Inside the Spirit Awards 2017: 13 Things You Didn’t See on TV, From Matt Damon to Jon Hamm
IFC’s cameras didn’t catch these moments with stars from “Moonlight,” “Hell or High Water,” “Scandal” and more
Mikey Glazer | February 25, 2017 @ 6:05 PM
Last Updated: February 26, 2017 @ 12:53 PM
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“Moonlight” was the big winner Saturday at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, with Nick Kroll and John Mulaney hosting the most casual awards shows on the calendar in a beachfront tent in Santa Monica.
Although the show was telecast on IFC, those watching missed some action that only those attending the ceremony were privy to. Lucky for you, TheWrap was there for the fun.
Here are some things seen and heard:
1:13p.m.
While the pre-show action is outside the tent, the early faces inside are “Hell or High Water” writer Taylor Sheridan, the Fox Searchlight team, IMDb founder Col Needham, producer Lauren Selig and Kenneth Lonergan. Places are set at front row tables for Freida Pinto, Orlando Bloom, Colin Hanks and “Fargo” lovebirds Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst, who have yet to arrive.
1:16 p.m.
Table 227 is “Loving.” It’s buzzing. Director Jeff Nichols and producer Colin Firth are engaged in an animated conversation, as Ruth Negga is approached by a constant stream of greeters. She’s also up for an Oscar on Sunday.
The wild girls from “American Honey” – Sasha Lane and Riley Keough – earn their stripes in Perrier-Jouët’s secret champagne garden adjacent to the cocktail area. TheWrap spotted Fox Searchlight co-President Nancy Utley in here too. (Randy Shropshire/Getty Images)
1:25 p.m.
In her trademark black and white, Janelle Monae is the first to arrive at the “Moonlight” table. Kerry Washington glides in to find her spot at the table next door. As more of the “Moonlight” ensemble arrive, it’s seflie time with the “Scandal” star. Film Independent President Josh Welsh is a table-neighbor to both.
1:36 p.m.
The doors are closing soon. Annette Bening and Warren Beatty arrive, both in leather jackets. “How old is your baby?” Bening asks Washington and husband Nnamdi Asomugha.
Matt Damon
1:41 p.m. Matt Damon and his “Manchester by the Sea” producer Chris Moore are holding court in the middle of the room. They are pals going all the way back to the HBO version of “Project Greenlight” in 2002.
1:45 p.m.
The show is starting in the tent even though it does not air live until 2 p.m. Colin Hanks walks out on stage to present the first off-air award — editing. “Moonlight” wins. Of all the nominees, “Moonlight” received the biggest cheer in the package. Even before the show starts, the win for Joi McMillon and Nat Sanders got a standing ovation. The room is hot for “Moonlight.” The benefit of the early off-air win is that they can give long acceptance speeches.
1:53 p.m. Josh Welsh thanks the press for being here at a time when they’ve been called “the enemy of the American people.” It gets a loud applause. Welsh reveals that he called the ACLU to recruit their help to make sure that foreign filmmakers could attend because of the “travel ban.”
2:06 p.m.
During John Mulaney and Nick Kroll’s monologue riffing on celebrity cutaways, intended target Samuel L Jackson is not here. Exec Producer Joel Gallen interjects on the house PA — blaring into the room during the show and over their monologue as the voice of God — to say “not here.” As you saw on TV, Jackson would show up later.
Ruth Negga pops in on happy couple Ben Foster, his spirit award, and Laura Prepon. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Film Independent)
2:17 p.m.
After Ben Foster’s win for “Hell or High Water,” he walks off stage back to his table. Laura Prepon repeatedly grabs and kisses him. As a press staffer comes to wrangle him out of his seat moments later, he stands up, cracks open the bottle of Bulleit Bourbon that’s on his table, and pours himself a glass — neat, no ice — as a “roadie” for his trip backstage.
3:37 p.m. Molly Shannon dissolves in raw manic emotion, as she wins for Best Supporting Actress for “Other People” and speaks about cancer. We hope Josh Welsh will forgive her for breaking the “no paper list of thank you’s.” As the show goes to commercial she gets a standing O and runs back into the crowd. Kate Beckinsale runs over to join her.
3:50 p.m. Nick Kroll takes the stage during a break. “It’s a commercial break, but we are going to present an award so… *singing*… Shut the f–k up!” The crowd is loose now. They love the candor.
4:26 p.m.
Gary Clark Jr. continues to play after the show ends. A small crowd stands around watching the free bonus concert.
Barry Jenkins and Jon Hamm sign autographs after the show in the windy 59 degree less-than-ideal beach day. (Mikey Glazer)
4:46 p.m.
Although the night is chilly — for southern California — Jon Hamm and Barry Jenkins were still signing autographs outside long after the show ended.
Update Bonus Items:
7:01 p.m.
Sundance Selects and IFC’s Spirit Awards after party at 41 Ocean is going so strong that the hosts extend it for another hour. Victorious Ezra Edelman (“O.J. Made in America”), Taylor Sheridan, and Zoe Lister Jones were amongst the crowd. There is a Peet’s Coffee bar to cut against the booze soaked afternoon at the beach.
8:00 p.m.
Fresh from her Spirit Award win, Isabelle Huppert heads to Sony Pictures Classics’ Oscars eve dinner at STK inside the W hotel. Co-Presidents Tom Bernard and Michael Barker gave a 15-minute toast to the “Elle” leading lady and their other nominees.
Oscar Parties: 26 Sizzling Pics From Inside the Pre-Show Bashes (Photos)
Three nights before the Oscars, the pre-parties are getting serious. On Thursday night (Feb. 23), Zach Quinto and Sarah Paulson put the "wild" in the Oscar Wilde awards down in Santa Monica.
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As Jon Hamm and J.J. Abrams (who emceed and hosted the shindig on the roof of his Bad Robot production company) toasted Hollywood's "Irish ... and those Irish for a night."
Abrams opened the night with some heartfelt remarks about his late friend Carrie Fisher.
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Over at the No Name in West Hollywood, Jackson Browne and Jeff Bridges rocked out on stage. Oscar nominee Bridges sang "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling" from "High Noon" and "Fallin' and Flyin'" from "Crazy Heart."
Browne curated the musical lineup for the first ever "Songs From the Cinema" benefit put on by Paul Haggis' Artists for Peace and Justice and Bovet 1822.
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"Hi, I'm Jeremy Renner and I'll be taking care of you tonight."
In the spirit of "social justice and activism," Haggis asked celebrities in attendance to serve the meal. They did.
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Sighting: A model near food.
Petra Nemcova, at your service.
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Haggis and co-host Maxwell.
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Someone could hand "The Dude" an Oscar on Sunday for his smoky performance in "Hell or High Water," but first...
...a guy known as "Adventurer Johan Ernst Nilson" handed him some guitar-rocking fuel.
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Jack Black belted out the title tune from "School of Rock."
Also on the bill: Rita Wilson and Jenny Lewis. Jackson Browne came up with the concept for "Songs From the Cinema" to perform the best music from film while toasting this year's Oscar nominees.
It worked.
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Nacho Libre gets a seal of approval from the dean of music, Quincy Jones...
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Who also doled out a frighteningly Trump-ish salute to Maxwell and Jimmy Jean-Louis.
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Over at the Chateau Marmont on Thursday night, Cadillac's second-ever Oscar party caused a traffic jam heading west on Sunset Boulevard.
Inside, Naomi Watts and regular Christoph Waltz perched up as alums of the Oscar circuit ("The Impossible," "Inglourious Basterds," "Django Unchained") who have been out of the awards season gauntlet this cycle.
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"Avengers: Infinity War" star Pom Klementieff and Zoe Saldana gather in the courtyard, which was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with guests of Michael Patrick.
The Party Report heard about one talent publicist who feared they might be fired if they could not get their client into this bash.
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Michelle Pesce kept the library rocking beyond 11 p.m. (when they had to turn off the outside tunes) with beats by Michael Jackson.
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Jenny Slate, Liv Hewson (from Drew Barrymore's new Netflix series "Santa Clarita Diet"), and Abigail Spencer were three of the stars rolling in to the Chateau in CT6's, which as the official ride of the Oscars will be delivering nominees to the Dolby on Sunday night.
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Two awards seasons fly by fast.
Back in 2015, Patricia Arquette (at Cadillac, with artist Eric White) was a winner-in-waiting for "Boyhood" on Oscar weekend.
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Back in Santa Monica, Oscar nominee Lin-Manuel Miranda (with J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath) had fans waiting for his autograph out on the street outside Bad Robot. While the autograph pack swarms around West Hollywood and Hollywood, they rarely migrate west of the 405 freeway.
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The class of the U.S.-Ireland Alliance Oscar Wilde Awards of 2017: Martin Short, Caitriona Balfe, Ruth Negga, Zachary Quinto, and Glen Hansard, with the lord of the "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" franchises.
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"I will say there is something special about seeing black women win," Janelle Monáe said while seeing her cover of Los Angeles Confidential Magazine on Wednesday night at Hollywood's Palihouse. "I’m so happy and I'm so proud. Monae, who starred in two Best Picture nominees ("Hidden Figures" and "Moonlight") nabbed the cover of their issue and showed up to "drop-the-mic"/"drop-the-sharpie" at the party.
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Monáe, who stars in "Hidden Figures" and "Moonlight," celebrated the both films' Oscar nominations by signing a giant cover of Los Angeles Confidential Magazine. Guests in attendance toasted the magazine's new issue and Monáe’s accomplishments with the CÎROC French 75, an official cocktail of the 2017 Governor’s Ball.
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“I have traveled through indian country for 50 years,” Jane Fonda (with Jeff Bridges) said at Global Green's Pre-Oscar gala at the new Tao Los Angeles. “My first act of activism was in 1970 when I joined indigenous people when they occupied Alcatraz.”
The event honored Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council Chairman David Archambault II.
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This is the not the only trophy Jeff Bridges wants to touch this weekend.
“The plastic bag will soon be nearly obsolete in the state of California. Yeah!” Bridges touted while introducing honoree Dianna Cohen (right), a visual artist who works with plastics and activist who works against plastic pollution.
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Global Green's Les McCabe with Orlando Bloom. Taylor Dayne performed "Tell It to My Heart" and Estelle sang the "See L.A." song the Wednesday night dinner gala.
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Gifting group Madison & Mulholland tells The Party Report that they delivered this $25,000 gift bag to nominees Emma Stone, Nicole Kidman, Viola Davis, Ruth Negga, Octavia Spencer and more.
Top swag includes a trip to Baron's Cove Sag Harbor, a 3D camera system from A-1 Array, and a "spiked" sparkling water that is like regular sparkling water, but with alcohol. (It's called "Truly Spiked & Sparkling." Don't drink it at the gym.)
Madison & Mulholland
For more on the Oscar parties to come, check out TheWrap's Guide to the hottest invites.
"This Is Us" co-stars Parker Bates, Logan Shroyer and Lonnie Chavis reunited at Debbie Durkin’s EcoLuxe Lounge sponsored by Chariot Travelware and Un Joyau Majestueux at The Beverly Hills Hotel on Friday.
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"Brothers and Sisters" actor Gilles Marini signed his name in support of Autism Changes at Debbie Durkin’s EcoLuxe Lounge.
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Inside and backstage the industry’s top bashes as stars party away the nights leading up the big show with The Party Report’s Mikey Glazer
Three nights before the Oscars, the pre-parties are getting serious. On Thursday night (Feb. 23), Zach Quinto and Sarah Paulson put the "wild" in the Oscar Wilde awards down in Santa Monica.