Plus, honoree Bruce Springsteen serenades guests at the Academy Museum event — where Kim Kardashian hides her face (in Maison Margiela)
Sightings, hearings and happenings around town, brought to you by Engine Vision Media — behind Los Angeles, Pasadena and Orange Coast magazines and historic Downtown L.A. restaurant Engine Co. No. 28. Email your tips to [email protected].
BEFORE HONORING Jamie Lee Curtis with the Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award at the WIF Honors gala presented by Max Mara on Nov. 6, Jane Fonda spoke of the importance of the First Amendment.
“Our profession, like all art forms, can’t exist without freedom of expression,” Fonda said. “It’s the bedrock of democracy, and it’s being taken away from us. And that’s why, on Oct. 1, we [re]launched the Committee for the First Amendment.”
The collective of artists and leaders first formed during the McCarthy Era — when Fonda’s father, famed actor Henry Fonda, was a member. “That was about one small part of government robbing us of our First Amendment. Right now, it’s the entire federal government,” Fonda said. “It is far, far worse than what existed back in the ’40s and ’50s.”
Upon accepting her award, Curtis was equally political — praising Nancy Pelosi in the wake of her retirement news and responding to the Nov. 4 elections, in which the Democratic Party won key races across the country. “I am most excited to stand here two days after the repudiation of the authoritative regime,” Curtis said. Referencing the victories of New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill and Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, she added, “[And] the election of these two beautiful women to governorships.”
CENTER STAGE
DESIGNER Tory Burch brought out an impressive group of friends to her Rodeo Drive store in celebration of Kristina O’Neill and Laura Brown’s new book, All the Cool Girls Get Fired. Actors including Uzo Aduba, Kiernan Shipka and Jurnee Smollett recited passages — but no one got a bigger reception than Monica Lewinsky. “I don’t want to show anybody up,” she said, “but I was fired from the White House.”
Zoey Deutch, Jurnee Smollett and Monica LewinskyCredit: Cody Marquez/BFA.com
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Doja Cat closed out the night at LACMA’s Art + Film Gala presented by Gucci with a sultry performance of hits like “Paint the Town Red,” for attendees including co-chairs Leonardo DiCaprio and Eva Chow, honorees Ryan Coogler and Mary Corse and fashionistas Salma Hayek, Demi Moore, Kaia Gerber and Cindy Crawford.
And after being introduced by George Clooney and honored by Martin Scorsese, Bruce Springsteen serenaded guests at the Academy Museum’s glitzy annual gala. However, Kim Kardashian (below) caused even more commotion when she arrived in a face-covering nude look by Maison Margiela.
Kim Kardashian attends the Academy Museum 5th Annual GalaCredit: Photo by Emma McIntyre/Oscars/Getty Images for Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
SEEN AROUND TOWN
● The first Dior restaurant in the U.S. — Monsieur Dior by three-Michelin-starred chef Dominique Crenn made its fashionable debut atop the new Beverly Hills store, to stylish guests including LaKeith Stanfield, Maude Apatow and Adrien Brody.
● Glen Powell, star of new dystopian thriller The Running Man reunited with the film’s director Edgar Wright and cast members Katy O’Brian and Karl Glusman at AOC Wine Bar in West Hollywood.
● Max Greenfield has been doing double duty as an emcee. After the former New Girl star hosted the Chrysalis Butterfly Ball, he served as auctioneer at UCLA Health’s annual brunch benefiting The Rape Treatment Center and Stuart House.
● And Steven Spielberg, Jon Bon Jovi and Shari Redstone joined guests from the entertainment, philanthropy and Jewish communities at The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Humanitarian dinner, which honored Warner Bros. Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav, CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash and Oct. 7 survivors Aya Meydan and Omer Shem Tov.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle flank honoree Serena Williams at the 2025 Baby2Baby Gala Presented By Paul Mitchell.Credit: Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Baby2Baby
COUPLED UP
Baby2Baby’s 2025 gala at the Pacific Design Center — which raised a record $18 million for the nonprofit that provides children in need with essential items — proved a date night for famous supporters. Among the philanthropic duos were Nicole Richie and Joel Madden, Jessica Alba and Danny Ramirez and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (above, flanking the night’s honoree Serena Williams).