Vanity Fair kicks off Oscar week with Jessica Chastain and more

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Sure, vanity is common in Hollywood, but sometimes for the right reasons -- like Monday’s Oscar week kickoff, a celebration of 20 years of Vanity Fair’s profile feature called ... Vanities.

Having named the most promising up-and-comers for two decades, the magazine, its West Coast senior editor Krista Smith and ‘The Descendants’ breakout Shailene Woodley hosted some girly cocktails with Juicy Couture, welcoming Jessica Chastian, Paula Patton, George Clooney’s gal Stacey Keibler, a glowing, baby-bump-showing Molly Sims, Kate Mara and more.

‘I’m so ready for this week,’ Chastain told us, rocking a cleavage-baring Alexander McQueen dress. As the Ministry chatted her up, a giant projection of her own Vanities shoot hit one of the walls at the fete.

‘I still remember that day,’ she said wistfully. ‘It was in New York, in the street with Patrick Demarchelier.’

No big deal. Emmy Rossum circulated on the arm of a tall, handsome blond man, weaving around Amy Adams, Rashida Jones, Ari Graynor, Marica Gay Harden, ‘Pariah’ actress and VF covergirl Adepero Oduye, Kelly Lynch, Olivia Munn and Alice Eve.

Woodley’s ‘Secret Life of the American Teenager’ costar Daren Kagasoff came to support, holding it down for the boys in J. Lindeberg, alongside dudes including Michael B. Jordan and Jay Hayden.

Our old pal Kate Mara was a proud sister, as her sib Rooney Mara also graces this month’s VF cover. We asked if she’ll be back for any more ‘American Horror Story,’ and while she’s not sure, she’s certainly looking forward to her next TV gig.

‘I’m going to work on David Fincher’s ‘House of Cards,’’ she said, ‘so I don’t know if I’ll have the time, but I’m so excited.’

Some humility with all those vanities.

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-- Matt Donnelly
twitter.com/MattDonnelly