Oscar Party Diary: Inside the Week’s Bashes With Amy Adams, Lupita Nyong’o and Angelina Jolie

All weekend long, the stars stepped out to countless glittering events celebrating the Oscars. The Hollywood Reporter was on hand at all of the A-list bashes around town. Find notes from inside the action below.

PHOTOS: PHOTOS: Oscars 2014 Red Carpet Arrivals

Sunday, March 2

The Vanity Fair Party

10:52 p.m. Paul Rudd laughing with Martin Short just inside the Vanity Fair party. Graydon Carter chatting with Bob Iger and Willow Bay. Robert Towne bends Jeff Berg‘s ear as Donatella Versace, Barry Diller, Glenn Close, Annie Leibovitz, Reese Witherspoon, U2’s The Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. congregate nearby.

11:01 p.m. Conan O’Brien goes over to talk to Carter, as Lady Gaga vamps it up crossing into the main party room, followed closely by Leonardo DiCaprio and his mom.

11:06 p.m. Kate Beckinsale and hubbie smoke on the back patio of the Vanity Fair tent, as Anjelica Huston and Jack Huston stand nearby. 

11:12 p.m. Tommy Hilfiger asks around for directions to Holloway Drive, where his car apparently awaits.

11:23 p.m. Bryan Singer, near the main bar, talks about having a sleepover with George W. Bush on a flight back to the U.S. from South Korea.

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11:32 p.m. Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman greet Mike Medavoy and Irena Medavoy, while Anne Hathaway, Channing Tatum, Barkhad Abdi and Brett Morgen populate the dance floor.

11:48 p.m. David O’Russell and Spike Jonze enter the party laughing. Nicolas Chartier and Peter Fonda arrive close behind. 

11:56 p.m. John Travolta and Kelly Preston arrive.

12:07 a.m. Documentary Oscar-winner Morgan Neville poses for a photo taken by fellow doc director Marina Zenovich.

12:12 a.m. Sacha Baron Cohen and Jason Statham hug it out at the top of the stairs.

12:20 a.m. Steven Tyler and Bo Derek sit in a booth at the entrance of what’s being called the “Thunder Dome” — or the round room at the far east end of the bash. Brian Grazer and Harvey Weinstein move their way in, as Samuel L. Jackson tests the waters and James Toback shuffles by. 

12:30 a.m. Amy Adams holds court in a back booth of the rotunda — everyone around seems to be hanging on her every word.

1:10 a.m. Lupita Nyong’o makes her way through the party, flanked by well-wishers.

1:18 a.m. The Hunt star Mads Mikkelsen takes a break outside.

1:20 a.m. CAA’s Bryan Lourd chats with Ethan Hawke near the bar.

1:24 a.m. Lord of the Rings‘ Andy Serkis poses for a photo with Olympic ice-dancing medalists.

1:26 a.m. Jennifer Garner, along with Ben Affleck, leaves her booth near the party’s entrance and tells a fellow school mom: “See you tomorrow!”

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The Governors Ball 

Stars attend Wolfgang Puck‘s annual post-Oscar dinner on the top floor of the Hollywood & Highland complex. 

9:30 p.m. The Oscar-engraving station is one of the hits of the event.

9:45 p.m. Liza Minnelli sits in the corner chilling.

9.52 p.m. Spike Lee arrives.

9.58 p.m. Puck strides through the room with a camera crew trailing behind him.

10.02 p.m. Nebraska star June Squibb arrives with her husband. Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron talks to the press outside.

10.05 p.m. 12 Years a Slave best adapted screenplay winner John Ridley is congratulated by Eric Warren Singer.

10:10 p.m. Philomena composer Alexandre Desplat excitedly introduces himself to Spike Lee.

10.12 p.m. The Gravity crew toasts their wins, as former Full House star John Stamos arrives. 

10:15 p.m. 12 Years a Slave producer Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie draw a crowd at the Fox Searchlight tables. Steve McQueen, Chiwetel Ejiofor and producer Dede Gardner toast the win with Fox Searchlight’s Nancy Utley. 

10:20 p.m. Chatter at the bar centers on Ridley failing to thank director McQueen, who wasn’t especially warm to Ridley when he won. A contentious WGA credit process is most often cited as the source of the rift. 

10.28 p.m. Joseph Gordon-Levitt chats with a friend at the ball.

10.29 p.m. Pitt and Jolie, in a glittering gown, talk with Sarah Paulson. 

10:40 p.m. Jonah Hill and his mom walk to their cars with John Lasseter, who invites Hill to come visit the Pixar campus.

10.40 p.m. Nyong’o and the 12 Years a Slave cast celebrate their wins. 

10:50 p.m. Nyongo finally escapes the press line, greeting a throng of well wishers as she makes her way to the Fox Searchlight table.

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Night of 100 Stars Dinner and Viewing Party

4.30 p.m. At the annual dinner and viewing party at the Beverly Hills Hotel, activist attorney Gloria Allred enters in a black dress with a cut-out back, on which is written: “Equal rights for LGBT.”

Director Garry Marshall arrives and says, “There are a lot of awards, but only the Oscars matter.”

6.07 p.m. Folk singer Theodore Bikel arrives with his wife, Aimee. Chinese actress Candice Han enters the party.

7.02 p.m. James Cromwell says the problem with award shows is they glorify themselves more than the performers who should be celebrated.

7:40 p.m. Martin Landau says award shows need to be more selective.

STORY: Oscars Live Blog: The Academy Awards 2014

Saturday, March 1

Independent Spirit Awards

12:07 p.m. Gong Li, in a long white dress, enters the backstage area behind the Spirit Awards tent and is hoarded by photographers before disappearing into the Piaget tent.

12:20 p.m. Most of the independent film industry’s movers and shakers — including producers Albert Berger, Aaron Ryder, Lila Yacoub and Ron Yerxa, Cinedigm’s Chris McGurk, IFC Films’ Arianna Bocco, CAA’s Scott Greenberg, WME’s Mark Ankner, Telluride Film Festival exec director Julie Huntsinger and attorneys Andrew Hurwitz, Craig Emmanuel and Mickey Mayerson — are gathered on the south side of the Spirit Awards tent, sipping mimosas and, in some cases, tequila on the rocks.

12:35  p.m. Execs gathering inside the tent include Focus Features’ Peter Schlessel and Adriene Bowles, Weinstein Co.’s David Glasser, Roadside Attractions’ Howard Cohen, Film Finances’ Kurt Woolner, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, and Plan B’s Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner.

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12:45 p.m. Presenter Jeremy Renner dips into the Stella Artois tent outside and receives an engraved beer chalice.

1:08 p.m. Jared Leto, in a leather jacket with a flannel shirt tied around his waist, is roaming around the Spirit Awards tent with his manager, Jason Weinberg, just before the awards ceremony begins.

1:13 p.m. Jolie talks with Fox Searchlight’s Nancy Utley at their table near the stage. Later, Leto leans in for a chat.

1:22 p.m. Elisabeth Moss, in bright red pumps, smokes a cigarette just outside of the Spirits tent entrance.

1:24 p.m. Pitt wipes his forehead with a bright pink napkin at his table, as he bends New Regency president Brad Weston‘s ear.

1:57 p.m. Leto, during his acceptance speech for supporting actor, spots Keanu Reeves at a table in front of the stage. “Oh, hey, Keanu, I love you.” He continues to thank everything on the planet, including the “maker of the zipper” and his “future ex-wife — I’m thinking of you, Lupita … “

2:54 p.m. Nyong’o gets a huge applause as she is carried to the stage by McQueen. “Not a bad way to spend my birthday,” she says.

2:58 p.m. Diego Luna and Rosario Dawson come on stage — with tears in their eyes after Nyong’o’s heartfelt speech — to present best international film.

STORY: Oscars: Jared Leto Wins Best Supporting Actor

3:17  p.m. Cate Blanchett wins the best female lead category for Blue Jasmine and reminds the audience that “films led by women can make money,” then goes on to thank her co-star “Senor Dice Clay,” among others.

Sony Pictures Classics        

8 p.m. Oscars-eve, Sony Classics takes over West Hollywood’s STK for a 40-person dinner honoring their nominees with Blue Jasmine’s Blanchett topping the list. The actress says she somehow enjoys the over-the-top atmosphere of the pre-show week. “It’s always been a circus,” says the best actress contender. “It’s gotten louder since the last time I ran around the track.” 

With her was fellow Blue Jasmine nominee Sally Hawkins, who says she’s “not much of a clothes horse, but I’m willing to be one on Oscars day.” The supporting actress nominee says she believes she’s under a vow not to reveal what she’s wearing until arriving on the red carpet. Hawkins also says she was “so glad to be sharing this with Cate. She’s the most incredible woman in the business — heart and talent.”

When it was mentioned later at the reception to Blanchett that Hawkins had nothing but good things to say about her, the best actress nominee smiles and says: “All lies” and sits down for dinner.

Sony Classic co-chair Tom Bernard, who says he’s amazed how long Oscar season goes on and compared it to “Christmas in New York, which begins in early November and doesn’t go away until sometime in the new year.” His partner Michael Barker says he was impressed by how many serious films were nominated. “I think it has to do with where the world is at right now,” says Barker. “I feel like movies are reflecting what I see on the front page of the New York Times. Audiences are embracing films about issues that concern them.”

STORY: Oscars: The Winners’ Reactions

Friday, Feb. 28

20 Feet From Stardom Luncheon 

Hosted by Dom Perignon at the Chateau Marmont at a three-course meal, director Morgan Neville reveals how he got so many big names — Mick Jagger, Bette Midler and Bruce Springsteen among them — to appear in his documentary. He credits the late producer Gil Friesen. “Gil would always take people to lunch when he was asking because he said it’s hard for people to say no at lunch,” says Neville.  “That was a lesson to be learned.”

And as for The Act of Killing, the other leading documentary contender, he says it’s hard to compare the two films. “It’s not like apples and oranges,” says Neville.  “It’s more like apples and kumquats.”

1:12 p.m. “This is a dream. It’s all a dream and I don’t want to wake up,” says Tata Vega, one of the backup singers featured in the Oscar-nominated doc.

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After the lunch, she was off to rehearse for two performances the next day: at the Indie Spirit Awards, where the film also is a contender for best doc, and at The Weinstein Co. dinner.

The GREAT British Film Reception at the British Consul

5:08 p.m. Helen Mirren, looking stunning in white, waits outside the British Consul’s home in Hancock Park with her publicist, Stan Rosenfield, for her car to whisk her to the Women in Film event, where she’s a host. Addressing her early departure, she says, “At least I came and waved the flag!”

5:19 Jared Harris and producer Hamish McAlpine chat on one side of the crowded afternoon bash. McAlpine later shares: “The best thing about his party is seeing American women draped over a Jaguar bonnet.” (In reference to the Union Jack-clad Jag that was admired by partygoers on the way into the event.)

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5:24 p.m. British nominees, including Roger Deakins, McQueen and producer Tracey Seaward, take the stage in the tent over the Consulate’s lawn. British Consul General Chris O’Connor greets the crowd with, “I can’t believe how many of you are here, especially since we brought the English weather.” He noted Britain had 26 Oscar noms in 18 categories this year.

5:33 p.m. McQueen starts his speech thanking all of the event’s sponsors from the stage — and gets a laugh. He talks about having shot a film in Northern Ireland and how great it is to see HBO’s Game of Thrones use the location. After a bit of a ramble, he adds, “I’m trying to be spontaneous and I’m not very good at that.”

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5:58 p.m. 12 Years A Slave‘s Adepero Oduye shares that she’ll be wearing a “floral and romantic” dress on Sunday, “in anticipation of spring — because New York has been … COLD!”

6:08 p.m. Hawkins arrives after the first wave has departed. She sweetly poses for a pic with the Consul and his wife. When she’s approached to pose in front of the Jag, she says OK, but then her rep nixes the idea.  

6:37 p.m. Gossip Girl‘s Ed Westwick (he’s British!) grabs a drink at the bar.

6:50 p.m. A huge clap of thunder erupts over the GREAT British tent, and squeals ensue. Another one a few minutes later prompts Gravity sound editor Glenn Freemantle to say, “I would have done that louder.”

Thursday, Feb. 27

Paramount Party at Spago

8:35 p.m. Johnny Knoxville, wearing a jean jacket with the words “Sin City” patched on the back, kneels down to talk to a partygoer sitting in a booth in the crowded dining area.

8:45 p.m. The Wolf of Wall Street‘s Hill walks through the courtyard of Spago, standing alone for a few moments before greeting a group of partygoers.

8:55 p.m. Martin Scorsese talks intensely with Nebraska star Bruce Dern in a booth, while Brad Grey sits next to him surrounded by partygoers.

9:02 p.m: Peter Fonda, wearing sunglasses, exits the party. He lets one partygoer try on his glasses before he heads for the door. 

9:20 p.m. Nebraska star Will Forte chats with two other people in the bar area of Spago.

10:35 pm Nebraska actress Squibb is one of the last stars to leave the Paramount party, exiting with a few friends as the party thins out.

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Vanity Fair and Chrysler Toast American Hustle

6:37 p.m. American Hustle producer Charles Roven answers questions on the “red carpet” (a multi-colored, lit-up disco floor) at Ago in West Hollywood as director David O. Russell and Sony’s Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal congregate at one end.

6:45 p.m. Sony Classics co-president Tom Bernard shares that he’ll be wearing rubberized/weather-proof pants to the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, where a deluge of rain is expected.

6:51 p.m. Sony CEO Lynton starts to make his way out of the party to go home for dinner with his daughters. “Tonight, I’m being good dad,” he smiles.

7:26 p.m. Amy Adams, in a fuchsia strapless gown, abandons her private table. When the film’s costumer designer’s hubby asks for her later, he’s told she’s in the WC. He suspects she’s left the party.

7:40 p.m. Helena Christensen, in a clingy turquoise dress, poses for a photographer in the middle of the crowded swirl. Bernard, close behind her, says he’s off to agent John Burnham‘s house for ICM’s bash.

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7:49 p.m. CAA’s Josh Lieberman is in deep conversation with Colleen Camp, as his client David O. Russell chats nearby with his ardent supporter, Florence Henderson.

7:58 p.m. Russell pretends to sniff his music supervisor Susan Jacobs‘ armpit. Paulie Herman (who’s in the film, and also behind Ago) leans in for a chat.

8:43 p.m. Roven high-fives Russell as the Bee Gees’ “Love You Inside Out” blasts in the background.

Artists for Peace and Justice

The fundraiser was held at the Tower Bar on Sunset Blvd. to raise money for schools in Haiti.

8:57 p.m. Vanessa Hudgens and her manager, Evan Hainey, arrive as the paparazzi outside go wild.

9:21 p.m. Paul Haggis and Jon Hamm move through the party and pose for a pic. The photographer swivels, snapping Hudgens with Rumer Willis.

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9:28 p.m. Haggis, in black-rimmed specs, goes over his speech for the night.

9:36 p.m.  Willis gets a big applause for her rendition of Buffalo Springfield’s, “For What It’s Worth.”

9:51 p.m. Haggis onstage: “I go to Haiti as often as I can. … We are a group of renegades … ” He talked about watching 2,200 children spill out on the playground of the high school Artists for Peace and Justice helped build and fund, saying, “We are not neo-colonialists. We went in there and said, ‘What do you need and how can we help?'”

10:05 p.m. Haggis asks, “Where are the f–king men in this room?” — after three women in a row pledge thousands to his charity.

10:50 p.m. Adrien Brody mistakenly enters the Tower Hotel through the wrong door, trying to get into the Artists for Peace and Justice event. Two minutes later, Vanessa Hudgens exits with a blond friend into a Cadillac with black-tinted windows.

Unite 4 Humanity

The event, in support of unite4:good, a global initiative to promote acts of kindness, will take place on the Sony Pictures lot.

7:45 p.m. Robert F. Kennedy was spotted talking with Jane Fonda.