The Party Report: Inside the Biggest Bashes of Emmys Weekend

The 76th Emmy Awards marked the second time in 2024 that we saw the small screen’s most gorgeous and creative people take home trophies from the Television Academy, as the 75th awards show was postponed from last September and held in January instead. Back at home in its normal September slot, the Emmys celebrated all over Los Angeles all weekend, with lots of luncheons, tea parties and evening soirees, which lead up to Sunday night’s big event, where “Shogun” and actual comedy series “Hacks” took top honors.

Two distinct fashion trends emerged out of the swirl of events: women have returned to classically chic, beautifully made clothing; and men are wearing heels, twinset sweaters, dresses and even a kilt or two. And lots of pearls were sported on both sexes (and even a few pairs of Chucks), combined with lots of talk of the coming election, a subject of much chatter along the way.

Emmys Fashion = Chic and Sophisticated

Peacock Theater, Los Angeles

These are some of our favorite looks worn to the 76th Emmy Awards, which celebrated the 2023-2024 television season including nominated shows airing on traditional networks and streaming services. From young Hollywood like Selena Gomez and Ayo Edebiri to veterans like Jennifer Aniston and Meryl Streep, the fashions were fabulous!

Television Academy’s Performer Nominee Celebration

The Wallis, Beverly Hills

The Television Academy (also known as the Academy of Television Art and Sciences) had a posh party at The Wallis in Beverly Hills on the Friday night before Sunday’s big Emmy Awards ceremony. The Performers Nominee Celebration was all about the actors whose work is honored this year, who gathered on a perfect early evening night in the garden to sip on Justin Vineyards’ fine wines, test out the “Hollywood Highball” made with Johnny Walker Blue and blood orange or try the sober choice called “Bright Eyes” made with Seedlip non-alcoholic spirits.

Everyone gathered around the massive paellera pans to try the classic version brimming with seafood, sausage and chicken, or the vegetables-only option as the sun set and suffused the sky with soft colors and the space quickly filled with familiar faces. Liza Colón-Zayas, Richard Gadd, Kali Reis, Tig Notaro, Tom Goodman-Hall and many others filled the bash with hopefuls.

Past winner and current nominee Sheryl Lee Ralph brought her “Abbott Elementary” co-star Lisa Ann Walter (the show is up for Best Comedy) and reminded us of how it feels to be nominated again.

“I’m just enjoying everything,” she told TheWrap. “It’s amazing to go on this ride again, and if I don’t win this year, well, I am so happy, as I already have!”

As all the nominees in attendance crowded the stage for what TV Academy president Chris Abrego called their “class picture,” he commented on the hard road to get to where they all are, as there are now so many shows across the home viewing platforms.

“We all know how much work and how many people are now needed to make content,” he said, as he exhorted the happy gathering to raise a glass for a toast, “ALL of you bring these projects to life, congratulations!”

BAFTA North America’s TV Tea

The Maybourne Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills

The annual BAFTA North America Tea Party is always a fun, star-studded afternoon get-together on the day before the Emmy Awards; and the 2024 edition did not disappoint. It was a gorgeous day to eat scones and cucumber sandwiches, drink iced green tea and, in the most whimsical thing we’ve seen at a Hollywood party in a long time, drink champagne delivered in a very special way.

Patton Oswalt, the comedian and host of “The 1% Show” (produced by the tea’s co-host BBC Studios), and his wife, actress Meredith Salenger discovered the quirky way to grab a glass of bubbly at the bash, where a large shrubbery held a bell and a sign reading: Ring for Champagne. Put to the test, the ring caused a white-gloved hand to appear out of the bushes, holding a fresh glass! That bell rang all afternoon, to lots of laughter every time.

That bell caused quite a stir, as did the arrival of Jodie Foster and her “True Detective: Night Country” co-star Kali Reis as the tea was in full swing. They joined the jam-packed garden terrace that was filled with other nominees and stars of top-rated shows, including Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning, Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Hiroyuki Sanada, Jonathan Pryce and Bowen Yang.

Yang, who sported a pearl-embellished sweater set, revealed that despite being on his fourth Emmy nomination for his “Saturday Night Live” performances, he wasn’t prepared for Emmy night. “I haven’t written a speech,” he admitted, then promised he would to be ready. Sadly, he didn’t need it on Sunday, but Jodie Foster did, as she won her first Emmy Award after making her first TV appearance 55 years ago!

Glamour x Tory Burch Celebrate Women in Television

SoHo House Holloway, West Hollywood

Fashionable actresses who lunch spent Saturday decked out in Tory Burch clothing and accessories, joining Glamour magazine’s editor-in-chief Samantha Barry for a sophisticated luncheon that celebrated women in Hollywood. We’re sure some of the discussions centered on the fact that women directors are still struggling to achieve parity with men in the business, but hope springs eternal.

As Barry said, “This luncheon is a testament to the incredible women who are driving innovation and excellence in television,” and everyone seated at the long single table cheered her on. Guests ranged from Oscar-and-Emmy winner Allison Janney, along with 2024 Emmy nominees Hannah Einbinder, Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Awkwafina and former Oscar winners Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Marcia Gay Harden, along with many other accomplished women making strides in Hollywood and beyond.

GBK & MEND Luxury Prime Time Television Awards Lounge

Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills

There were all kinds of gifting lounges in Tinseltown during the days leading into Emmy Awards Sunday (we counted 10 of them), but the one that brought EGOT winner Viola Davis, Oscar winner Mira Sorvino, and 2024 Emmy nominees like Alan Cumming and Mark Duplass to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel garden was the GBK & Mend Lounge. Lured by the prospect of trying out the MEND scientific skincare line based on stem-cell and nanoparticle treatments while sipping Napa Valley’s AXR Winery’s lush red wine blend, they found even more to smile about as they mixed and mingled.

All told, the stars took home $70K worth of trips to exclusive resorts (Raiwasa Private Resort in Fiji, Sailrock in Turks and Caicos), jewelry with a cause (Glory), a VIP game day at SoFi Stadium with the LA Chargers and GBK’s popular food favorite, a large gift certificate for Ike’s Sandwiches that keeps Hollywood fed on his unique “made with love” sammies and a supply of Harry Hamlin’s new rosemary wine tomato sauce known as “Harry’s Famous Sauce.” Mekhi Phifer, Tabitha Brown, Adina Porter, Cat Cora and many others turned out at the popular lounge that went for two full days.

Netflix 2024 Post-Emmy Awards Celebration

Hilex, Los Angeles

There were plenty of sizzling after parties once all the 76th Emmy Awards were handed out, including the Netflix bash, which started slow and heated up considerably as the clock headed toward midnight.

The mega-streamer had 107 nominations across 35 titles and took home 24 trophies (some awarded the weekend before the Primetime Emmys on Sept. 15), led by Richard Gadd and his soul-bearing “Baby Reindeer” series. The Scottish actor-writer still sported his kilt and was surrounded by his gaggle of giddy winners and co-stars as they converged on pop-up space Hilex almost three hours after the bash began. Charmingly, their pack didn’t even realize they had a special VIP seating pit front and center to the dance floor, but soon discovered they were in the hot spot.

Gadd, along with Jessica Gunning, Nava Mau, Tom Goodman-Hill and a host of the show’s producers and directors greeted the even later crowd that got the party going on the dance floor and beyond, including Sofia Vergara, Andrew Scott, Dakota Fanning, Heidi Klum, Carrie Coon, Tracy Letts, Jonathan Pryce, Nikki Glaser, Gillian Anderson, Giancarlo Esposito and Aaron Moten.

Once the DJs figured out that Hollywood types like dancing to Latin music rather than EDM, things on the dance floor went from empty to packed, only pausing for people to down In-N-Out burgers in between songs. And the winner of the night for most interesting fashion statement was “Queer Eye” star Jonathan van Ness, whose full beard, long gown and golden slippers made for an unforgettable late-night Emmy vision.

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