Hollywood Steps Out! A Look Inside Last Night’s Star-Studded Academy Museum Gala

Four years into the Academy Museum Gala (the annual benefit for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures) and the event is fast becoming Hollywood’s favorite night. The reason? Access to the Academy Gala (which is presented by Rolex) is highly restricted, and the event—which features awards, presenters, and a surprise musical performance—is not televised. The result is a swinging good time where Hollywood attendees get to enjoy a night out with a certain level of privacy. (Ain’t no party like a party that’s not for public consumption!)

But of course, there is a red carpet. At 6 p.m. last night, guests started arriving. There was Demi Moore aglow in her sequined Prada dress, posing for photos with her The Substance co-star Margaret Qualley, who added more star power to the moment with her celestial headpiece by Chanel. There was Kaia Gerber in vintage Bob Mackie, paying homage to the history of cinema more broadly with her My Fair Lady-inspired gown. Kim Kardashian was in vintage Mugler couture, while Ariana Grande was seen elsewhere with her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo. The latter was in a Wicked-green (naturally) Louis Vuitton look, and the former wore a prim Balmain polka-dotted dress (based on an archival Balmain gown).

Grande wasn’t the only one in polka dots: Eddie Redmayne and Carrie Coon could also be spotted (get it?) in the black-and-white print. The fashion was out—and so too was the jewelry. Bro-brooches (bejeweled pins worn by men) were a popular choice, as were Rolex watches; the latter less surprising given the timepiece brand is not only the main presenter of the gala but a major contributor to the Academy, having helped realize the creation of the Renzo Piano-designed museum which functions as a sort of cathedral of cinema.

On the red carpet, which extended upwards into a sculptural twisted backdrop beneath the cantilevered observation deck, a selection of Hollywood’s finest continued to pass through as the evening went on. In walked Selena Gomez (in a custom velvet Alaïa dress) and Cara Delevingne, who were buddy-buddy for the night. As were Ayo Edebiri and Paul Mescal, with Edebiri eliciting the loudest cheers from the fans lined up on Wilshire Boulevard to star gaze. Mescal was also one of the night’s three honorees, receiving the Vantage Award from presenters Colman Domingo and Saoirse Ronan. Quentin Tarantino received the Luminary Award, which was presented to him by John Travolta, and the inimitable Rita Moreno received the Icon Award from Steven Spielberg. The 93-year-old cut a cool figure in a white Dior tuxedo—and will have to find some space on her shelves for the accolade, given she’s already in the league of EGOT winners.

After the final award, it was time for a song or two. Erivo took the stage as the evening’s surprise performer, after being welcomed by Grande, and delivered a rendition of “Over the Rainbow”— a fitting choice given that the ruby red slippers Judy Garland wore to sing the original song in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz sat nearby in a display case at the museum, just one of many delights on exhibition that the gala helps to support. And on that note? This year’s event raised a whopping $11 million.