The Vanity Fair Oscar party has long been heralded as the pinnacle of post-Academy Awards celebrations, a gathering that promises glitz and glamour. This year, however, the event took an unexpected turn, leaving many attendees disgruntled due to the stark lighting that mercilessly highlighted every flaw.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, one actress was particularly distraught, comparing her appearance in photos to that of a “Diane Arbus character.” The lighting seemed to reveal more than guests anticipated, casting a harsh glare on what is typically a polished affair.

This year’s bash, orchestrated by Vanity Fair’s new editor Mark Guiducci, marked a shift in venue from its traditional setting at the Wallis Annenberg Center in Beverly Hills to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Despite the sophistication of the new location, attendees such as Kris Jenner, her famous daughters, Demi Moore, Mia Goth, and Heidi Klum found themselves recoiling from the “unforgiving” brightness.

One guest expressed sympathy for the affected women, recounting how a distressed actress scrutinized photos on her phone, exclaiming to her publicist in dismay. The guest added, “She went home and cried herself to sleep. Nobody has heard from her since!” For an event synonymous with Hollywood’s elite glamour, this year’s lighting issue cast an unexpected shadow.

Despite the classy new location, partygoers – which included the likes of Kris Jenner and her famous daughters, Demi Moore, Mia Goth and Heidi Klum – recoiled at the ‘unforgiving’ bright lights at the event. 

‘I genuinely feel bad for some of these women,’ one guest said. ‘One poor actress looked like a Diane Arbus character. She was on her phone looking at her pictures and shrieking at her publicist. I heard that she went home and cried herself to sleep. Nobody has heard from her since!’ 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Vanity Fair and Guiducci for comment. 

Many guests at this year’s iconic Vanity Fair Oscar party were left dismayed by the harsh lighting, which exposed every imperfection in photos; Kris Jenner seen at the event

One actress was left in tears over her photos, according to the Hollywood Reporter; Mia Goth seen on the red carpet

The Arbus comparison is particularly brutal given the photographer’s legacy of haunting imagery. 

Her work focused on unconventional subjects — from circus performers to giants — captured in a stark style that is the opposite of Hollywood glamour. 

Another insider said that it was ‘like being shot in extremely high-def. You saw a lot of excess pounds and wrinkles that used to be hidden. Nobody wants to be photographed like that!’

In fact, the morning after, many stars chose to share photos from Guy Oseary and Madonna’s annual bash instead of the official photos from the Vanity Fair carpet. 

This year’s lighting stood in stark contrast to the soft, golden glow of previous bashes, as one longtime guest said that in prior years ‘even the ugliest stars knew they’d come out all right. It was like magic.’ 

One attendee said that it was ‘crazy-bright’ at the event and compared it to ‘standing under klieg lights.’

Another said that ‘It was like a hundred degrees’ and wondered if she was ‘having hot flashes.’

The glamour took another hit when the traditional red carpet was replaced by a light gray shag, which was mocked for its drab appearance by a number of social media users. 

Guiducci was reportedly determined to restore the party’s fading luster, and ordered a brutal refinement of the guest list.

‘Mark only wanted the most AAA-list stars,’ an insider told the outlet, adding that ‘he must have gone over that list a thousand times.’ 

‘I genuinely feel bad for some of these women,’ one guest said. ‘One poor actress looked like a Diane Arbus character’; Model Heidi Klum pictured at the bash

Another insider said that it was ‘like being shot in extremely high-def. You saw a lot of excess pounds and wrinkles that used to be hidden. Nobody wants to be photographed like that!’

The glamour took another hit when the traditional red carpet was replaced by a light gray shag, which was mocked for its drab appearance by a number of social media users

This year’s lighting stood in stark contrast to the soft, golden glow of previous bashes, as one longtime guest said that in prior years ‘even the ugliest stars knew they’d come out all right. It was like magic’

Vanity Fair’s new editor Mark Guiducci moved the event from its longtime home at the Wallis Annenberg Center in Beverly Hills to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) this year; Guiducci pictured with Nicole Kidman

This year the red carpet excluded B-listers like media reporters and TV stars.

One high-profile star that skipped the event was Emma Stone. Despite being invited, Stone opted to go to the Universal Pictures party and later headed to A24’s bash. When questioned about the Vanity Fair bash, she said in a video shared to X: ‘It’s so weird, even if you’re nominated, it doesn’t mean you can go.’

Guests at the new LACMA venue were supposed to get a first look at the museum’s new David Geffen galleries.

However, the area remained unfinished by the night of the Oscars, and the party was moved to a less glitzy part of the museum.

The guests also reportedly complained about the traffic as well as the party’s ‘influencer emcees’, who reportedly ‘insulted several VIPs.’ 

Not everyone was ready to write off the bash just yet. One guest pointed out that it was merely the ‘first time’ at the new venue, adding: ‘I’ll still go next year.’ 

The high-profile guest list this year also featured the likes of Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet, Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski, Jessica Alba and Hailey Bieber.