The best and brightest Hollywood stars are primed for the biggest night of the year: the Oscars. But the competition won't stop when the Dolby Theatre’s curtain comes down after the ceremony.
For years Vanity Fair’s star-studded Oscars after party has attracted the cream of Hollywood. But now another event is threatening to topple VF's ritzy affair off its perch: Jay Z and Beyonce’s ultra-exclusive Oscar party at Chateau Marmont.
The party was held for the first time last year to honour Mary J. Blige, with the Carters going to great lengths to ensure its privacy and exclusivity.
Jay-Z and Beyonce reportedly asked to be referred to only as “hostess and host” ahead of last year's event, which featured an entryway covered by blackout curtains and a complete social media and photo ban.
“Bey and Jay have put a series of tough measures in place to ensure none of their guests upload any embarrassing snaps from the party. They want to keep the whole thing top secret, and have ordered celebrity guests to leave their own security teams at home so there is space for everybody else,” a source told Capital FM.
Another source told Page Six that the party last year allowed “a lot of stars to mingle and let their hair down, because they knew they were not under the microscope of prying eyes” - a rarity for Hollywood stars since smartphone cameras have made everyone a potential paparazzo.
Also nicknamed the ‘Gold Party’, the bash is apparently coming back for a second round this year. It’s rumored that the party will be held in the garage of Chateau Marmont, one of Hollywood’s most exclusive celebrity hangouts.
Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park is also said to be returning to cater the elite event. His menu last year reportedly included “caviar by the gallon, truffle quesadillas” and “chicken and waffles”.
Magnums of Jay-Z's Armand de Brignac champagne were apparently in full flow, and to ensure guests danced the whole night long they were "offered socks and slippers" to change out their sky-high heels and stiff brogues.
When is Jay Z and Beyonce’s Oscar party?
No date is confirmed but it’s most likely the party will take place on February 24th, right after the Oscars ceremony.
What is Chateau Marmont?
The chosen venue is a place that's hosted the glitterati of Hollywood for decades. Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Led Zeppelin, the Carters, David Bowie and countless others have stayed at the Chateau Marmont (Meghan Markle too, apparently). Also known as “the castle on the hill”, the venue dates back to the 1920s and was built in the style of an old French castle. Famed for the discretion of its staff, the founder of Columbia Pictures once said, “If you must get in trouble, do it at Chateau Marmont.”
Owned by Andre Balazs, the man behind Chiltern Firehouse in London and New York’s Mercer Hotel, Chateau Marmont has a long and chequered history. As Balazs told Tatler, “It’s a members’ club but you don’t have to pay. You can’t buy your way in here... You are invited in but you’re invited in if you have the intellectual and emotional capacity to handle the invitation. It’s not the size of your wallet.”
The hotel features over 60 rooms as well as luxury penthouses and bungalows with views over Los Angeles and its famous strip.
Then there's the party room itself. There were reports last year that “the underground garage of the Chateau Marmont [was] transformed into a very classy, old-school Hollywood glamour lounge. There [was] a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the centre of the garage. Black carpet [was] laid down with white booths set against the wall to give guests plenty of room to dance. There [was] also a classic two-door coupe sports car in the centre of the room.”
Which celebrities will attend the 'gold party'?
Last year, Beyonce and Jay-Z reportedly had between 150 and 200 guests, said to include Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael B. Jordan, Drake, Kobe Bryant, Jordan Peele, Usher, Mindy Kaling, Angela Bassett, Rihanna and Jamie Foxx. Unlike other awards show parties, a Page Six source also told them there were “no performances” at last year’s party.
In fact, the list is so exclusive that a source told Page Six, “close friends with Jay… didn’t even know if they were invited. They wanted to mind-f**k everyone and keep everything mysterious and exclusive.”
See you there, then.
