SCARLETT JOHANSSON, MINDY KALING, NICOLE KIDMAN, MELINA MATSOUKAS, GWYNETH PALTROW, NATALIE PORTMAN, LENA WAITHE, AND ZENDAYA HONORED AT ELLE WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD CELEBRATION ON OCTOBER 14 IN LOS ANGELES
Presented by Ralph Lauren and Lexus
Hosted by Issa Rae
LOS ANGELES, CA (October 15, 2019) – Last night, eight remarkable women were honored at the 26th annual ELLE Women in Hollywood Celebration for the creative and cultural contributions they have made to the worlds of music, film, television, and beyond. Scarlett Johansson, Mindy Kaling, Nicole Kidman, Melina Matsoukas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Lena Waithe, and Zendaya were feted by the world’s largest fashion magazine brand, in partnership with Ralph Lauren and Lexus, at the event which took place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Noah Baumbach, Reese Witherspoon, Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie, Indya Moore, Ben Platt, America Ferrera, and Hunter Schafer presented the awards to Johansson, Kaling, Kidman, Matsoukas and Waithe, Paltrow, Portman, and Zendaya, respectively. Producer, writer, and actress Issa Rae hosted the ceremony. Daisy O’Dell, who has been the event’s DJ and music director for 11 years, spun the hottest tracks through the night.
Highlights included:
- ELLE Editor-in-Chief Nina Garcia welcomed guests to the celebration of the most “barrier breaking” women in Hollywood and announced the theme for the night – “We are here. We are radical. Get used to it!” She praised this year’s honorees for their exquisite work in front of, and behind, the camera, noting that all have had to overcome tremendous obstacles to get to where they are today.
- Reese Witherspoon beamed with pride as she spoke about her friend and co-star Mindy Kaling, noting that oftentimes we tell young kids “if you can see it, you can be it,” but young Mindy didn’t see herself reflected on TV, in films, or in writers rooms, and so she took it upon herself to ask, “Why not me?” In that question, she found the title of her first book, and went on to “be it” all on her own. “In doing that,” Reese remarked, “you are allowing others to see it so they know they can be it!”
- Mindy brought some humor to her speech, thanking ELLE for letting her look “pretty on the cover,” after joking when you’re a comedian, people always think you want to pose with a rubber chicken or a banana peel. The crowd was overcome with laughter throughout her comedic and heartfelt acceptance, but Mindy also addressed a double standard that continues to persist: “Why is it the sole responsibility of people of color to hire people of color?” Adding that white men “are free to churn out movie after lily-white movie until the end of time simply because Ava DuVernay exists. She gets tired, guys!”
- “Bombshell” stars Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie took the stage to honor “the heart of their threesome,” Nicole Kidman, who spoke about how impressed she is with the young people in the industry, and how they are paving the way for those who will come after them. She talked about how profound it was when her young daughter, with all the confidence in the world, remarked that she wants to be a director when she grows up. Nicole said that at that age, she may have dreamed of being an actress, but never a director because it never even seemed like a possibility!
- After telling the sweet story of his first encounter with Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Platt noted that they immediately dove into the details of his love life and let the crowd know that despite Paltrow’s best matchmaking efforts, he is, in fact, still single.
- Paltrow, who took a step away from Hollywood to pursue her business endeavors, talked about how wonderful it is to be in a work environment that is primarily female. She believes that we are in a time now where women are just starting to unlock their power, and giving themselves permission to unlock that power instead of waiting for it from someone else.
- Noah Baumbach talked about his first meeting with Scarlett Johansson to discuss his idea for her to play a Hollywood actress going through a divorce in the upcoming film “Marriage Story.” She showed a bit late. Her explanation? “Divorce.”
- Zendaya and Hunter Schafer were in good company, receiving an overwhelming response from the handful of “Euphoria” co-stars who were in the room, including Storm Reid, Sydney Sweeney, Angus Cloud, and more.
- America Ferrera had the room in stitches recalling her failed attempts to woo a nice Jewish boy growing up,and finding herself competing with the beautiful and talented Natalie Portman, the object of all teenage desire in the 90s. Little did she know that many years later, while attending a Time’s Up meeting, the two would meet and become fast friends. Ferrera said that Natalie “is the kind of woman who actively creates space for more women to be seen, to be heard, and to be lifted up wherever she goes.”
- Portman delivered a poignant and energized acceptance speech, asking the crowd to think about how we will know when we’ve achieved true equality between the genders, saying, “when the post-mistake learning is real, people of all genders get eh second chance men currently do. Go out post mistake and succeed, wildy. “F*** up and thrive, sisters!” She also spoke of the assumptions made about women in Hollywood – that they are divas or difficult – and how she has found, especially in her work with Time’s Up, that the women she’s met are some of the most down-to-earth, thoughtful, and interesting people she’s ever worked alongside.
- To close the evening, Indya Moore introduced “Queen & Slim” team Melina Matsoukas and Lena Waithe, who used their time to pay tribute to the black and brown men and women whose lives were taken by those who were meant to protect and serve them. Their stirring speech about those “whose stories will never die” brought the audience to their feet.
ELLE Editor-in-Chief Nina Garcia, in partnership with Ralph Lauren and Lexus, and supporting sponsor Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé, brought together honorees, presenters, artists and Hollywood legends for this year’s dinner and awards celebration. Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé provided champagne to toast the honorees, and Lexus provided transportation for VIP guests.
Additional attendees included Adria Arjona, Ike Barinholtz, Lake Bell, Maria Bello, Danielle Camastra, Kay Cannon, Elizabeth Chambers, Angus Cloud, Zoey Deutch, Tess Holliday, Our Lady J, Jameela Jamil, Rahne Jones, Joey King, Sue Kroll, Diane Lane, Melanie Liburd, Thomasin Mckenzie, Janet Mock, B.J. Novak, Marti Noxon, Catherine O’Hara, Madelaine Petsch, Bel Powley, Nikki Reed, Storm Reid, Julia Schlaepfer, Cathy Schulman, Diana Silvers, Sydney Sweeney, Suzanne Todd, Sarah Treem, Shiona Turini, Annabelle Wallis, and many more!
Ralph Lauren was worn by: Adria Arjona, Annabelle Wallis, Ben Platt, Catherine O’Hara, Diana Silvers, Elizabeth Chambers, Indya Moore, Issa Rae, Janet Mock, Margot Robbie, Nicole Kidman, Nina Garcia, Storm Reid, Sydney Sweeney, Thomasin McKenzie, and Zoey Deutch.
In addition to being feted at the annual awards dinner in Los Angeles, the honorees are also featured on individual covers of ELLE’s November Women in Hollywood issue, on newsstands October 22.
Getty Images for ELLE Magazine.
Courtesy: ELLE Magazine
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ABOUT ELLE
ELLE is the No. 1 fashion magazine brand in the world, with 45 editions, 34 websites and more than 158 supplements worldwide. The ELLE U.S. brand reaches over 29 million influential readers, users, fans and followers across all platforms and inspires women to explore, cultivate and celebrate their personal style in all aspects of their lives. ELLE is owned by the Lagardere Active group (France), and ELLE U.S. is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst, a leading global, diversified media, information and services company. Hearst attracts more readers of monthly magazines than any other publisher. Hearst Magazines’ print and digital assets reach 155 million readers and site visitors each month—two-thirds of all millennials, and over 80% of Gen Z and millennial women in the country (source: 2019 comScore/MRI 11-18/S18). With more than 25 brands in the U.S., the company publishes over 300 editions and 245 websites around the world. For more information visit ELLE.com, or follow ELLE on Twitter (@ELLEmagazine), Facebook (facebook.com/ELLEmagazine), Instagram (@ELLEUSA), Pinterest (pinterest.com/ELLE) or Tumblr (ELLE.tumblr.com).
ABOUT RALPH LAUREN
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, footwear & accessories, home, fragrances and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren’s reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company’s brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps and Club Monaco, among others, constitute one of the world’s most widely recognized families of consumer brands. For more information, go to https://corporate.ralphlauren.com.
ABOUT LEXUS
Lexus’ passion for brave design, imaginative technology, and exhilarating performance enables the luxury lifestyle brand to create amazing experiences for its customers. Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers in more than 90 countries. In the United States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 241 dealers offering a full lineup of luxury vehicles. With six models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also offers eight F SPORT models and two F performance models. Lexus is committed to being a visionary brand that anticipates the future for luxury customers.
ABOUT CHAMPAGNE LAURENT-PERRIER
Originally founded in 1812, the House of Laurent-Perrier has been defined by its pioneering role in innovating champagne throughout its history. Internationally recognised as one of the foremost names in champagne, its success can be attributed to a deliberate policy of challenging conventional techniques, whilst honouring traditional values: a respect for nature and the terroir above all, a passion for quality, and strong, lasting relationships. The Laurent-Perrier portfolio consists of eight champagnes including Grand Siècle, which was originally launched in 1959 and blends three outstanding vintages to enable the creation of the perfect year. In 2018, Laurent-Perrier celebrated half a century of its Cuvée Rosé – the original “modern” rosé champagne – which was born in 1968 by defying conventions and using innovative wine making techniques. The brand’s innovative spirit continues into the present day, with the recent launch of its latest champagne, a Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature.
Laurent-Perrier’s success must also be attributed to the energy of the de Nonancourt family, headed by the late Bernard de Nonancourt, who assumed control in 1948. Working in a demanding business environment, Bernard preserved the independence of his champagne house and its related values, taking the house from one of hundreds to its current position as one of the region’s leading houses. These same principles guide the current management team led by his two daughters, Stéphanie Meneux de Nonancourt and Alexandra Pereyre de Nonancourt.
