Emmy Parties 2018: Inside the A-List Events

Millie Bobby Brown, Kirsten Dunst Hit the Dance Floor at Netflix Bash

PARTY: Netflix

PLAYERS: The Crown's big winner Claire Foy with Matt Smith, Queer Eye’s Fab Five, John Mulaney, Nick Kroll, Jimmy Kimmel, James Corden, Kenya Barris, Taraji P. Henson, Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Natalia Dyer, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Regina King, Zoey Deutch, Billy Eichner, Ben Platt, Eric Bana, Jared Harris, Drew and Jonathan Scott (aka The Property Brothers), Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Kit Harington, Gwendoline Christie, as well as Ted Sarandos and Lisa Nishimura 

PLACE: Neuehouse

SERVED: Waiters carried boxes of Jon & Vinny’s pizza in lieu of tray-passed hors d'eouvres; a sushi bar was stationed near the actual bar, including a make-your-own poke and chicken bowl station, plus mini desserts including cream puffs and fruit tarts were being passed as the night came to a close.

INSIDE DISH: A periodic line to enter the party meant that even power brokers like MACRO’s Charles King had to wait a few minutes before they could join in the revelry. Inside the event — where red streamers turned the ceiling into a dim, moody space — the dance floor was the place to be. Millie Bobby Brown and some of her Stranger Things co-stars were out there early in the night, but as the hours wore on, Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst stole the show, dancing to Ludacris' "Move Bitch" among other beats. They were even eventually joined by Benedict Cumberbatch. 

After all that dancing, Dunst was seen carrying her heels as she greeted other members of the party. (She likely took advantage of the free flip flop station where Netflix was handing out Havaianas.)

Once The Queen Claire Foy arrived, Emmy in hand, it was The Crown table that took center stage.

Bob Sagat joked with fans as Nick Kroll and Alison Brie arrived at the same time and posed together for pictures. Stephen Colbert and Bob Odenkirk caught up while being surrounded by admirers.

Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness was spotted chatting up Olympic medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani (The Shib Sibs), while his costar Queer Eye’s Tan France was spotted delivering a box of pizza to Foy and, later, Ted Sarandos posed for pictures with the actress and her co-star Matt Smith.

Meanwhile, Set It Up star Zoey Deutch, Broadway star Ben Platt and comedian Billy Eichner navigated the crowd together, and James Corden was seen chatting up Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington who made his way from the HBO to the Netflix bash which went late into the evening.

Sharing the night with HBO for the most wins, Netflix's Cindy Holland put out a statement: "We are honored to share this night with our friends at HBO, who have paved the way for years by setting the highest possible standard," which coincided with the Netflix and HBO parties as they also shared party guests as GoT's D. B. Weiss and some of its stars left the Pacific Design Center and made the trek to the Netflix bash in Hollywood for the end of the night.

Guests including those with Emmy trophies in hand waited in line to take videos in the gif "music video"-esque booth which created mini-gifs for guests with an Aperol spritz color-themed set-up.

Nishimura escorted Dave Chapelle inside as he quickly took the helm at the DJ booth and presided over the dance floor where Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton danced among other stars and guests as Chapelle exclaimed, "Tonight, we're going to Netflix and Chil, B-tch!" as he got the rowdy crowd to chant well past midnight: "Ain't no party but a Netflix party, because a Netflix party don't stop!"

'Mrs. Maisel' Emmy Winners Toast Historic Wins at Governors Ball

Party: 70th Emmy Awards Governors Ball — “Emmys Under the Stars”

Players: The trophy-toting crew from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel including Dan Palladino and Amy Sherman-Palladino with their Emmy winning star Rachel Brosnahan, Emmy winners Claire Foy, Regina King, Jeff Daniels, Tiffany Haddish, RuPaul, Glenn Weiss (and new fianceé Jan), Ryan Murphy, Henry Winkler, John Oliver, Thandie Newton and George R.R. Martin, along with Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Ted Sarandos, Neil Meron, Jenji Kohan, Tatiana Maslany and Donald Glover.

Place: L.A. Live Event Deck

Served: Brown butter potato gnocchi, hand-carved flat-iron steak with red wine bordelaise, cave-aged Emmi gruyere popovers, Nashville hot chicken sliders, Angus beef sliders, Filipino barbecue chicken skewers, gooey grilled cheese with heirloom tomato soup, cashew “ceviche,” sweet corn agnolotti, truffle-scented French fries and a farmer’s market edible garden of five featured salads. Wine from Sterling Vineyards, Ferrari Trento sparkling wine (Trentodoc), cocktails by Ketel One and Fiji Water, the official water partner of the 70th Emmys and Governors Ball. Premium chocolatier Lindt Chocolate also debuted as the official chocolate confectionery of the Green Room — renamed the Lindt Chocolate Lounge — and Governors Ball. 

Inside Dish: Guests weaved their ways around the event deck through indoor and outdoor spaces checking out the various food and beverage stations during the milestone celebration which featured many Emmy-winning stars. Even those who didn't win — like Donald Glover — still found themselves swarmed by well-wishers and fans. (Glover is back to performing Childish Gambino gigs as of Tuesday.)

Henry Winkler proved hard to reach through the crush of well-wishers throughout the night, but once THR did catch up with him, he said the greatest thing about his winning night is, "that I am either old enough or whatever it is that I was able to actually be present. That I got to take it in. That I felt the room. It feels unbelievable. And that Bill [Hader] won too? Oh my God, really. It really is indefinable."

Winner King said that she has hopes for shows like Seven Seconds in the wake of her win: "The beautiful thing about Netflix is that they have so much content and more opportunities. They're creating places for new auteurs to come that I know will continue to tell reflective stories." Speaking of stories, nominee Sterling K. Brown said he recently binged all of The Americans so he could be genuinely thrilled when Matthew Rhys won the Emmy in his category.

"It's huge," Brosnahan told THR during the Governors Ball about her big win. "The best part about it has been how many different aspects of the show have been recognized, either with nominations or wins. It's really just the cherry on top of this already life-changing incredible [Monday]. We're so proud of the show and proud to be here together and proud to be in such ridiculously amazing company." Speaking of company, Brosnahan said that her favorite moment of the night was the faux fight with presenter over her new accessory. "Tiffany Haddish handing me this thing and fighting with me for it!"

Views inside Gov Ball. #EMMYS pic.twitter.com/iDsrLxqYKz

— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) September 18, 2018

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Just talked to night’s big winners: Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dan Palladino on her making history with @MaiselTV wins at tonight’s #EMMYS. They’re off to @AmazonStudios party now leaving Gov Ball. pic.twitter.com/0XMJPEc0x0

— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) September 18, 2018

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HBO Party Brings Out Dave Chappelle and Ronan Farrow, But 'Barry' and 'GoT' Gents Were The Men of The Hour

PARTY: HBO

PLAYERS: Cast and bosses from Game of Thrones, Westworld, Barry, Insecure, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Billions, Silicon Valley; Last Week Tonight winner John Oliver and executive producer Liz Stanton; Paterno director Barry Levinson; Tracey Ullman and her Tracey Ullman’s Show producer Caroline Norris; Laura Dern and producers of The Tale; Sharp Objects' Jean-Marc Vallé and Nathan Ross; Dave Chappelle, Lorne Michaels; HBO Chairman and CEO Richard Plepler; Ronan Farrow; Juliette Lewis; Joss Whedon; Tiffany Haddish; Kathy Bates; Bob Odenkirk; Regina King; Joey King with Zac Posen; Laurence Fishburne and Gina Torres; Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna; Mark Ronson; Grace Gummer; Michelle Wolf; Rosanna Arquette; Elizabeth Perkins; Katherine Langford; Pod Save America hosts Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor; Nathan Fielder; Will Forte; Jill Scott; Emily V. Gordon; Jenna Elfman; Christina Pickles; Christopher McDonald; Cazzie David; Rumer Willis; Linsdey Vonn and more.

PLACE: Pacific Design Center

SERVED: Wolfgang Puck-catered stations at the start of the party, all with long lines for dinner (marinated tri-tip steak, roasted chicken, Hong Kong salmon, campanelle pasta with butternut squash, charred brussels sprouts, late summer corn, salads, woodland mushroom tabbouleh). Passed appetizers included miniature tacos and caviar sliders, and a dessert bar served up treats like dark chocolate crémeux tarts and passion-caramel cream mini eclairs. Milk Bar sent guests home with a choice of their B’Day Truffles, Confetti Cookies or Compost Cookies.

INSIDE DISH: Emmy-crowned Dave Chappelle (Saturday Night Live) paid a visit to this sprawling, Garden of Eden-themed fete, doffing his leather jacket and lighting a cigarette as he spoke with Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. The group stood at the center of the al fresco party, lit by a colossal light fixture resembling dozens of striking serpents. Closer to the dance floor, on a TV screen broadcasting the company’s logo, the background alternated between smoldering and slithering. More snakes were underfoot – pink and yellow ones, entwined in flowers on the carpet.

Around tables boasting gold accents – from vases that looked like upturned hands to ant paperweights some guests carried home – Laurence Fishburne introduced himself to Dascha Polanco, Richard Plepler talked shop with Lorne Michaels, Grace Gummer confided to Tracey Ullman, and John Oliver held near Michelle Wolf (about to begin 18 months of touring in Sacramento – “I will not be having a Lady Bird experience!”) When Jeff Garlin congratulated Regina King, she took a large step in his direction, leaving her award unsupervised.

Apples, skulls, candles, seashells and ceramic peacocks adorned the dark room's additional edges. Peripheral decorations also included metal urns on floral columns; individual blossoms, framed and glowing; botanical canopies; and loaf-sized, gilded beetles, diagonally crawling the walls.

Throwback hits such as “Careless Whisper” and “Love Shack” transitioned to contemporary beats after midnight. Kit Harrington escorted Malin Åkerman and boyfriend Jack Donnelley to the bar, while Better Call Saul antihero Bob Odenkirk chatted with March Oscar nominees Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon (The Big Sick). Outside the ladies’ room, women chirped about Ronan Farrow, wondering whether he should be somewhere else reporting.

In 2018, the cable titan and Netflix each earned 23 Emmys. Game of Thrones claimed the final superlative. “We were ready to leave the auditorium, and then we won!” she told THR. To reporters inquiring about what cameras missed, she laughed, “You sort of wish [commercial breaks] could be a reality TV show where all the good stuff happens. No, just you sit down and you’re like, Oh, I’ll answer those text messages. Mum’s not looking on that camera, I can, like, pick up that Instagram.”

Despite the show’s prior wins in the category, executive producer Bernadette Caulfield insists that round three was a jolt. “It was so long ago that we were on the air – we had that gap – so we were afraid that people were going to forget about us, and we were up against such tough competition,” she said. “The Americans is a brilliantly written show, and [with The] Handmaid’s Tale, I just thought everybody’s loving that. So actually, we were shocked.”

She also couldn’t help reliving the night’s first honor. “Oh my God, that was just such a great way to start, and he’s such a sweet man,” she said of Henry Winkler, who received his first nod 42 years ago for Happy Days. “I was on a little movie of the week with him, and he was just so happy to be working and doing what he loved to do, and I said, ‘Please, instill that upon every other young actor that you come across.’”

Of the standing ovation he garnered, Winkler said, “I want to tell you how wonderful it feels that I was present enough to see it and take it in. It is indescribable. I wanted to do this since I was seven years old.” His new hardware will live “right next to my bed. You know people say I’m going to use it as a doorstop? They’re full of it.” What if he knocks it over in his sleep? “I don’t care. I’ll tape it together.”

Christina Pickles – who took home a statuette at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards for her web series, Break A Hip – noted Winkler was “like me: seven times nominated, and seventh time is the charm for both of us.” Recent requisite party-hopping has been “horrible,” she admitted. “I’ve done it, happily, but I’m so glad this is the last one.”

Had she known that organizers booked a Bobbie Brown station to touch up attendees’ makeup, Pickles might have attended the ceremony (“I was getting ready to come here…I’m very self-involved”). Succession co-stars Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong shared dinner instead. “He’s mister hip restaurant, hip designer – like he always knows the name of some designer that nobody’s ever fucking heard of yet,” said Culkin. “So he took us to a place called Spago, which apparently is very hip, and I know that because when I walked in, I’m like, Oh, there’s Oprah,” who actually was mid-meal.

Insecure’s Kendrick Sampson had higher priories. “I had a meeting with a bunch of activists about ending white supremacy,” he said in all seriousness, but with a laugh. “We were [also] talking about mass incarceration and ending police brutality;” Sampson “loved” the head-to-toe Nike ensemble Jennifer Lewis (Black-ish) wore on the red carpet.

Later, he was treated to a rumba from Tiffany Haddish, his fellow guests as Saturday’s “Yacht Shit Part Deux,” another creation from Issa Rae. “It was the second year she’s had a yacht party, kind of celebrating her birthday and everything, and we had all the black Emmy nominees,” he said, mentioning Tracee Ellis Ross, as well as Lil Rel Howery, and Dear White People duo Antoinette Robinson and Ashley Blaine Featherson. Snacks included chicken and grits. “It exhausted me with dancing out on the yacht in the sun, but it was unforgettable, and just had a bunch of black people uplifting each other and having fun together.”

That same day, “Luke Hemsworth had a party of his own in his own backyard, hilarious,” revealed Westworld colleague Ptolemy Slocum. “There was a mermaid in the pool,” an actress hired for the occasion.

Even that sight was not as memorable as Oscars producer Glenn Weiss using his acceptance speech to propose to his girlfriend, Jan Svendsen. Melvin Jackson Jr. (This Eddie Murphy Role Is Mine, Not Yours) and Kelly Jenrette (The Handmaid’s Tale), on the brink of their own wedding anniversary, just became the first African-American spouses to both receive Emmy nominations in the same year. Jackson Jr. first asked Jenrette to marry him – with a ring – two months into their courtship. “I said no four times – I just, I wanted to be sure,” she said, finally agreeing on his birthday. Adds her now-husband, “Listen, I knew what I had.”

That’s a feeling Barry producer Emily Heller knows well. “A full two years ago, I said Bill [Hader] was going to win the Emmy,” she said. “As soon as I saw the first cuts, I was like, He is so good in this, and he’s a real fucking actor…It’s really great watching someone do the thing that they really want to do with their career, and that’s what this show has been.”

Hader’s variety-show brother, Will Forte, was equally thrilled for the new Best Actor in a Comedy. “When you’re at Saturday Night Live, the people you work with – it’s such a pressure-packed situation – you all get very, very close. You feel like family. And to see him win that award was very special.”      

One year from now, Jean-Marc Vallé (Big Little Lies) is already expected to extend his Emmy-winning streak with Sharp Objects. “Come on, let’s not jinx it,” he groused. "One step at a time, and we’ll see.” — Jenna Marotta

Ryan Murphy Reigns at Fox Party

PARTY: Fox

PLAYERS: The Assassination of Gianni Versace winners Ryan Murphy, Darren Criss and the rest of their cast — including Penelope Cruz and husband Javier Bardem — This Is Us stars Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley and most of the young cast, Atlanta creator Donald Glover and his costars, The Americans winners Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields, Matthew Rhys (along with nominated partner and costar Keri Russell), the cast of FX's Pose, plus execs Dana Walden, Peter Rice, among other guests such as Jeff Goldblum and Constance Wu

PLACE: Vibiana

SERVED: Stations throughout the massive indoor and outdoor space served classics from adjacent restaurant Redbird, which included freshly carved beef or vegan roast, Brussels sprouts, chicken la plancha, and Caesar salad, while passed apps included pizzas, sliders, and desserts such as a pie station, macarons and mini brown butter cookies. A giant four-sided raw bar stood in the center of the indoor space, with bar and food tables (including a champagne station) lining the sides.

INSIDE DISH: It was likely Fox’s last Emmy party before most of its assets get swallowed up by Disney, but that didn’t stop the celebrations as Jeff Goldblum gamely posed for photos with fans and Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys stopped by to show off his Emmy. .

The theme for this year's soiree was clearly gilded glamour — stars and execs sat on emerald velvet couches while Hollywood regency decor turned the former cathedral into a dreamy, romantic scene. Even the photo booth was decked out — a 3D patterned background where a videographer captured footage to turn into a GIF.

While there was plenty of seating (and space) inside the building, most guests gathered outside — it was so crowded on the patio that it took about 10 minutes to navigate through from one end of the courtyard to the other.

Sterling K. Brown chatted with the Atlanta cast (including his longtime friend and onetime This Is Us costar Brian Tyree Henry, who changed from his yellow patterned jacket into a more casual look) while new Fox star Lil Rel Howerey spoke with his new boss, Fox chief Dana Walden. 

Ryan Murphy held court in a booth — a regular sight that will come to an end as he makes the jump to Netflix — alongside Walden and his Emmy-winning star Darren Criss, with a nonstop line of well-wishers and selfie-snappers awaiting them as they clutched their trophies. 

Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter that he was happy for three reasons: first, that 20 years after being told he couldn't write gay characters, he won an Emmy for Versace, a show that tackled homosexuality in America. Second, that he felt accepted as a director by his peers, and third, that Criss, with whom he's very close, won for his work. 

"I've always known him to be someone with so much potential and so much pathos and darkness and excitement in him," Murphy said. "So the fact that he won, I feel like my child won. I had a moment with his parents and we all cried. It was very moving to me. And I've always felt like an outsider in the system. Tonight I didn't feel like an outsider for the first time in my career. So I feel very moved."

Next year, hopefully he'll be celebrating alongside the cast of Pose, who photobombed some of Murphy and Criss' snaps. 

"The Pose kids, I feel like if you just keep doing work that you want to do, what I've learned is people will see you," Murphy said. "That's all you can do."

Though the showrunner, who signed a massive deal with Netflix earlier this year, was celebrating at the party (his two Emmys sat behind him on the banquette), he'll be back at work bright and early in the morning."Tomorrow I'm working with American Horror Story and Ratchet and Pose," he said. "No rest." — Jean Bentley

'Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Has the Last Laugh at the Amazon Emmy Party

PARTY: Amazon Prime Video Emmys Celebration

PLAYERS: Stars of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Kevin Pollock, Tony Shalhoub, Marin Hinkle, Amy Sherman-Palladino, plus Carlton Cuse, Matthew Weiner, Dermot Mulroney, Vanessa Hudgens, Derek Hough, Michael Zegen, Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Josh Duhamel, Emily Ratajkowski, Harry Shum Jr, Lisa Rinna, Harry Hamlin, Ariel Kebbel, and Dermot Mulroney, among others.

SERVED: Guests noshed on Cecconi's classics such as truffle pizza, orecchiette, crab ravioli,  burrata and peaches, black truffle arancini, short rib grilled cheese and ahi tuna cones as well as specialty themed cocktails including the “Pretty in Pink” and the “Simply Marvelous” in crystal glasses.

INSIDE DISH: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cast was definitely living their best life. As one of the evening's big winners, Amy Sherman-Pallidino noted her favorite part of the evening: "I think Alex [Bornstein] winning because it felt like we’re off to the races a little bit and I really, really wanted Alex to win and she really didn’t believe she was going to win and I got together with her on Sunday night and we had three martinis too many and I was like ‘you better have some talking points down girlfriend’ and she was like ‘grrrr, it’s not going to happen!’"

As for her own two big wins for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, "It’s just weird. Honestly, I think it’s just so weird. I don’t know how else to explain it. I’ve been working for 20 years. I’ve already won. That’s the impossible thing to be working and to be doing this and being someone like me who’s not an ingenue or beautiful or perfect. It’s just amazing. This is just a crazy weird gift wrapping," she told THR.

The creators and cast took over the Cecconi's indoor-outdoor party. "Having been a part of a couple of memorable things as an actor, long ago, there’s a great appreciation for when it comes back around so that’s sort of the celebration for me and then the more present answer is I haven’t been challenged like this as an actor in a very, very long time," said actor Kevin Pollock. "It’s astonishing and crazy in terms of the challenge of doing this show and therefore instantly rewarding while you’re doing it so this is crazy icing on the cake but we’re all still pinching ourselves. We just finished shooting the second season and we’re all still madly in love with each other and the show. So here’s to that."

Guests danced to the beats of DJ Spider and enjoyed the party's“rosé room” decorated with lush pink furniture and drapes, a ceiling of gold and pink balloons, pink cupcakes and donuts and the popular centerpiece — a Moët Chandon vending machine serving Moët brut and rose champagne in mini bottles. Fun neon signs helped set the fun party vibe with one reading "the future is rosy" above the bar and another cheekily wrote: "all you have to do is stream."

John Legend, Chrissy Teigen Party It Up at Hulu

PARTY: Hulu

PLAYERS: The cast of The Handmaid’s Tale including Samira Wiley, Ann Dowd and Elisabeth Moss, Hulu executives, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott 

PLACE: Nomad Hotel

SERVED: Shake Shack Burgers as parting favors

INSIDE DISH: The hip new downtown hotel was the stylish home base for Hulu, which didn’t pick up any wins during the Primetime Emmys broadcast but did see The Handmaid’s Tale’s Samira Wiley win for guest actress in a drama series during the Creative Arts Emmys. 

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen joined in on the Hulu talent-heavy party, dancing and later greeting DJ Tendaji Lathan. Meanwhile, Sarah Silverman caught up with Property Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott. 

TNT and TBS Take Over Downtown's DAMA

PARTY: TNT + TBS Emmys After Party

PLAYERS: The Alienist stars Daniel Brühl, Luke Evans, Douglas Smith, Good Behavior star Laura Bell Bundy, plus TNT and TBS president Kevin Reilly, among others.

PLACE: DAMA

SERVED: Food stations included a raw bar, carved-to-order jamón ibérico, chicken tinga or seafood tostadas, and oxtail tacos, plus ten different made-to-order cocktails, including Brazilian batida de bananas, pina colada, negronis and more.

INSIDE DISH: Held in Downtown L.A.'s Latin-inspired DAMA restaurant, the networks' first-ever joint Emmy party (TBS held one last year) featured a live band playing Latin music and a pleasantly populated patio — all the seats were filled and plenty of groups chatted both on the patio and inside the restaurant, but there was plenty of room to maneuver around the party and chat with the networks' talent, which included stars from TNT's nominated Alienist, who chatted with network head Kevin Reilly while the band played. — Jean Bentley

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Casts Minimal Shadow Over Showtime Fete

PARTY: Showtime

PLAYERS: Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Stiller, Mandy Patinkin, Don Cheadle, Stephen Colbert, Johnny Galecki, Andrew Rannells, Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy, Kevin Bacon and Jillian Bell, and many others.

PLACE: Chateau Marmont's lobby level was fully taken over by the indoor-outdoor soiree.

SERVED: Passed sliders, of both the beef and fried chicken varieties, and crispy cauliflower bites — as well as a casual buffet

INSIDE DISH: Maybe it was this year's change of venue, but the absence of Leslie Moonves at Sunday night's Showtime party at Chateau Marmont did not feel as strange as anticipated.

Once Moonves’ annual Emmy reason to show face — Showtime’s CBS Corp. broadcast sibling doesn’t fare as well in Emmys' sexier categories — the Showtime party again hosted a mix of network talent, staffers and hangers-on.

Few seemed eager to broach the subject, a 180-degree switch from the weekend's other parties, and the biggest crowds circled network mainstays such as Homeland's Mandy Patinkin and Shameless star William H Macy in the hotel's garden courtyard. In his toast to the nominees, Showtime Networks CEO David Nevins went out of his way to name individuals and teasingly imply he'd soon be getting new material from Fourth Estate documentarian Liz Garbus. — Michael O'Connell

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Trump Tweets and 'Vanderpump Rules' Stars Dominate the Comedy Central Emmy Party

PARTY: Comedy Central’s Emmy’s Party

PLACE: The Highlight Room at the Dream Hollywood

PLAYERS: Trevor Noah, David Spade, Ken Marino, Michelle Wolf, Daniel Kaluuya, Stassi Schroeder, Jax Taylor, Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Kristen Doute, Ariana Madix, Brittany Cartwright, Cedric Yarbrough

SERVED: Comedy Central whipped up a multicultural menu for their party with everything from a make-your-own-taco bar, to a satay station, cheeseburger sliders, egg rolls, Drunk History branded beers and specially made cinnamon rolls for anyone with late-night munchies.

INSIDE DISH: Comedy Central may be a network for comedy nerds but they closed out the weekend with one of the Emmy’s coolest pre-parties on the rooftop deck of the ultra chic Dream Hollywood. As soon as guests stepped off of the elevator they were greeted by models carrying trays of sparkling champagne and hot-off-the-grill cheeseburger sliders.

The decor was dominated by Donald Trump as some of his most notorious tweets were blown up and framed art gallery style on walls around the party. The tweets — part of The Daily Show's Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library — covered wide-ranging topics such as the Emmys (he hates them), The Democratic Party (he hates them) and sharks (he hates them, sensing a pattern here), which were definitely a focal point of the evening as they stood tall around the rooftop with guests taking pics of them throughout the evening.

Of course in Hollywood, it’s all about the ‘gram, and the party provided multiple Insta opps, including a giant South Park display with life-sized cutouts of Kenny, Kyle Cartman and Stan for guests to pose with, a Broad City coloring station, and a Drunk History photo booth.

David Spade made a quick stop by the party but said buh-bye early after chatting with Michelle Wolf. The Roast Master General Jeff Ross spent more time enjoying the evening and was a popular go-to for selfies.

However, it was the full cast of the Bravo reality show Vanderpump Rules who really dominated the party. Jax, Brittany, Katie, Stassi, Kristen, Ariana and all of the Toms showed up early, stayed late, hit the bar hard and the dance floor harder and surprisingly, no one had a glass of wine thrown in their face.

Fashion icon Tom Sandoval rocked a burgundy tux and was double-fisting cans of Bud Light, a special likely not available on the menu of his newly opened up-scale lounge TomTom.

The Vanderpump ladies also went wild on the South Park photo set in ways that would have made the show’s creators proud.

Ken Marino took a more low key approach to the party. He set up shop in the less crowded back patio where he chatted with friends and joked that he was going to be hitting up a very exclusive after-party at Fat Burger once he left The Dream.

The was no formal dance floor, but the area behind the DJ booth was the hot spot to shake your money maker, although spontaneous dance parties broke out all over the deck. The DJ deftly mixed dance floor classics like No Diggity with '80s hits such as "Take On Me" and had not only guests but servers, staff and photographers grooving out to his music.

Trevor Noah was the man everyone was waiting for, and wait they did as The Daily Show host had to hit several other pre-Emmy parties before he could make his way to the Highlight Room well after midnight. He spent time catching up with Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya and the two made plans to get together for a drink.

Noah also shared his favorite Emmys memory with THR. “I genuinely think my favorite Emmy memory was coming out with Jon Stewart because that was my first time. He was like ‘Come along. Let’s have fun. Let me show you this world.’ It would be years before I would come back with my own show being nominated, so it was genuinely my favorite because I was a kid who had just come from South Africa. I hadn’t even taken the show on so it was literally just a whirlwind of people and it was amazing.” — Alex Cramer

Thomas Middleditch is "Not Expecting Any" Emmy Wins for 'Silicon Valley'

John Singleton, Regina King, Tatiana Maslany Gather at ICM Partners Brunch to Celebrate Emmys

PARTY: ICM Partners

PLAYERS: Emmy nominees Louie Anderson, David Harbour, Regina King and Tatiana Maslany; actors Tony Shalhoub, Marcia Gay Harden, Anthony Carrigan, Sherry Cola, Marg Helgenberger, Sylvia Hoeks, Ashley Blaine Featherson, Jay Pharaoh, (newly-minted Emmy winner for his work on Saturday Night Live) Chris Reed; ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey, AMC Networks president and general manager Charlie Collier, newly-installed Paramount TV chief Nicole Clemens, MGM Television president, production and development Steve Stark, Christopher Lloyd, Kit Steinkelner, Michelle Nader, Emmy winning producer of Jesus Christ Superstar Neil Meron, Emmy nominated director Edward Berger and a host of ICM agents including Eddy Yablans, Carter Cohn, Andrea Nelson Meigs, Dana Sims, and more.

PLACE: Santa Monica home of ICM Partners’ managing director Chris Silbermann and wife Julia Franz.

SERVED: Client Walton Goggins’ spirits line Mulholland Distilling lined the bar along with Kimo Sabe Mezcal, pomegranate oolong iced tea, Meyer Lemonade, and the main attraction was a generous brunch spread that had guests buzzing and lining up for seconds and thirds. On offer: Lobster rolls, five grain oatmeal brulee, mascarpone scrambled eggs, apple wood smoked bacon, Shaksuka, cashew chicken salad, roasted beets salad, cauliflower “soffritto,” Randy’s Donuts mini donuts, and the hottest item on the menu – crispy buttermilk fried chicken and waffles. 

INSIDE DISH: It was a particularly gorgeous (and humid) Santa Monica Sunday in Silbermann’s backyard where guests sought out the shade underneath a new addition to this year’s event – a giant shade sail that covered a huge portion of the yard to provide a break from the sun. The hosts kept it cool, too. “We have a good team,” Silbermann told THR of opening up his home for the hundreds of guests who filed in and out during the three-hour event. (More than 700 people RSVP’d.) “I just go around and shake a lot of hands.”

It’s true: Just after noon, Silbermann was spotted on the sidewalk greeting guests as they arrived. Later, he joked about escaping the heat. “I like the sails this year. It’s sweaty in the right way.” And the fact that the agency’s annual Emmys gathering happens in the late morning is another way to do awards season the right way, he added. “Brunch is classier and people can have real conversations. Running around to a bunch of parties at night can get crazy.”

Maslany, nominated for her work again in Orphan Black – the critic-favored show already earned her a best actress Emmy – didn’t have to run to snag the last green apple shaved ice cone from a server’s tray, but she did graciously offer it to THR. "You and I almost fought over this," she said with a laugh. "I've already plowed through a plate of food and a donut. I'm happy, and I'm never not eating." 

She was also quite pleased about being at a party repping her agency. "I'm from Canada so this whole world is so exciting to me and to be a part of the ICM family is amazing. It's a company I believe in and my agent Steve Alexander is just so amazing," she said. "He's an artist and a smart person who really trusts me and gives me safety and protection in the industry. I feel very held by this company."

Maslany revealed her date for Monday's Emmys will be her Orphan Black co-star Kristian Bruun, and they will be toasting the show's final bow. "We thought people would've moved on from the show, so it's a real honor and a surprise." 

ICM client John Singleton also had family on his mind, too. He brought his son and daughter to the party and told THR that they all three are working with the agency (his son on animated projects and his daughter is represented as a screenwriter). "I love what Chris does every year," he said. "I ran into my friend Regina King. I've known her since we were both at USC so we were sharing stories about that. I also ran into [Abdul Williams] who wrote The Bobby Brown Story. I've never met him but he told me he's going to pitch a new show and I said, 'Dude, we gotta get together.' So this is just like a family picnic for me."  

Views inside ICM Partners annual Emmys brunch at home of Chris Silbermann, Julia Franz. Made in the shade courtesy of new sails this year. (Cameo by “Barry” buddy @Anth_Carrigan) #Emmys pic.twitter.com/ckm1GIyRKz

— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) September 17, 2018

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Issa Rae On What She is Most Excited For at The Emmys: "For It to Be Over"

PARTY: Glamour x Tory Burch Women to Watch luncheon

PLAYERS: Alison Brie, Chrissy Metz, Issa Rae, Tracee Ellis Ross, Samira Wiley, Betty Gilpin, Natalia Dyer, Channing Dungey, Ellie Kemper, Logan Browning, Busy Philipps, Gillian Jacobs, Madelaine Petsch, Kerry Ehrin, Liz Flahive, Carolyn Cassidy, Hannah Simone, Carly Mensch, Marti Noxon, Britney Young, Dina Shihabi, Sarah Bolger

PLACE: Tory Burch Beverly Hills

SERVED: Honeydew lemonade cocktails, fresh burrata arugula salad, chicken with celery root puree, passion fruit panna cotta, triple chocolate cookies, Fog Head Sauvignon Blanc

INSIDE DISH: TV’s leading ladies did what most people in Beverly Hills do on Sundays: lunched al fresco. Hosted by Glamour’s editor in chief Samantha Barry, the party welcomed actresses from Glow, Insecure and more to mingle ahead of Monday’s awards.

Rae found her seat at the table — praying for a shady spot — on Tory Burch’s Rodeo Drive rooftop for the intimate lunch with about 30 female stars, producers and execs.

What is the Insecure actress-writer-producer looking forward to at the Emmys? "For it to be over. I think it's really fun. I'm definitely looking forward to the after parties. I'm looking forward to celebrating and I'm honored. But I get my life back after Monday, so I'm excited," Rae told The Hollywood Reporter. She most wants “to be able to like write. I haven't had a chance to like sit down." (The artist just flew in from New York, where she was at Rihanna’s Diamond Ball).

"For me, it's like sitting in front of my desk, and getting everything away and turning everything off.” Once the third season ends on Sept. 30, “that's when I'm like really really free to get back to being creative,” Rae told THR.

Though she finds inspiration all over California — traveling to Malibu, Santa Barbara and Ojai to write — “I just moved into a new house, so I'm really excited to get my house together, so it feels like home.”

Nominated in the acting category, Rae says if she won, "It would be incredible, but I think about Tracee Ellis and I think about Pamela Adlon. I think about the women that came before me, so I will almost feel guilty, but you know, it's an honor,” she said.

On how she’d celebrate: "the same way I'll celebrate if I lose, by drinking with friends."

That type of celebration was not in short supply on the umbrella-shaded rooftop with rose and white wine flowing. Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale) then came up to introduce herself to Rae, saying they hadn’t met before, and Rae asked where she was sitting (turned out, across from Chrissy Metz of This is Us).

Busy Philipps snapped a photo with Logan Browning (Dear White People), who wore a shirt reading “vote.” After several "Hi, how are you?" and "yes one more!" to photo ops, the floral-wearing women took their bamboo seats to enjoy the farm house chicken with celery root puree, honey ginger carrots and haricots verts served around the leafy green centerpieces. — Lindsay Weinberg

Artists First Hosts Beachy Brunch

PARTY: Artists First brunch

PLAYERS: Black-ish stars Anthony Anderson and Marcus Scribner, Veep actor Diedrich Bader, producer Laurie Zaks, CAA’s Adam Berkowitz, Artists First founder Peter Principato, Ken Marino, Fauda star Lior Raz, and publicist Lewis Kay, among others.

PLACE: The Penthouse at The Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica

SERVED: Brunch fare, including sesame-wrapped feta cheese and a dessert bar with a caramel bon bons.

INSIDE DISH: It was a perfectly sunny and clear morning for a reception at the rooftop restaurant with panoramic views of the Santa Monica coastline with mimosas pouring freely for the mix of guests — producers, agents and talent — gathered at the penthouse restaurant with sweeping ocean views.

Michael Avenatti and Anthony Scaramucci's UTA Take Over

PARTY: UTA

PLAYERS: Guests included Anthony Scaramucci, Dominique Fishback, Shiri Appleby, Chelsea Handler, Michelle Wolf, Billy Eichner, Steve Levitan, Andrew Rannells, Nick Grad, Courtney Monroe, Carolyn Bernstein, Retta, Jon Leguizamo, Nicholas Braun, Steven Weber, Don Lemon and Kenya Barris. Plus execs Charlie Collier, Dana Walden and Courteney Monroe, Kyle Maclachlan and wife Desiree Gruber, among others.

PLACE: Brentwood home of co-president Jay Sures

SERVED: Tray-passed beef and vegetarian sliders, fish and chips, chicken tenders, mini lobster rolls and pigs in the blankets, plus the crowd-pleasing Jon and Vinny's pizza served at the top of the driveway as guests arrived. At the bottom of the stairs, froze (frozen rose) was passed out.

INSIDE DISH: All eyes were on Avenatti and Scaramucci who huddled while Scaramucci joked about his Harvard Law School days. The usually dimly-lit party was better equipped for this year's soiree, as Hannah Gadsby caught up with Jill Soloway.

Levitan greeted Avenatti as though they were old friends, while Meredith Vieira listened intently to Scaramucci in another corner.

Avneatti later chatted with Don Lemon and Kate McKinnon who also caught up with one of the popular men of the hour. "Avenatti and The Mooch are the biggest deals here," joked one partygoer. 

RuPaul Owns The Dancefloor at CAA's Lively Party

PARTY: CAA

PLAYERS: RuPaul, Sue Kroll, Gary Newman, Matthew Weiner, David O. Russell, Charles King, Sandra Stern, Kenya Barris, Scott Speedman, Chris McQuarrie, Plan B's Jeremy Kleiner, Westworld's Jeffrey Wright, Rachel Brosnahan, David Nevins and David Boreanaz, among others.

PLACE: Rose Cafe in Venice

SERVED: Tray-passed burgers and grilled cheese, raw bar featuring oysters and scallops, plus various stations including wood-fired pizza, pasta, charcuterie and cheese as well as a dessert station.

INSIDE DISH: The most party-like atmosphere of all the agency parties on Friday night, CAA took over Rose Cafe with multiple indoor-outdoor spaces in Venice with the DJ's festive (think: pop hits) music blaring throughout the neighborhood.

RuPaul owned the dance floor as he broke it down at the rambunctious party.

Kenya Barris was making the rounds being hugged and congratulated by well-wishers every corner he took as the agency party took over Rose Cafe in Venice this year.

Fox's Gary Newman caught up with his former Bones star David Boreanaz, while Matthew Weiner held court by the dessert table and later had a long conversation with Brosnahan.

As with every party, hushed conversations centered on Leslie Moonves' demise. Some focused on how to reconcile it all; others on who knew what, when, and what happens now.

Stars Descend on WME's Rooftop Soiree

PARTY: WME

PLAYERS: Jennifer Salke, Dana Walden, Bonnie Hammer, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel, Milo Ventimiglia, LL Cool J, Joel Stillerman, Craig Erwich, Chris McCumber, Chris Parnell, Patrick Moran, Michael Thorn, Tiffany Haddish, Shawn Levy, Kenya Barris, Nick Kroll, Alison Brie, Lisa Joy, Jonathan Nolan, Jen Salke, Chris Licht and Dana Walden, among others.

PLACE: Waldorf-Astoria Hotel’s Rooftop by JG, Beverly Hills

SERVED: A slew of tray-passed eats by the Jean-Georges team, plus a popular churro station in the back of the rooftop soiree and a very-Hollywood appropriate gluten- soy- and dairy-free cookies that guests grabbed on their way out and noshed on the way down the hotel's elevators to the (luckily) efficient valet parking.

Ed Harris and Judith Light Expect to Leave the Emmys Empty-Handed, But John Leguizamo Says, "I think it’s between Jeff Daniels and me."

PARTY: Performer Nominee Reception

PLAYERS: Television Academy chairman and CEO Hayma Washington; Television Academy president and COO Maury McIntyre, plus Television Academy governors and members toasted the nominees including Tiffany Haddish; Killing Eve's Sandra Oh; This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathe; American Horror Story: Cult's Sarah Paulson and Adina Porter; Westworld's Ed Harris and Jeffrey Wright; GLOW's Betty Gilpin and Jackie Tohn; The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story's Judith Light and Darren Criss; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Tituss Burgess; Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton of Stranger Things; Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany; Louie Anderson of Baskets; The Handmaid's Tale's Ann Dowd, Samira Wiley, Madeline Brewer, Kelly Jenrette, and Nina Kiri; Barry's Henry Winkler and Anthony Carrigan, among others.

PLACE: Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

SERVED: In the lobby, three individually portioned appetizers including a mezze trio (scarlet beet harissa, tahini butter, lemon basil babaghanoush, olive tapenade, grissini), blue crab salad and Thai chicken salad, plus a dinner buffet including summer market salad, white corn agnolotti, Chilean sea bass and wood-grilled beef tenderloin. The featured specialty cocktail was called a Labyrinth (Ketel One family made Vodka, Ancho Reyes spiced liqueur, lime, lemon, carrot, celery), and there was also a coffee station. Party-goers left with complimentary boxes of chocolate from Lindt in lieu of a gift bag.

INSIDE DISH: Twice a winner with two more nods this year, Sterling K. Brown spent his time at the Beverly Hills soiree hollering kudos to actors on the other side of a black velvet rope keeping nominees from their fellow guests. "My man!" he exclaimed to Barry co-star Anthony Carrigan. Later, when he spotted Keidrich Sellati — who played Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell's son for six seasons on The Americans — Brown asked by way of introduction, "Henry Jennings?" next soliciting the 16-year-old's real name.

"I'm a fan, you do great work" the elder actor continued, patting Sellati on the chest. Sellati thanked him repeatedly, admitting his ineptitude with crowds and eliciting the response, "I got your back, man. You're going to be fine." However, no one was more excited to see Brown than Sarah Paulson, his co-counsel in 2016's The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, which nabbed them each Emmy hardware. Her eyes lit up when they found him, and they spent minutes of the party arm-in-arm.

Most hobnobbing occurred outside on the grass-and-stone event terrace, under strung Christmas tree lights and the gaze of oversize gold statuettes.Sage tablecloths were topped with autumnal-hued flower arrangements. On a wooden stage threaded with ivy, Television Academy Chairman and CEO Hayma Washington presented each present Emmy contender with a congratulatory certificate. Nearby, Tatiana Maslany chatted with Henry Winkler, and Westwood co-stars Jeffrey Wright and Harris shared a table.

Harris promised The Hollywood Reporter that his third nomination would not be the charm ("I just think my odds are very slight, which is fine"). Also the recipient of four unrequited Oscar chances, he marveled at the multitude of options modern TV viewers must choose from. "One of the things that’s a little weird about this whole situation is there’s so many shows, there’s like 500 scripted shows," he said. "Nobody in the world’s gonna see all that. And there’s such wonderful work being done by so many different people…it’s a little odd."

The sentiment was shared by Judith Light ("This television world we are in now is enormous, and the fact that I’ve been nominated is the win for me"), who could take home her first Emmy for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story following three past losses. Still, she also made it clear, "Of course I want to win, I’m not going to be coy about it. But if I don’t, it’s going to be the same as before, and if I don’t, then we move on."

Waco's John Leguizamo sounded more optimistic about his prospects. "I'm excited, I feel like I have a shot," he said, his first opportunity since earning a pair of nods almost 20 years ago for John Leguizamo: Freak. "I think it’s between Jeff Daniels and me, if I may be so bold. Now if Jeff Daniels wins the lead  for The Tower, then I think I’m definitely a shoo-in. But if he doesn’t win…then he’ll definitely take co-star in a movie or a miniseries. And then I won’t get it."

Among 2017's most memorable acceptance speeches was the earnest improvising from veteran character actress and real-life sweetheart Ann Dowd. Her name could be called again for portraying chilling Aunt Lydia on The Handmaid's Tale. This summer, she gave yet another bloodcurdling performance in A24's second-highest grosser ever: “When I read Hereditary, I read that first scene that Joan is in, I thought, Oh, I’m playing a nice person. She’s so kind. And I was intrigued!…Because my husband said, ‘You might want to consider playing a secretary or someone nice. A surgeon or someone who delivers the mail. Anything but the antichrist.’”  

Skipping out on this year's ceremony at the Microsoft Theater is Field of Dreams and Dante's Peak alum Lee Garlington, who was up for an award at the Creative Arts Emmys for her role in the web series "Broken" (Christina Pickles took the honor for "Break A Hip"). "I want to stay at home and watch it in my pajamas and eat popcorn,” said Garlington. Meanwhile, fifth-grader and Shameless regular  Christian Isiah isn't sure whether he'll get to attend. Clad in a pink suit, purple shirt, and gingham pocket square, the tyke — before devoting his Annenberg Center visit to cellphone games — said that in his dream scenario, he would take a photo with, "Just someone big that has an Emmy in their hands…Anybody, I don't care," a souvenir to look at "and to say, ‘I have met you before.'" — Jenna Marotta

At @TelevisionAcad’s Performer Nominee Reception, @WestworldHBO stars Harris & Wright hugged, & Henry Winkler caught up w/Judith Light pic.twitter.com/Sk5Q5TDPZi

— Jenna Marotta (@jennamarotta) September 16, 2018

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Ted Danson's Loving Texts; The Unusual Trick Shared Among 'Empire' Directors

PARTY: Entertainment Weekly Pre-Emmy Party

PLAYERS: Busy Philipps; Tiffany Haddish; Molly Shannon; Garcelle Beauvais; Jennifer Morrison; RuPaul; Billy On the Street's Billy Eichner; Ann Dowd, Samira Wiley, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Kelly Jenrette, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II from The Handmaid's Tale; Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley, Logan Shroyer, Jon Huertas, Faithe Herman, and Eris Baker from This Is Us; Westworld's Clifton Collins Jr., Shannon Woodward, Katja Herbers, Rodrigo Santoro, Angela Sarafyan and Louis Herthum; American Horror Story: Cult's Sarah Paulson, Adina Porter, and Leslie Grossman; Charlie Heaton, Natalia Dyer, Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin of Stranger Things, among others.

PLACE: Sunset Tower Hotel

SERVED: Passed snacks including mini truffle fry cones and lobster rolls, sliders with cheddar cheese and warm chocolate chip cookies, plus specialty drinks such as spicy cucumber jalapeno margaritas and blackberry ginger smashes.

INSIDE DISH: On her penultimate Saturday before she's back to filming inside Studio 8H alongside Emmy hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che, nominee Leslie Jones took photos with Garcelle Beauvais and Laverne Cox. Thousands of red roses and a gold swing lured poolside guests like Madeline Brewer and Brigitte Nielsen to L'Oreal Paris' portrait studio. Meanwhile, Busy Philipps chatted with Malin Akerman as DJ Michelle Pesce spun tunes, and Lil Rel Howery claimed a place on the dance floor between Rumer Willis and Brandon Victor Jackson, soon to compete for one of Jesus Christ Superstar's seven possible awards. 

Emmy Nominees Spill the Tea at the BAFTA Party

PARTY: 2018 BAFTA Los Angeles + BBC America TV Tea Party

PLAYERS: Henry Winkler, Jared Harris, Abby Cornish, Bryon Allen, Ru Paul, Justin Hartley, Sandra Oh, Tatiana Maslaney, Claire Forlani, Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton, Sarah Drew, Jay Duplass

PLACE: Garden at the Beverly Hilton

SERVED: Scones with jam and cream, cucumber finger sandwiches, mini quiche lorraine, smoked salmon on toast, Ketel One vodka

INSIDE DISH: Emmy parties come and go but the BAFTA Tea Party is a long time staple of the awards season scene. After too many nights spent in crowded hotel ballrooms and dark clubs, an English garden tea party on a bright and sunny afternoon at the Beverly Hilton is a nice change.

Classic tracks from the Beatles, The Clash and other British Invasion bands blasted out of the speakers as guests walked out onto the lush grass and the day went off without a hitch, though there was nearly a minor crisis when the clotted cream ran out for the scones.

Snatch star Tamer Hassan was the picture of British cool as he lounged in the smoking area with a cigarette in one hand and a Ketel One vodka soda in the other.

Grey’s Anatomy star Sarah Drew said that awards show parties feel like high school reunions because she’s always catching up with former co-stars she hadn’t seen in years.

In addition to garden party staples like cucumber finger sandwiches, there was plenty of high-end alcohol for guests to enjoy like cocktails made with Johnny Walker Blue Label.

After only two seasons on a hit TV show, Justin Hartley has gone from overnight sensation to seasoned vet of the awards show scene. He was chatting with friends about the greatest sports movies and he settled on The Natural as an all-time favorite.

Entertainment mogul Byron Allen never stops hustling and was overheard giving actress Thandie Newton advice on how to cast a movie.

Jared Harris told THR that he was pulling for his old friends and co-stars from The Crown to take home a trophy during Monday’s ceremony since it would be their last chance to win before they were replaced by a new generation of actors for the show’s third season.

The most popular man at the party may have been Henry Winkler who was clearly enjoying another turn in the spotlight as he celebrates his first Emmy nomination in nearly 20 years for his work on the HBO show Barry.

Of course, the Tea Party was only one more step on the long march of parties and events before Monday’s Emmy Awards and as the sun fell lower in the sky, guests could already be heard discussing where they’re next stop would be on the award show party scene. — Alex Cramer

Tiffany Haddish and Tracee Ellis Ross Break It Down at THR and SAG-AFTRA's Star-Studded Bash Turned Dance Party

PARTY: THR and SAG-AFTRA's second annual Emmy Nominees Night

PLAYERS: Darren Criss, Tiffany Haddish, Thandie Newton, Trevor Noah and Tracee Ellis Ross were among the 2018 nominees who came out for The Hollywood Reporter and SAG-AFTRA's Emmy Nominees Night reception at Avra Beverly Hills. They were joined by other talent, including Samira Wiley, Judith Light, Louie Anderson, Mandy Patinkin, Lior Raz, Ricky Martin and Busy Philipps, as well as several of the industry’s top executives (Dana Walden, Bonnie Hammer, Casey Bloys, Chris Silbermann) and showrunners (Steve Levitan, Kenya Barris), the latter of whom exclaimed of being on THR's Emmy issue cover, "It changed everything!"

PLACE: Avra Beverly Hills

SERVED: The stars enjoyed Greek delicacies including a hot buffet station offering sirloin steak, Colorado lamp chops and grilled vegetables, among other items. Over at the raw bar, guests noshed on gulf shrimp, Littleneck and Cherrystone clams and Maine lobster, while roving servers provided guests with grilled haloumi cheese, tuna tartare, Chilean sea bass skewers and diced honey balsamic salmon for hors d’oeuvres. The dining concluded with almond baklava and Greek yogurt chocolate cheesecake.

INSIDE DISH: The second annual event, hosted by THR editorial director Matthew Belloni and SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris, served as the unofficial launch of the Emmy weekend festivities ahead of Monday’s ceremony, which will be emceed by Saturday Night Live head writers Colin Jost and Michael Che. 

Conversation on the red carpet and inside the packed event, sponsored by Douglas Elliman and Heineken, focused on celebrating the nominees, with Henry Winkler constantly surrounded by well-wishers — even snapping a selfie with Carteris.

Though as soon as Noah walked through the door, Winkler made a beeline to greet the comedian. Noah then bolted toward Wiley (The Handmaid's Tale), and later told THR, "I'm excited to celebrate every single host that I'm nominated with because it's such a weird field where we all know each other." As for his hopes for Monday evening? "I wouldn't even dare to think that I would win because I've looked up to everyone else in the category for so long," he said.

The festivities turned into a dance party by DJ Myles Hendrik's table. Dascha Polanco grooved with Ross and Megan Mullally and friends to Beyonce's "Love on Top." The partying didn't stop later in the night, when Carteris broke it down with Haddish in another corner.

The buzz among the nominees was all about taking a trophy home. Ross, nominated for Black-ish, told THR, "I'm always hoping for a win. I'm not one of those people who will pretend I don't care. I care!" She added, "It would mean a lot. I've dreamt of an Emmy since I started acting, so it's been a long time."

Westworld's Angela Sarafyan also didn't hold back: "I want Westworld to win, period. It's the best show ever!" she said. "I want them to open that envelope and say, The Emmy goes to … Westworld!"

But for FX exec Nick Grad, he noted, "It would be a real 'shanda' if we don't win [for Atlanta], but it's out of my control," adding, "I thought the second season topped an un-toppable first season." And while Grad didn't want to spell out exactly how he would celebrate a win, the exec quipped, "It's legal now in California."

Spouses Philipps and Marc Silverstein chatted with Criss and his fiancee Mia Swier — Philipps wished them well, saying, "I'm happy for you." It was date night for other star couples including Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally and Stranger Things' Charlie Heaton and co-star Natalia Dyer, with Sarah Drew later telling them, "You guys are fantastic," as she admitted to binge-watching the nominated show.

Criss says he's still processing his nomination. "First and foremost, above being an actor, I'm a fan. I was a fan before I was an actor … there are a lot of people here that I so enjoy getting to thank in person for their work." His co-star Martin said he was also "flying over the fact that I've been nominated. It's a beautiful story to tell, very intense." He added it was a "gift" to work on the show. 

Amid the celebration, stars touched on the need to discuss hard-hitting topics at upcoming parties, with Noah noting that politics and Trump will definitely be brought up on Monday night, while Handmaid's Tale's Madeline Brewer joined Nina Kiri in talking about the importance of the upcoming midterm elections. Noah added that another unavoidable topic will be sexual harassment in Hollywood, while Homeland's Patinkin declined to discuss Leslie Moonves' recent departure from CBS. — Lindsay Weinberg

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Emmy Nominees Night 2018: Inside Hollywood Reporter and SAG-AFTRA's Star-Studded Bash

Milo Ventimiglia on the YouTube Video Distracting Him and Sterling K. Brown from their Emmys Hype

PARTY: Audi

PLAYERS: Insecure’s Issa Rae and Kendrick Sampson; Sharp Objects director Jean-Marc Vallée and executive producer Nathan Ross; The Handmaid’s Tale’s Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Sydney Sweeney, and Samira Wiley (already a winner for guest actress at this weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys); This Is Us lead Milo Ventimiglia; Black-ish creator Kenya Barris and co-star Marcus Scribner; Westworld’s Thandie Newton and Jeffrey Wright, AHS Cult’s Adina Porter; Nico Santos and Jimmy O. Yang of Crazy Rich Asians; Modern Family’s Sarah Hyland; Transparent’s Trace Lysette; ThePredator’s Boyd Holbrook, 13 Reasons Why’s Ajiona Alexus, Iron Fist’s Finn Jones, Empire’s Rumer Willis; TheBig Bang Theory’s Kunal Nayyar; Fahrenheit 451’s Sofia Boutella; I’m Dying Up Here’s RJ Cyler; Salem’s Ashley Madke; The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story director Anthony Hemingway; Black Lightening’s Skye P. Marshall; The Alienist’s Daniel Brühl; Chloe Bennet of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; Simpsons star Yeardley Smith; Logan Paul; comedian Iliza Shlesinger; musician Levi Stocke and more.

PLACE: La Peer Hotel in West Hollywood

SERVED: Passed hors d’oeuvres including lamb meatballs, falafel in tzatziki sauce, and cups of raw vegetables planted into hummus

INSIDE DISH: Far from Gilead, a quartet of Handmaids celebrated their Hulu drama’s latest recognition from The Television Academy. Samira Wiley left her statuette home to join fellow series nominee Amanda Brugel and additional co-stars at Audi’s annual Emmy bash. While they all hope cap the show's 20 nods with a repeat best drama win, more significantly, the imprint of The Handmaid’s Tale has reached the nation’s capital. Women in Handmaid “wings” and red dresses have been silently petitioning this month outside the Hart Senate Building, as the elected officials inside proceed with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings.

“It gives me chills and…it bolsters me, and my confidence that we’re doing the right thing, and that we’re making an impactful show, and we’re not just superfluous entertainment,” series regular Madeline Brewer told THR. “We ask a lot of our viewers: we ask them to be uncomfortable and scared and frustrated and angry, and celebrate our joyous moments with us and our deepest, deepest sadnesses with us. And for the show to take on another life like that, for it to take on the life of resistance and have this symbol, it’s all I could ever dream of, and it’s so, so important.”  

Fellow party attendee Trace Lysette is both an active member of the Trump resistance, and someone who helped underline the urgency of the #MeToo movement. Last fall, the Transparent actress became the second women to accuse her program’s most decorated star, Jeffrey Tambor, of verbal and physical harassment. Tambor left the show three months later, and Lysette said she has been told production will resume next month, news that “healed” and strengthened her spirit.

“That kind of felt like upward and onward to me, it’s just closure, a little bit,” she said. “Of course we have a lot more to take care of, and the movement is still in full swing, in my opinion, with everything that’s happening at CBS. I think everyone is forever changed, I hope, for the better, and it’s so much bigger than any one show. It’s about the next generation of women, and what they will not have to put up with, hopefully.”

The hotel’s exterior was awash in purple light, and one of Audi’s souped up, all-electric e-tron cars was parked at the end of a red carpet. Past the doors, guests congregated on the patio, careful not to trip into the pool. Lightsaber-shaped ornaments made the trees appear white, but cast a lavender glow on the proceedings, also lit by real and faux candles, and flat-screen TVs.

Wearing an embroidered two-piece ensemble that debuted during Prabal Gurung’s ready-to-wear presentation Monday at New York Fashion Week, Issa Rae and a group of friends shared couches around a reserved table. She stood to greet Kenya Barris, who in August signed a $100 million Netflix deal. Their huddle ended with a hug, and Rae returned to her seat, bopping her shoulders to Drake’s “In My Feelings.” The night’s soundtrack, courtesy of DJ Ana Calderon, also consist of past hits from Snoop Dogg (“Drop It Like It’s Hot”) and Jennifer Lopez (“Jenny from the Block”).

At the 2017 event, Lysette, who is transgender, wound up “fangirling” over another musical superstar. “I met Mary J. Blige here last year, and she was a huge icon to me as a teen trying to navigate my identity and all the pain of adolescence, and [her] My Life album was just everything to me,” said.

Now back at work on Superstore, Nico Santos was unable to accompany his Crazy Rich Asians castmates on their recent promotional trip across the pond, but he came out for Audi. “They make good cars, that’s all I know,” he laughed. “This is my first weekend really to sort of do the whole gamut of Emmy parties, so I’m very, very excited. Last year, I only did one party, but this year, with everything that’s been happening, I’m like, You know what? I’m going to go out and celebrate, because it’s been crazy.”

His NBC cohort, Milo Ventimiglia, felt just as relaxed, even though he might have an impending acceptance speech to give for his role on This Is Us. The prior winner for best actor in a drama is also his competition and onscreen son, Sterling K. Brown. “No, he and I don’t talk about it,” said Ventimiglia. Instead, their last conversation centered on the 2007 YouTube video “Battle at Kruger,” now nearing 80 million views. Ventimiglia set the scene for the eight-minute, South Africa-set spectacle: “Imagine like the African plains, and you’re seeing a herd of buffalo, and you’re seeing lions, and then you’re seeing a crocodile, and there’s kind of a fight for the life of – yeah, that’s what Sterling and I talk about.”

Fellow first time nominee, AHS: Cult’s Adina Porter, was given valuable advice for how to approach the Microsoft Theater ceremony. “Jeff Daniels, who I worked with on The Newsroom, when he learned that I was nominated, he emailed me,” she began, minutes before exchanging hellos with Jeffrey Wright. “He said, ‘You’re going to be sitting there, and you’re going to look around the room, and you’re going to see all these amazing people that you have admired, or do admire. And now you realize you’re apart of it all.’ And I’m looking forward to that.”

Inside @Audi’s pre-#Emmys party at the La Peer Hotel, @insecurehbo nominee Issa Rae danced in her seat to Drake #Audi #Etron pic.twitter.com/flmkiFP751

— Jenna Marotta (@jennamarotta) September 15, 2018