Oscar Nominees Celebrate Most Inclusive Year Yet at TheWrap-WanderLuxxe Party

Women and diverse nominees raised a glass to inclusion at West Hollywood bash

| February 14, 2019 @ 10:54 AM Last Updated: February 14, 2019 @ 3:29 PM
TheWrap Oscar 2019 nominees Mary Zophres Diane Warren Terence Blanchard Sharon Waxman

From left: Oscar nominees Mary Zophres, Diane Warren and Terence Blanchard pose with TheWrap CEO and founder Sharon Waxman

Oscar nominees Diane Warren, Mary Zophres, Terence Blanchard and more celebrated inclusion, diversity and the rising role of women at TheWrap and WanderLuxxe‘s party at Norah in West Hollywood on Wednesday night.

Among the many Oscar nominees attending the party were “BlacKkKlansman” composer Blanchard, “Free Solo” filmmakers Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Shannon Dill, and Jimmy Chin and Melissa Berton, nominated for the documentary short “Period. End of Sentence.”

Nominees in categories ranging from Best Picture to Costume Design to Documentary Feature were on hand to raise a toast to mark such progress. And there were also be plenty of women on the Oscar ballot celebrating: Warren, who is up for Original Song with “I’ll Fight” from “RBG;” Mildred Iatrou Morgan and Ai-Ling Lee, co-nominees for Sound Editing for “First Man” (Lee is also nominated for Sound Mixing); Zophres, costume designer for “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”; and more.

TheWrap Oscar 2019 party Norah WanderLuxxe Guillotine Vodka

From left: Oscar nominee Melissa Berton, party scene, GLAAD’s Director of Entertainment Research Megan Townsend, Color of Change Managing Director Arisha Hatch

Also Read: Watch Regina King's Oscar Plans Nearly Get Derailed by 76ers Star Joel Embiid (Video)

With films like “Black Panther,” “Green Book” and “BlacKkKlansman” in contention, the 2019 Academy Awards reflect a celebration of diversity in film theme, actors and among filmmakers unsurpassed by any year before it. Yalitza Aparicio is the first indigenous actress ever to be nominated for Best Actress for “Roma,” directed by Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, who is nominated in multiple categories this year — to name just a few examples. There is still work to be done: Just 25 percent of nominees in gender non-specific categories are women — leaving some to question whether an #OscarsSoMale hashtag would gain traction. Also, Asian actors did not appear in any of the acting categories. What’s more, only four of the possible 20 acting nominations this year went to people of color.

Stars at the party included DJ Shangela Pierce from the Oscar-nominated “A Star Is Born;” “Sideswiped” creator and star Carly Craig; DJ and record producer Paul Oakenfold; and many more.

Also Read: Film Academy Defends Oscars Plan After Filmmakers Condemn Exclusion of Awards From Live Broadcast

TheWrap’s CEO Sharon Waxman, along with leaders from GLAAD and Color of Change, spoke during the party’s big toast to honor the nominees and also acknowledge that Hollywood still has a ways to go before achieving true equality. (Watch Waxman’s speech here!)

Outfitted with signature cocktails from sponsor Guillotine Vodka, TheWrap’s Oscar party was put on in conjunction with WanderLuxxe for what was a night to remember. Come back to TheWrap.com to catch more photos and videos from the party.

The Scene at TheWrap's Oscar Party Honoring Women and Inclusion (Photos)

  • Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Diane Warren at Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Mary Zophres, Diane Warren, Terence Blanchard and Sharon Waxman Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Melissa Berton Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • DJ Shangela Pierce Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Juliet Duncan and Ken Duncan Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Edi Gathegi at the Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Yazmin Monet Watkins Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Nicki Micheaux Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Stephanie Shepherd Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Paul Berkmann Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Marti Hines and Lola Wood Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Harvey Guillen Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Sharon Waxman gives a toast Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Marti Hines gives a speech Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Haiku Guys Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Emily Nelson Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Sherry Cola Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Tia Carrere at the Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
  • Carly Criag at the Pre-Oscar party celebration hosted by The Wrap at Norah. Photographed by Ted Soqui for TheWrap
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Oscar-nominated guests from “BlacKkKlansman,” “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” and more enjoyed a night of cocktails and conversation

Oscar nominees from around the world came out for cocktails and lively conversations Wednesday, Feb. 13 for TheWrap-WanderLuxxe Oscar Party. The conversations on diversity and inclusion in Hollywood today were fueled in part by the night's signature cocktails from sponsor Guillotine Vodka. Attendees included best foreign film- nominated director Talal Derki ("Of Fathers and Sons") and best song-nominated songwriter Diane Warren ("I'll Fight," featured in the documentary "RBG"). Take a look at the happenings inside Norah in West Hollywood. 

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