Oscars 2012: Solid gold and stars at Vanity Fair after-party

Oscar winner or Oscar loser, anyone can break even at the Academy Awards' most exclusive after-party — anyone who's been invited, that is. And so another year of Vanity Fair madness came to pass, with magazine Editor Graydon Carter hosting a new crop of film honorees, luminaries from politics, art and fashion, and even some royalty.

The Sunset Tower Hotel was a glamorous war zone of barricaded fans, tinted SUVs and paparazzi Sunday evening as folks made their way to the fete from the telecast in Hollywood.

Carter had first welcomed 130 guests for dinner and the show, among them Amy Adams, Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt, Bill Maher, Les Moonves and Julie Chen, Sofia Vergara, Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde, George Lucas, Tom Ford, Jane Fonda, Claire Danes and Chris Martin.

PHOTOS: Vanity Fair Oscars after-party 2012

After "The Artist" claimed best picture, dinner tables were cleared and doors opened to the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, who joined husband Martin for a cocktail. Paltrow wasn't shy about her admiration for several famous guests, at one point retrieving her smartphone and asking Steve Martin and Martin Short to take a photo with her.

Paula Patton had been telling us for weeks about her anxiety over a dress for the occasion, eventually going with a Naeem Khan mini. "I had to pull the trigger, so I went short," she said. "I love long gowns, but this just felt right."

At that precise moment, everyone stopped to appreciate Cameron Diaz and her gown, a form-fitting red-orange number.

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Thanks to their creative endeavors, some New Yorkers came to town, among them "Saturday Night Live" star and original screenplay nominee Kristen Wiig. Plenty of funny females surrounded her, including Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey and Melissa McCarthy.

Kate Hudson stepped out with fiance Matt Bellamy, both looking excited for a date night away from their new baby -- pictures of whom Hudson shared excitedly with Owen Wilson.

SAG Awards after-party: Brad and Angelina dine, 'The Help' shines

The Screen Actors Guild Awards serve as a halftime whistle in Hollywood's busiest season, between January's Golden Globes and February's Oscar gold -- making the SAG after-party something of a halftime show.

A lot of stars were blowing off steam as big winners including "The Help," "Modern Family" and "The Artist" mingled on Sunday evening.

The guild's annual gala, a partnership between People magazine and the Entertainment Industry Foundation, awaited guests from the telecast in a tented space just off the Shrine Expo Hall. An Old Hollywood theme permeated the event, enhanced by thick drapes, velvet booths and a throwback jazz band.

PHOTOS: 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards show

Brad Pitt didn't take home the night's big acting prize -- that went to "The Artist" lead Jean Dujardin -- but he seemed plenty comforted by partner Angelina Jolie. The actress-director picked at salad while chatting up Brad's "Moneyball" costar Jonah Hill.

If quality time with Jolie wasn't enough for Hill, the conversation was interrupted by an enthusiastic Armie Hammer, who like Jonah was nominated for male supporting actor in a drama.

"Well done!" Hammer offered Jonah. Nice to see that Armie's recent herbal issues haven't killed his rosy disposition. 

"The Descendants" cast camped right next to Team Pitt as Judy Greer and Shailene Woodley laughed and people-watched together. (George Clooney and Stacey Keibler made only the briefest party appearance.)

Always a good time, "Modern Family" star Julie Bowen entertained her cast with bawdy jokes a few feet from a mixed bag of "30 Rock" and "Bridesmaids" stars. These combined forces were pleasing to a svelte Jane Krakowski, who snapped tons of pictures with her smartphone. 

Yet no one had a night like the stars of "The Help" had: Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer considered their statuettes in the cast's private booth, while Emma Stone and Allison Janney chatted up director Tate Taylor. 

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Photo:  Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt at the SAG Awards in L.A. on Sunday. Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Zooey Deschanel, Tilda Swinton hit InStyle Golden Globes party

Film and TV honors are the Golden Globe Awards' centerpiece, but for celeb watchers it's the red carpet fashion at the forefront of the awards show -- and who better to celebrate those fantastic threads than InStyle magazine.

The mag, along with Warner Bros., toasted nominees and winners with an exclusive party following the telecast Sunday in the Beverly Hilton's Oasis courtyard. 

Thomas Ford of Tom Ford Designs created a dark, sexy aquatic theme with an LED light sculpture and sharkskin booths, perfect for housing TV stars including Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and big-screen folks such as Tilda Swinton and Andrea Riseborough, Madonna's "W.E." leading lady.

PHOTOS: InStyle Golden Globes party arrivals

At the party check-in, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" star Andy Serkis told the Ministry he thought host Ricky Gervais was "just hilarious" before dashing past the Godiva chocolate lounge. Zooey Deschanel, stunning in Prada loaded with jeweled detail, took many compliments for her nomination in the actress, TV comedy or musical, category before venturing into the main space.

There she would float among Leonardo DiCaprio with pal Kevin Connelly, Tilda Swinton in a show-stopping Haider Ackermann metallic skirt suit, Mila Kunis, Seth Rogen, winner Matt LeBlanc and "Bridesmaids" group Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and Jon Hamm.

Amy Poehler: Tina Fey and Seth Meyers are dead to me

Has funny lady Amy Poehler really written off her "Saturday Night Live" pals Tina Fey and Seth Meyers? 

Yes. But no. Yes, Poehler cracked a joke that both were off her Christmas card list. But, no, she wasn't serious.

It was all to get a few laughs while accepting her Variety Power of Comedy award Saturday. In its second year, the awards show went off in Los Angeles, where comedy fans got some top-tier talent in return for purchasing tickets that benefited the Noreen Fraser Foundation.

"To everyone who came in person, thank you," Poehler said of the tributes that had come her way. "To everyone who made a video, you're dead to me. We all know how easy it is to make a video." 

Both Fey and Meyers, in New York working on their own comedy projects, had sent along recorded testimonials on their experiences working with Poehler.

Fey reflected on their time together at Chicago's Second City improv theater and later "SNL," all the way up to their half-hour comedies "30 Rock" and "Parks and Recreation."

"We even have shows on the same night in what will be known as the last great days of NBC," Fey cracked.

Other highlights from Poehler's big night included a video message from 2010 winner Russell Brand, a tribute from her husband, Will Arnett, and a musical performance from Maya Rudolph, who dedicated R. Kelly's "In the Kitchen" to Amy. 

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Photo: Amy Poehler arrives at the second annual Variety Power of Comedy awards, sparkling in Tiffany, at the Hollywood Palladium on Saturday. Credit: Valerie Macon / Getty Images

Gwyneth Paltrow: Five tasty moments from her Emmy weekend

Gwyneth Paltrow, that vessel through which acting, red-carpet gowns and lifestyle advice flows, on Thursday shared an account of Emmy weekend via her lifestyle blog, Goop.

Yeah, we're excited. No, we're not hiding it. So excited, in fact, that we've narrowed down the so-called scrapbook to five must-know moments from the Emmy winner's adventures on the award circuit. 

TV in the DNA: Paltrow's win at the Creative Arts Emmys — for guest actress in a comedy series — and subsequent presenter duties Sept. 18 on the prime-time telecast held special significance in the actress' creative family. Her late father, Bruce Paltrow, who produced shows including "St. Elsewhere," never took home a trophy.

"This was especially meaningful, as my father ... had been nominated and lost the Emmys nine times. So I'm pretty chuffed about the whole thing. And my dad would have been over the moon," she wrote.

Mileage: The scrapbook gives GP's travel timeline, which was considerable. The "Contagion" star left Paris on Saturday morning from the Eiffel Tower-proximate Shangri-La Hotel, hopped the Eurostar back to London to take her kids to a play, then boarded a direct flight from Heathrow to Los Angeles.

Fanning out: Gwyneth is a big TV fan, and not only  from her residency on "Glee." She nabbed Tina Fey and Jack McBrayer of "30 Rock" for a fan photo, saying she lives for the funny pair. 

Mopping up: While hair and makeup was a breeze, her Pucci gown was sewn to perfection and traffic was easy on Paltrow, she did have an issue with her show seat.

"The seat filler before me was sweaty ... so my chair was wet," she recalled. "Gross!"

Respect thy fashion: Despite her cool blond decorum, it's obvious that Gwyneth adores clothes and accessories. Witness by these major queeny references to her garb:

"These beauties are going back to Neil Lane. Bye bye girls. I will miss you," she said of earrings, two bracelets and a ring by the jeweler. And...

"She needs to get whisked back to Paris," Paltrow said of her Pucci gown.

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Top photo: Gwyneth Paltrow arrives at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards. Credit: Danny Moloshok / Reuters.

Right photo: Gwyneth Paltrow lands a photo-op with Tina Fey and Jack McBrayer of "30 Rock." Credit: Goop.com.

Tina Fey, Jeffrey Richmond welcome baby girl Penelope Athena

Tina Fey is mom to a brand-new baby girl. The “30 Rock” star and her husband, Jeffrey Richmond, welcomed daughter Penelope Athena on Wednesday, reports People.

Fey, 41, revealed in April just how tricky it was to plan for a second baby (the couple has a daughter named Alice, 5) around her busy life as a TV multi-hyphenate and author.

“I thought '30 Rock' would be canceled by now and I would have time to do this,” she confessed on the “Oprah” show, adding, "My husband and I really decided that we felt rather than risk having '30 Rock' end in several years and feeling like part of our family is missing that we were going to prioritize our family."

The world got an early introduction to baby Penny on “Saturday Night Live” in May when Fey and pregnant friend Maya Rudolph (baby Jack was born July 3) sang “Natalie Cole-style” with their unborn babies. Of course, it was all thanks to the “help of science and a sonogram machine stolen from the storage unit of Mr. Tom Cruise.”

The Mother's Day tune, which turned out to be mostly about doin' it, included a little piece of motherly advice from Fey: "Don't make the mistakes that I made, specifically getting drunk on rose wine and having unprotected sex on a roller coaster at Epcot Japan."

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Tina Fey and husband Jeff Richmond arrive at the 68th Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Jan. 16. Credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images.

Michael Bolton: Jack Sparrow on 'SNL' was 'one of the highlights of my career' [Video]

Just call Michael Bolton the new Captain Jack Sparrow, jester of Tortuga. He made his debut as the kohl-eyed pirate over the weekend on the " 'Saturday Night Live' Digital Short" with Andy Samberg and the guys from Lonely Island.

The episode, hosted by Tina Fey and featuring the return of her Sarah Palin character, marked 20 years since Bolton had been on the show. He was a musical guest in 1991 and appeared in the "We Are the World" spoof called "Musicians for Free Range Chickens."

This time, he hit the studio with a "big, sexy hook" for the trio's newest song, but as it turns out, Bolton is a major cinephile. (Keira Knightley!) He also makes for a fantastic "Pirate of the Caribbean," Forrest Gump, Erin Brockovich and Tony Montana. Look out, Johnny Depp.

"Working with Andy, Akiva and Jorma on the Jack Sparrow digital short was one of the highlights of my career and most memorable experiences of my life," Bolton wrote on his website. "For the few people on the planet who might not know, these guys are brilliant, funny and beyond super talented. They made me do things I never would have expected to be comfortable with and I'm so glad I did. Truly grateful to be a part of this project and CANNOT WAIT for the chance to work with the guys again."

We can't either. Watch the clip above and tell us what your favorite part was in comments.

In the meantime, his 21st studio album, "Gems –- The Duets Collection," is out June 21.

Also: You complete me.

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Justin Timberlake to host 'Saturday Night Live' again!

Justin Timberlake will be back hosting "Saturday Night Live" in all his "... In a Box," "Give It on Up" and "Mother Lover" glory, an NBC Twitter slip-up has revealed.

The singer-turned-actor, who earned two Emmys thanks to his previous stints on the sketch comedy, will be hosting for the fourth time on the May 21 season finale. He'll be live from New York a few weeks after Tina Fey is slated to host on May 7 (more Sarah Palin, please!). The news came via a wayward response on NBC's official Twitter feed.

"I didn't realize that @nbcSNL isn't back until May 7th!!! What am I going to do!? Is Tina Fey the season finale!?" a fan wrote.

"Nope! We have Timberlake after that!" was the response, which has since been removed from the micro-blogging site.

His musical guest will be Lady Gaga, who has been just about everywhere promoting her "Born This Way" album. Gaga last performed on the "SNL" stage in 2009.

If Timberlake is indeed the host, we hope Gaga jumps into some of his sketches.

Which sketches are you hoping the "SNL" writers will bring back for JT or do you prefer his digital shorts with Andy Samberg? We want to know in comments.

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Photo: Justin Timberlake with his guest actor in a comedy series Emmy for "SNL" in 2009. Credit:  Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

Tina Fey is pregnant; Alec Baldwin backpedals on '30 Rock' demise

Tina Fey is five months pregnant, she revealed Wednesday while taping an interview for "The Oprah Winfrey Show," set to air next week.

Fey, 40, and husband Jeff Richmond married in 2001 and have one daughter together, 5-year-old Alice. Among other things, Richmond is a composer for "30 Rock."

Fey says in her new book "Bossypants," which came out Tuesday and was recently excerpted in the New Yorker, that the second-rudest question you can ask a woman is, "Are you going to have more kids?"

Guess she won't have to answer that one again for a while. Though ... Steve Martin will interview Fey live onstage at the Nokia Theatre on April 19. Someone should warn him not to ask her how she juggles it all.

The "Oprah" episode featuring the "30 Rock" star will air April 12. And speaking of "30 Rock": You know how Alec Baldwin told New York magazine this week that "our show next year is our last year of the show"? Seems that by "our last year" Baldwin actually meant "my last year" -- either that or he was reminded that he really should have said "my last year."

"Gosh," Baldwin wrote Thursday at the Huffington Post. "I want to take the opportunity to state that although my days on network TV may be numbered, I hope '30 Rock' goes on forever. Or at least as long as everyone involved desires."

Sounds as if someone involved definitely desires. Hey, if "The Office" can go on without Fey's "Date Night" costar Steve Carell, "30 Rock" should be just fine without Baldwin, right?

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Photo: Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 30, 2011. Credit: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times

 

 

Alec Baldwin: '30 Rock' will end in 2012, Tina Fey to direct films

Alec Baldwin, the stalwart Jack Donaghy of NBC's "30 Rock," says the hit show will end in 2012.

"I will tell you one thing," Baldwin told New York magazine. "And that is our show next year is our last year of the show."

Baldwin had previously indicated that he plans to leave the show in 2012; however, his comments were the first grumblings that the show itself would end. Questions about his costar and show writer Tina Fey Monday night prompted the knowledge bomb drop.

"Our contracts are expired [in 2012], and Tina is gonna have a big career directing films and writing. She's going to be the next Elaine May. She'll be great."

But sources tell the Hollywood Reporter that there is no truth in the rumors and that there have been no discussions at NBC to cancel the show after its sixth season. "30 Rock," the multi-Emmy winning comedy about running a zany variety show, is currently in its fifth season.

Baldwin, who traveled to Washington Wednesday to introduce the Fair Elections Now Act on Capitol Hill, has recently been cast in the film version of the musical "Rock of Ages" with Tom Cruise. Fey also has a bit of a cushion to fall back on if the show ends, releasing her comedic memoir "Bossypants" this week.

Though with all the "Mad Men" hullabaloo and now "30 Rock," all we can say is: Blerg.

Can you foresee a life without Jack Donaghy and Liz Lemon? Tell us in comments.

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Photo: Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy in "30 Rock." Credit: Ali Goldstein / NBC