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Every year, Vanity Fair holds an Oscars after-party for some of the world’s biggest stars. Celebrities in their best get-ups mingle and celebrate (or commiserate) and, of course, there are pictures taken. Mark Seliger is the longstanding official photographer, in charge of portraits for the superstars present.

As the premier film award, the Oscars can’t help but attract significant attention, so it’s no wonder that the stars do their best to dress up for the occasion. So scroll down and enjoy portraits of your favorite celebs in their best attire. Be sure to check out last year's portraits here.

#1

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser

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#2

Jennifer Coolidge

Jennifer Coolidge

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While still a time-honored tradition, the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty is relatively modern compared to the actual Academy awards. The very first one happened as recently as 1994, at Morton’s Eatery in West Hollywood. In solidarity with the Writers Guild of America strike, the event was canceled in 2008. Since then, it’s been hosted regularly, changing venues multiple times, first to the Sunset Tower and then to a location at 8680 Sunset Boulevard, in West Hollywood.

More recently, it’s been held in the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, a bit more of a mouthful than ‘Morton’s Eatery.’ Mark Seliger remains the official photographer and portraitist for the event, though you may have already seen his work, which includes portraits of Barack Obama, the Dalai Lama, and Kurt Cobain’s head framed with doll heads and roses. 

#4

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh

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Spocks's Mom
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love her! I can't believe it's been so long since Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has been released. Seems like yesterday.

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#5

Kevin Bacon And Kyra Sedgwick

Kevin Bacon And Kyra Sedgwick

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#6

Idris Elba

Idris Elba

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Birdy
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've read he doesn't want to be the next Bond but man, I wish he'd reconsider...there are Vesper martinis to be shaken.

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Reportedly, the Vanity Fair after-party is the closest some celebrities can get to being in a casual setting. Fans, agents, and security are not present within the venue itself, so the world’s biggest stars can mix and mingle freely. Other Holidwood elites are often present, including art dealers, hotel magnates, and billionaires, like Jeff Bezos. While a guest’s plus-ones are somewhat limited, management is known to make exceptions for the night's winners. 

#7

Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah

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Despite the lavish attention dolled out to the Academy Awards, the very first one was not even televised. Similar to Vanity Fair’s modern variant, there was an after-party for the guests, with tickets going for $5. That is roughly $80 in 2023, so not that bad of a price to party with the biggest celebrities on the planet. These days, there are a multitude of awards for screen and stage, but the Oscars remain the most ubiquitous. Its cultural strength is so profound that in Italy, “Oscar” is used as a term for a variety of award ceremonies.

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#11

Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming

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giggles
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hello. What kind of mischief and misbehaving might we come up with this grand evening?

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The famous Oscar statue, while gilded, is actually made of bronze. It weighs just under four kilograms and features five spokes at the base that represent the original branches of the Academy: actors, writers, directors, producers, and technicians, which explains why the original ceremony was only fifteen minutes long. It’s also only about 38cm tall, making it relatively easy to carry about through the many parties and after parties the recipients are no doubt invited to.

#14

Donald Glover

Donald Glover

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Bunny
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hello? 1971's called and they want their leisure suit and heels back. Lol. I joke, love him.

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#15

M.M. Keeravaani, S. S. Rajamouli And Chandrabose

M.M. Keeravaani, S. S. Rajamouli And Chandrabose

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Since 1950, recipients of the award don’t actually own the statuette. If you are lucky enough to win one, first of all, congratulations, secondly, the Academy requires that you offer it back for $1. If you don’t agree to this, the Academy keeps the actual, physical award, though your status as the winner is not contested. This is why pre-1950 Oscars can and have been sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars in auctions.

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You might be wondering who actually is the ‘Academy’ behind the awards. These days, it consists of around 7000 members across a number of filmmaking disciplines who vote on the various categories. There remains some controversy about the precise composition of the Academy. For example, in 2018, only 28% of members were women. Now, as anyone who has conducted even a bachelor's level study can attest, this is not a representative sample of the population.

#20

Madame Speaker And Her Husband Paul

Madame Speaker And Her Husband Paul

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#21

Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum

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bottomless.abyss.of.bordem
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No comment. Not on the work computer. Going to Google "Magic Mike Pony dance" on my phone to make Monday bearable.

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The event itself is also a massive undertaking, with catering, broadcasting, security and all sorts of other behind-the-scenes aspects to be taken into account. Around 15’000 dishes need to be prepared for the thousand-and-a-half-long guest list. But, as a consolation, after a night of hard work, the Academy is famous for its lavish gift bags. As always in the world, those at the top get more, so presenters, winners, and even nominees are known to receive gift bags worth thousands of dollars. The item's value has gotten so high that the IRS has actually issued a statement about how to report them.

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#22

Dwayne Wade And Gabrielle Union

Dwayne Wade And Gabrielle Union

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#23

Judd Apatow And Leslie Mann

Judd Apatow And Leslie Mann

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Bunny
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kind of a weird look from Judd, but Leslie look beautiful as always.

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#24

Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes

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#26

Jon Hamm And Anna Osceola

Jon Hamm And Anna Osceola

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Bittersweetie
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Weird thing in our house, but whenever anyone sees John Hamm on TV etc. we shout "HAMM!", So...HAMM!

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#32

Chrissy Teigen And John Legend

Chrissy Teigen And John Legend

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sturmwesen
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am sorry, but what is with her face? There must have been a better picture.

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