Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Cynthia Erivo & More Attend W’s Best Performances Party 2025

The vibes at W’s Best Performances party on Saturday were, as the saying goes, immaculate. Hosted by W Editor in Chief Sara Moonves and Editor at Large Lynn Hirschberg, the intimate soirée brought together Hollywood’s finest to celebrate Golden Globes weekend and the magazine’s newest portfolio photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Gracing the penthouse at the storied Chateau Marmont were W cover stars and Golden Globe nominees Nicole Kidman, Cynthia Erivo, Angelina Jolie, Tilda Swinton, Demi Moore, Zoe Saldaña, and Adrien Brody. There, against a backdrop of supersized images from their W shoot, they were joined by the top names in film, television, music, and fashion.

In true W style, the evening—presented by Christian Louboutin—had the relaxed energy of a friends-and-family gathering. Kidman arrived early, hand-in-hand with her 16-year-old daughter, Sunday Rose Urban. Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón also shared the night with her 14-year-old daughter, though at one point she joked about losing her to the bustling A-list crowd. Meanwhile, Brody, riding a wave of buzz for his role in The Brutalist, brought his parents along for the festivities. For her part, Swinton stuck close to her longtime partner Sandro Kopp, while I’m Still Here star Fernanda Torres cozied up by the fire, perched on husband Andrucha Waddington’s lap.

Casamigos Tequila cocktails flowed freely, fueling the warm, familial atmosphere that sparked several joyful cast reunions. The stars of The Bear—Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Matty Matheson, and Lionel Boyce—playfully exchanged banter throughout the night, while Baby Reindeer’s Richard Gadd and Jennifer Gunning took time to catch up after a whirlwind year. So, too, did Shōgun stars Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada who reconnected amid the revelry.

For many, it seemed one of the highlights of the night was the opportunity to chat with director Sean Baker and the cast of his film, Anora. Kaia Gerber was spotted fangirling over the film’s leads, Mark Eydelshteyn (aka the Russian Timothée Chalamet) and Yora Borisov. Even Daniel Craig took a moment to introduce himself to Mikey Madison, praising her unforgettable performance in the film’s title role. As for Baker, he was seen having his own fanboy moment when he asked Eydelshteyn to snap a photo of him with Edebiri.

Baker wasn’t the only acclaimed filmmaker present. The event drew a crowd of top-tier directors, including Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), Halina Reijn (Babygirl), Malcolm Washington (The Piano Lesson), Gia Coppola (The Last Showgirl), Pablo Larraín (Maria), and Luca Guadagnino (Queer). One of the night’s biggest surprises came when Queer star Drew Starkey arrived sporting a freshly bleached blond mohawk and eyebrows, leaving even Guadagnino momentarily stunned by the transformation.

Meanwhile, the pop stars everyone’s buzzing about were out in full force. Sabrina Carpenter, radiant in a Barbie-pink Vivienne Westwood dress, joined Cara Delevingne in mouthing along to her single “Taste” spun by DJ Ross One, while Charli XCX gamely swayed to her hit “360.”

On the fashion front, Hedi Slimane, now a free agent after departing Celine in October, made a rare appearance. He spent some time in conversation with Charli XCX, adding yet another layer of intrigue to the already electric atmosphere. Also spotted: Louis Vuitton’s Nicholas Ghesquière, who spent some time chatting with Mikey Madison.

As the evening wound down, the energy turned up with guests transitioning from the outside terrace to the pink-carpeted dance floor, fueled by mini-sliders and W-branded French fries. For their parting gift, guests walked away with a limited-edition broadsheet of the Best Performances portfolio—a perfect memento for an unforgettable kick-off to the awards season to come.