Oscar winners – and losers – laugh, drink and dance together at after-parties

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Were it not for the absence of an Oscar in his hands, you wouldn’t have known Timothée Chalamet lost best actor to Adrien Brody as he sauntered with a smile into the Vanity Fair party.

Once he got inside, Chalamet’s grin grew even bigger as he was surrounded with love on all sides at the Beverly Hills bash that is the most luminescent of the post-Oscar parties, where winners and losers alike kicked up their heels, downed champagne and ate In-N-Out Burger late Sunday and early Monday to celebrate the end of a long night and a long awards season.

Changed out of the bright yellow tuxedo he wore to the ceremony into a simpler white shirt and black suit, Chalamet hugged his girlfriend’s sisters, Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner, who had awaited his arrival from the ceremony. He put his phone to his ear and struggled to hear over the thumping bass, but then waved over an arriving Kylie Jenner, who joined him with a kiss.

Chris Rock was indignant on Chalamet’s behalf, loudly declaring he was robbed when he didn’t win for playing Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown" as the two posed for a picture.

Chalamet for his part was looking ahead to his next film, "Marty Supreme" where he’ll be playing pingpong instead of folk songs.

Hugging the famously petulant tennis legend John McEnroe, Chalamet told the people around them, "For my next project, he was a big inspiration. I play a very intense table tennis player."

Oscars host Conan O’Brien stood next to a couch nearby and thanked a parade of people who came up to give him rave reviews. One fan said he loved a bit he’d done mocking Amazon and its CEO, Jeff Bezos.

"I'll never get a package again,” O’Brien said.

Winners abounded at the Governors Ball, including those from the night’s undisputed champion, "Anora."

It’s the first stop of the night, just up the escalators from the ceremony’s Dolby Theatre home. It's where they get their Oscar statuettes engraved, and dig into some food and drinks before heading off to other parties.

The engraving station is always buzzing with activity as people try to get a glimpse of the victors. Zoe Saldaña, best supporting actress winner for “Emilia Pérez,” stood proudly at the table, waiting for her golden statuette to be forever hers, dancing a little bit to pass the time.

When it was finished, her husband, Marco Perego-Saldaña - whom she embarrassed during her acceptance speech when she praised his beautiful long hair - snapped a photo of her on his phone.

Afterwards, the "Anora" team, including Sean Baker with his four Oscar trophies, and best actress winner Mikey Madison with hers, lugged their Oscars up to the station, as David Bowie's "Modern Love" played on the speakers.

Brody, best actor winner for "The Brutalist," was close behind, taking the spot next to Baker.

If the Governors Ball is the first stop of the night for the evening’s celebrities, the Vanity Fair party is often the last.

Hosted by the magazine’s editor, Radhika Jones, at a custom-built space connecting the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts with Beverly Hills City Hall, it begins as a dinner and viewing party for about 100 people before growing into a banger of a bash and the night’s most sought-after invitation.

This year’s design had a 1970s vibe, with gold carpets and a giant disco ball.

Mick Jagger was at the initial dinner, left long enough to present the Oscar for best original song, then came back for the big party.

The night’s music included a drum-machine remix of his "Satisfaction."

Saldaña showed up holding her freshly engraved Oscar and posed for pictures with Jessica Alba.

Many less famous faces walked the room holding the Oscars that got them an instant invitation. They included a beaming costume design winner Paul Tazewell.

Nearly as popular as Chalamet was Britt Lower, star of "Severance," the TV show that is so much in the zeitgeist that she was constantly approached by people who lit up when they saw her.

"Oh my god, we are such huge fans!" Olivia Rodrigo, with her boyfriend Louis Partridge, told Lower.

For entertainment, no party could match the annual Oscars affair hosted by Elton John, where Chappell Roan brought her pop stardom to a special performance.

She had the crowd jumping as she sang her hits "Hot to Go" and "Good Luck, Babe” before bringing up the host.

Wearing a bedazzled pink cowboy hat Roan gifted him onstage, John sang two duets with the recent Grammy winner, including his "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and her "Pink Pony Club." The latter song celebrates West Hollywood, where the 33rd annual incarnation of the event was held in large white tents.

It’s a fundraiser, co-hosted by John’s longtime partner David Furnish, supporting the Elton John AIDS Foundation's efforts to end new cases of HIV and AIDS.

Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile was sitting with John during the party, after the two lost the Oscar for best original song for their collaboration, "Never Too Late.”

On the patio at the Vanity fair party, Rodrigo and Partridge hung out with a swath of young stars. They included "The Substance” star Margaret Qualley, who danced during a James Bond tribute at the ceremony; her husband, singer-songwriter-producer Jack Antonoff; actor Jenna Ortega; and model and actor Kaia Gerber.

Another tennis legend, Serena Williams, walked by while eating a slice of pizza from chef Evan Funke, who supplies pies for the party.

Even the valet-and-Uber pickup spot was buzzy with celebrity.

"Car for Andrew Garfield!" an attendant yelled.

Garfield and Monica Barbaro, a best supporting actress nominee for "A Complete Unknown," have been the subject of dating rumors. They left together in an SUV.