Diversity Rules, Even At Parties

A global mix of British stars, Hispanic ingénues, hip-hop royalty, politicos and Oscar winners united under one language at this year's Academy Awards parties: glamour.

From Vanity Fair's celebrity-packed after-party to Elton John's annual Oscar-viewing bash, Sunday night's festivities were as diverse as they were glitzy.

Best supporting actress winner Jennifer Hudson, wearing a snug gold beaded gown, showed up to Vanity Fair's party at Morton's just before 1 a.m., thrusting her trophy for "Dreamgirls" into the air. She said she would be storing the Oscar in her new Chicago home.

The Vanity Fair party is reputed to be the best Oscar bash because it draws all the major Hollywood movie stars.

"Vanity Fair is the best for sure," legendary actress Faye Dunaway told The Early Show national correspondent Hattie Kauffman.

Madonna said she looked forward to cutting a rug with her husband, Guy Ritchie. Singer Sheryl Crowe said the highlight of her night was when former Vice President Al Gore won an Oscar for his documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth."

Best actor winner Forest Whitaker entered the bash and was trailed by a long line of fans and well-wishers. He said he would be celebrating "a lifetime moment."

Everyone, including Oscar-winner Helen Mirren was happy to see Martin Scorsese finally win for best director for "The Departed."

"It was wonderful," she said. "There was a real feeling of love and support going toward him at that moment. That was pretty cool moment."

Clutching his trophy, Scorsese answered heaps of praises and hugs with a grin plastered across his face.

A few feet away, "Departed" star and best actor nominee Leonardo DiCaprio wolfed down veggie egg rolls.

In the midst of all the good cheer, only Simon Cowell could find a reason to whine about Hudson's victory.

"It gives us a bit of a problem because any time we kick somebody off they think they're going to win an Oscar," he said.

But Hudson's co-star, Beyoncé, said the best moment of the night was watching Hudson accept her award.

"We were all crying, bawling, because she's so talented," she said. "It's the Cinderella story."

Accents and myriad languages swirled around the massive restaurant.

Mexican actors Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna chatted in Spanish next to Bernal's one-time paramour Natalie Portman, while Spanish starlet and best actress nominee Penelope Cruz milled.

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Photos: Oscar Red Carpet
Photos: Scenes From The Oscars
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Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham, in a slender, white gown, chatted up Jennifer Lopez and Lopez's husband, Marc Anthony.

Even former supermodel rivals Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks laughed together, towering over everyone else in their dazzling dresses.

Gore was a party favorite and was seen with "Prestige" actor Hugh Jackman and others as he made the rounds.

Other figures from the world of politics and punditry on the scene included Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Arianna Huffington, Anderson Cooper and comedian Bill Maher, who held court with Dennis Hopper and Sean Penn in a corner booth, smoking cigars and surrounded by beautiful women.

The parties are a chance for old friends to get together. James Wood and Jon Voight had a little reunion.

"This guy's the reason I became an actor," Woods said, gesturing to Voight.

Even the littlest stars hit the parties. Although it was past his normal bedtime, Jaden, the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, got to stay out.

"Well, he really wanted to meet Sarah Michelle Gellar," Pinkett Smith said.

"You know how long I've been waiting to meet you?" Jaden told Gellar

"Not as long as I've been waiting," she responded. " 'Cause I'm older, so I've been waiting longer."

Earlier in the evening, at Elton John's 15th annual Oscar-viewing party to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Sheryl Crow, Gloria Estefan and rapper Eve sat in silver-sheathed chairs and ate risotto, filet mignon and chocolate pudding on plates resting on mirrored table tops.

Designer Zac Posen sat with former Marilyn Manson flame Dita Von Teese, who chatted up British rock royals Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and Kelly Osbourne at the next table.

The party raised $4.2 million for John's foundation, due in large part to Sharon Stone.

"It's always exciting to work with him in the fight against AIDS, and we always hope tonight is the last night we do that," Stone said.

After John complained about the Oscar telecast's beastly four-hour running time, saying that "people were snoozing" across the country, Stone helped out onstage with the night's mega-auction of prizes.

Stone, unsteady on her feet and slurring her words, rambled, "I've been sitting at my table with P. Diddy and Jon Bon Jovi, and I'm a little messed up," later calling herself a "bad girl."

She did manage, however, to get two different attendees bidding on a chance to attend John's 60th birthday bash to each front $250,000.

Earlier, Combs bid $65,000 on a lesson with soccer star David Beckham, but lost out.

After dinner, British singer James Blunt joined John with a rowdy set of tunes, including John's hit "Tiny Dancer."

Outside, drinking a beer, "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell waxed poetic on former "Idol" finalist Hudson.

"I feel like her foster parent," he said, beaming about the woman he once berated on "Idol."

Saturday night's Vibe magazine pre-Oscar bash continued the party pack's diverse, fun-loving vibe.

Hosted by one-time Oscar nominee Queen Latifah, the shindig at West Hollywood's Republic attracted a vibrant cross-section of the black community, who sipped vodka martinis and sweated to pounding hip-hop.

Combs and his entourage showed up on the dance floor. Former NBA star Dennis Rodman made an appearance, wearing hoop earrings and smoking a cigar.

Even Sunday night's traditional Governors Ball following the Academy Awards got a new, savvy look.

Instead of the usual rows of tables, the rooftop ballroom was filled with chairs and divans.

Gone were Wolfgang Puck's suppers served by waiters. Guests could fill their plates with delicacies at buffets stationed around the room.

"I think it works," Clint Eastwood said.