Chanel Pre-Oscar Dinner Draws Nicole Kidman, Lily-Rose Depp

The 17th annual event hosted by Charles Finch gathered a starry assembly of nominees, actors, musicians, directors, producers and writers at the Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge

For the 17th time, Charles Finch and Chanel gathered Oscar nominees, actors, musicians, directors, producers, writers and other Hollywood influencers on the eve of the Academy Awards for mingling, fine dining and a glitzy display of fashion.

After passing the signature mariachi band playing outside on the pathway to the Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge, guests at the exclusive fete on Saturday, March 14 enjoyed passed bites like tuna tartare, caviar puffs and pigs in a blanket alongside cocktails before sitting for dinner.

Credit: Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

Chanel has been linked to the world of cinema since its inception, when founder Gabrielle Chanel worked with and gathered the leading filmmakers of her time. Her legacy lives on through the brand’s initiatives, celebrating cinema and the arts.

Credit: Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

Early to arrive was 17-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren (who joked at Friday’s WIF event that she’s gone home empty-handed 16 times). Meanwhile, Jay Penske caught up with Netflix’s Ted Sarantos and his wife, Nicole Avant, by the bar. It was also a date night for Scott Stuber and Molly Sims, Adrien Brody and Georgina Chapman, and John Mulaney and our March Los Angeles magazine cover star, Olivia Munn, who just hosted our L.A. Woman luncheon the day before.

Credit: Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

Everyone seemed to show up at once, filling the outdoor courtyard with wall-to-wall notables. Clad in a Chanel white knot silk organza embroidered jacket and skirt, Nicole Kidman made an entrance with her daughters. Rose Byrne caught eyes in a black embroidered silk satin dress embellished with feathers, and her husband Bobby Canavale. Regular dinner attendee Mick Jagger mingled in the middle of the courtyard, as did Ava DuVernay and a jubilant Jessie Buckley, donning a powder blue silk embellished top and a gold and pale jade lace dress.

Scroll to continue reading

Credit: Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

FX’s Love Story star Sarah Pidgeon stood out when she entered wearing a pale mint embroidered silk dress from the Métiers d’art 2026 collection, as her co-star, Paul Anthony Kelly, made the rounds. Fashionista Teyana Taylor, in a Chanel multicolor shearling coat, made a statement when she arrived with friend Danielle Brooks.

Credit: Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

Then, British film producer, publisher and businessman Finch got everyone’s attention for his customary address.

“Welcome to this annual thing that we do celebrating film,” said Finch to the group during the cocktail hour. “Seventeen years, baby! And thanks to [Chanel’s] Rebekah McCabe.”

Finch noted how this is an amazing year for cinema and thanked the people who come every year, calling out Mick Jagger. Then his tone turned more grave.

Credit: Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

“I had a kidney stone three days ago,” Finch said. “And as I’m writhing around on the floor, I thought, ‘What the f*ck am I doing, doing this party again? Am I crazy?’ And then you have this moment when your head peeks out of the pain and you say, ‘Actually, it’s a beautiful thing we do.’”

Credit: Photo by Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

He added, “And I’m shooting a movie at the moment, for the first time in many years, with Sydney Sweeney and Josie Rourke.” In the upcoming Custom of the Country, directed and written by Rourke, Sweeney plays a bold Midwestern woman who challenges convention to climb the ranks of New York society at the turn of the century. “And it just makes you remember that actually, we have such an amazing joyful and privileged life all of us — we really do. And so, this is a celebration of that. It started when we had a few foreign filmmakers come 30 years ago, when most of you were children.”

“I think Al Pacino was actually in my first thing,” Finch went on, of the actor present. “And Harvey — where is Harvey? Harvey Keitel is here as well. Actually, 40 years ago, 45 years ago! You look the same, baby!”

Credit: Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

“So welcome,” Finch concluded. “Dinner is served, whenever you want to go through there and have dinner.”

Upon sitting, guests — who also included Meg Ryan, Elle Fanning, Jessica Alba, Quen Blackwell, Judd Apatow, Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow, Sigourney Weaver, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Reitman, Ethan Hawke, Josh Safdie, Delroy Lindo, Javier Bardem, Maya Rudolph, Stellan Skarsgård, Sharon Stone, Maggie Kang, Wagner Moura and J.J. Abrams — enjoyed a meal of chicken and steak.

Credit: Stefanie Keenan/WireImage