Kate HudsonJohn Salangsang / Shutterstock
On Friday night, amid the whirlwind of pre-Academy Awards festivities, Hollywood gathered to toast to the female talent both behind and in front of the camera at the 19th annual Women In Film Oscar Nominees celebration. Presented by Max Mara, the soirée was dedicated to honoring those helping to push the industry towards greater gender equity.
Faces from across Hollywood—including actresses, directors, producers, and costume designers—started filing into Wheelhouse, a private residence in West Hollywood that was once a party villa regularly frequented by the late Bette Davis, around 6:30 p.m. As the evening’s honorees wrapped up their poses at the step-and-repeat, guests hobnobbed over an al fresco charcuterie board. Others, including The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Lisa Rinna and her husband Harry Hamlin, were in line at the bar, perusing the cocktail menu and choosing between signature drinks: The Leading Lady and Best Picture Spritz.
The official program kicked off soon after, with attendees circling around the pool beneath strands of fairy lights as dusk began to settle. WIF CEO Kirsten Schaffer was first to take the stage. “So many of us have spent a career—or a lifetime—fighting for a seat at a table that was never built with us in mind,” she told the crowd, adding: “Tonight, we celebrate. Not because the work is done, but because we refuse to stop.”
WIF board president Syrinthia Studer followed, dedicating the celebration to “the women who showed up, who told stories that needed to be told, who stood in front of the camera and commanded it, and those who stood behind it and shaped entire worlds,” she said. From there, honorees took the stage one by one, each announcing their name and 2026 Oscar nomination.
Kate Hudson, clad in a slinky floor-sweeping Max Mara gown, was among those who needed little introduction. “Hi, I’m Kate Hudson, and I’m nominated for Best Actress for a movie I did called Song Sung Blue,” she said, drawing enthusiastic cheers from attendees. Passing the microphone to Diane Warren, who is up for Best Original Song in Dear Me, the songwriter addressed the audience, asking, “Did you guys see Song Sung Blue?! It’s f***ing great.”
