reception honoring the U.K.'s nominees at the Academy Awards. Oscar winner Redmayne, a 2016 best actor category nominee, said, “It's a real honor for me to host this event and celebrate what I think has been an incredible year for British films.”

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Naomi Campbell and Adam Benzine

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The supermodel opted for a navy dress with red accents for the Film Is Great reception, where she chatted Benzine, the director of the Oscar-nominated documentary short Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah.

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Jennifer Lawrence

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At the ninth annual Women in Film pre-Oscar cocktail party, the actress gave a speech about pay inequality in the industry and beyond. The Friday event at Hyde Sunset Kitchen + Cocktails in West Hollywood, Calif., celebrated the 51 women who are up for an Academy Award this year.

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Patricia Arquette

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The Oscar winner, who spoke about women's rights to equal pay, also met up with MAC Cosmetics Global Brand President Karen Buglisi Weiler at the Women in Film pre-Oscar party. Guests at the star-studded fête sipped Perrier-Jouët Champagne as well as Fiji Water, Patrón Tequila, and Arcanum Wines beverages.

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Jennifer Jason Leigh

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The actress, who received a 2016 Oscar nomination in the best supporting actress category, looked chic in Max Mara as she chatted with Greg Clark of Untitled Entertainment at the Women in Film cocktail party.

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Lake Bell and Alicia Silverstone

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The actresses opted for two very different all-black ensembles at the Women in Film pre-Oscar party: Bell donned a tube top with a sheer long-sleeve shirt and pinstripe pants while Silverstone shined in a glittery ankle-skimming gown.

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Kate Walsh and Sasha Alexander

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The actresses cozied up for a photo at the Women in Film pre-Oscar cocktail party. 

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Cate Blanchett

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Blanchett glowed in a white Antonio Berardi dress at Friday's inaugural SK-II #ChangeDestiny Forum in L.A., where the 2016 best actress Oscar nominee hosted a conversation about positive changes in women's lives—including her own.

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Alessandra Ambrosio and Emily Ratajkowski

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The models enjoyed a bite and each other's company at Friday's Net-a-Porter Celebrates Women Behind the Lens luncheon at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. The event struck a powerful note for Ratajkowski (in a Reformation top, Brian Atwood shoes, and Jacquie Aiche jewelry). "It’s so cool to see women talking about the lack of women telling stories, whether that be in fashion or in Hollywood," she told InStyle.

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Amanda de Cadenet and Amber Heard

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The Net-a-Porter Celebrates Women Behind the Lens luncheon brought out stars, including de Cadenet and Heard, to toast the ladies who wield cameras in the fields of fashion, film, and photography.

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Zendaya and Keke Palmer 

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Singer, actress, and entrepreneur Zendaya turned heads the moment she walked into Essence's ninth annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon Thursday afternoon in L.A. The reason? Her gorgeous silk Thakoon jumper. "This look is very chill. This kind of event, it's not super dressy ... people have a little fun and you can be a little more casual, but still elegant," she told InStyle. Scream Queens beauty Keke Palmer rocked over-the-top braids and a multi-panel dress that wowed.

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Thandie Newton and Oprah Winfrey

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Could these two be anymore inspiring? Thandie Newton proudly rocked a #SayHerName tee in support of the African American Policy Forum's empowering movement. "The reason I wanted to wear it today is because I think that in film we have such an incredible influence over the public, and influence in the world," Newton told InStyle. "The stories that we tell have the power to change people’s lives." Always a study in elegance, Oprah hugged Newton and smiled from cheek to cheek.

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Kelly Rowland

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Forget winter! Kelly Rowland arrived in a gorgeous ensemble that featured mustard yellow pants and a matching white blouse with a bow-tie detail. That's how you welcome spring weather.

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Shonda Rhimes and Debbie Allen

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The brain behind How to Get Away with Murder and Scandal, Shonda Rhimes sported a black, long-sleeve dress with floral graphics. Meanwhile, dancer, choreographer, and overall industry veteran Debbie Allen rocked a red hot Armani number to receive the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Legend award.

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Tia Mowry and Jurnee Smollett-Bell

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Mowry showed off a new 'do and revealed, "I was inspired by Khloe Kardashian" She told InStyle: "I’ve gone blonde before, which was about three years ago. But, I saw what it did to her. I was like, 'Damn, this girl looks good!'" Meanwhile Smollett-Bell's stunning white ensemble showed off her curves flawlessly.

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Chris Rock

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Chris Rock, Sunday evening's host and man of the hour, practiced his red carpet swag in a three-piece gray suit with sleek glasses to match. 

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Zendaya, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Rhonda Ross Kendrick

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Zendaya and Rhonda Ross Kendrick (Tracee's sister) joined Tracee Ellis Ross on stage, where the actress received the well-deserved Fierce and Fearless award.

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Kate Walsh and Allison Janney

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At the Chateau Marmont in L.A Thursday night, Private Practice star Kate Walsh met up with Mom's Allison Janney for Cadillac's first-ever pre-Oscars celebration. Twinning!

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