Amid the flowing champagne, towers of seafood and passed plates of Wolfgang Puck cuisine, one of the most bizarre moments following Sunday’s telecast happened at the Governors Ball when a partygoer swiped McDormand’s freshly engraved statue.
Late in the evening, McDormand was spotted red-faced from laughing and crying after an unidentified man lifted the trophy while she was chatting and darted out of the Ray Dolby Ballroom where the party was being held.
At one point, she turned to L.A. Times photographer Jay Clendenin and said, “I lost my Oscar.” Her handlers quickly rushed over to figure out where the sticky-finger bandit had gone off to.
Given the tight security around the Dolby, the thief didn’t make it far. Another photographer intervened and stopped him.
According to whispers around the party, McDormand declined to press any charges against the man. But since a New York Times culture reporter tweeted a photo of a man alleged to be the one who tried to get away with McDormand’s Oscar — or possibly a misidentified bystander — his identity will likely be revealed on social media.
Later at the Vanity Fair Oscar party, a happier McDormand approached the hulking security men guarding the entrance to the Beverly Hills bash and said, “This is my posse.”
Foiled theft aside, the Governors Ball was an early highlight of post-show festivities (though we’re sure that uber-exclusive Jay-Z party we weren’t invited too was probably the place to be). Decorated with an opulent, classic Hollywood theme, the ballroom was adorned with vintage cameras, metal movie reels referencing best picture nominees and winners throughout Oscar history, sparkling crystal chandeliers and lush floral arrangements.
The food, like the liquor, was seemingly endless: Miniature Oscars made out of salmon, asparagus soup, baked mac and cheese, chicken pot pie, spicy tuna cones, beef tartar, salmon pizza, baked potatoes topped with caviar, vegan pasta, sushi, a stocked seafood station and enough desserts to make even the sweetest tooth ache (not that that stopped anyone, judging from the long line for the crepe station).
(Excerpt) Read More at: LATimes.com