The Renzo Piano-designed Academy Museum, now a year old and not fooling around when it comes to producing major events with even more major fundraising totals, held its second annual gala on October 15 and raised $10 million for the museum to support its educational programs and initiatives, which saw over 700,000 visitors in this last year.
As with the museum’s major openings held in September 2021—which brought out major power players (Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg), major performances (Lady Gaga), major gowns, and major money—the hoopla this time around was about much more than serious fundraising and a celebration of the museum’s contributions to L.A.’s cultural landscape and the art of movie-making. This year, the Academy Museum has much more to pat itself on the back for as it beat its own expectations for ticketed museum-goers, even in the midst of a pandemic, by 20 percent.
This second gala honored the contributions to the art of film by director Sir Steve McQueen (Twelve Years a Slave), actors Julia Roberts and Tilda Swinton, and Miky Lee, the South Korean film television and music mogul considered responsible for the rise of South Korea in the international cultural landscape.
The entertainment and chairpersons behind the event were nothing to sneeze at, either. Diana Ross performed, Halle Berry (in an Etro black mini dress), Lupita Nyong’o and producer-moguls-museum trustees Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum.
Tilda Swinton, in a stunning stately Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry, was presented the Visionary Award by her friend and oft-director Luca Guadagnino.
George Clooney, starring in the upcoming romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise with Julia Roberts, presented the Academy Museum Gala Icon Award to his great friend and oft-co-star for her decades-long career and global cultural impact.
Louis Vuitton official faces Emma Stone and Alicia Vikander, both wearing chic short LV fall looks, flanked Vuitton’s Creative Director Nicholas Ghesquiere, who has had quite a few years dressing major stars for the red carpet, the Oscars, the SAGS, etc. And of course, he presented his cruise 2023 collection in San Diego this spring, with many an actress in Vuitton on hand, including Lea Seydoux.
And that’s just a smattering of the star wattage on hand, which included Adrian Brody, California Congressman Adam Schiff, Ava Duvernay, Eddie Redmayne, Jeremy Strong, Academy CEO Bill Kramer, Daniel Kaluuya, Hailey Bieber (in a sexy Saint Laurent slinky cut out gown), Glenn Close, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Jessica Chastain, Laura Dern, Judd Apatow, Juliana Margulies, Olivia Wilde (in a sheer silver Alexander Vauthier couture bodycon gown that could have stopped traffic) and woman of the moment Michelle Yeoh, whose star turn in the top indie of the year, Everything Everywhere All At Once, has her name mentioned with the word Oscar every time it comes up at this time of year—which is, naturally, a lot.
