Catrinas, Mariachis, and Lots of Tequila—Carlos Eric Lopez Celebrates Day of the Dead in Hollywood

Jessica Alba, Gael García Bernal, and Carlos Eric LopezEmma McIntyre/Getty Images

In the heart of Los Angeles, Mexican-American celebrity photographer Carlos Eric Lopez welcomed guests at the Hollywood Forever cemetery. Two 16-foot tall catrinas dressed in custom couture welcomed actors, fashion designers, visual artists, and culture makers into the Hollywood Memorial Park Cathedral Museum. In lieu of a red carpet, guests walked over a carpet paved with cempasuchil flowers into the space.

It acted as the ideal backdrop for Lopez’s third annual Día de los Muertos celebration. Inside, mariachis sang to the crowd as servers in sugar skull makeup passed around bespoke Don Julio cocktails and Catrina performers swayed to the festive beat of folkloric Mexican music. Away from the crowds and tucked into a confessional, Lopez shares further details of the evening and what surprise elements his guests would experience: a first-in-class menu curated by Enrique Olvera, a soulful performance by Ángela Aguilar, the inaugural Premio Vida y Legado (Life and Legacy Award) honoring Gael García Bernal, portraits shot by LA-based photographer Rick Rose, an altar honoring deceased loved ones, and one lucky guest would win a three-day trip to the Naviva Four Seasons in Punta Mita—the prize tucked inside a Pan de Muerto.

“There s a lot of elements, I m very experiential,” explains Lopez.”This is my Baz Luhrmann movie, but if it was Alejandro [González Iñárritu], Alfonso [Cuarón], and Guillermo [Arriaga] who came together and created my vision of what the world I m living in.”

Guests including Jessica Alba, Francia Raísa, Nicole Richie, Kelly Sawyer Patricof, Jennifer Atkin, Stephanie Shepherd, Michael Cimino, Willy Chavarria, Xochitl Gomez, Xolo Maridueña, Sasha Calle, Amanda Diaz, Lele Pons, Desi Perkins, Aimee Song, and Jamie Mizrahi joined Lopez for an evening of celebration, collaboration, legacy, and honor.

While Lopez soft-launched his beverage brand Cura Lita, Francia Raísa celebrated her salsa collaboration with La Victoria, Danny Trejo’s donuts were enjoyed, Julio Macias waxed poetic about his Equihua ensemble, Nike’s Hispanic Heritage Month sneaker designs, Nicole Ritchie paid her respects to loved ones at the altar, and guests clapped at the announcement that the first couture catrinas (designed by Chavarria) are to be donated to the American Latino Museum.

Upon accepting the inaugural Life Legacy award, Garcia Bernal took a moment to reflect on the culture, history, and impact of Mexican heritage. “It is a great responsibility to tell our stories with the depth, the care, and the complexity they deserve,” he told the crowd as he held a shot of Tequila in his hand, which he’d later encourage others to pour out as an offering. “I would like to remind you that in every generous and benevolent action we take in life, we are in constant dialogue with our ancestors and tradition. Through this, we find an understanding of where we are and we build community.”