MACRO’s Pre-Oscars Party Felt Like a Cookout With a Dress Code
It feels decidedly royal. A cream carpet runs along a warm‑purple backsplash with gold MACRO lettering, giving the entry to Los Angeles’ Audrey Irmas Pavillion a palatial air.
Just beyond, a theater‑sized screen plays first‑person clips from Sinners, the talk of Oscars season with a record-breaking 16 nominations, immersing guests in the film’s lush greens and dirt roads. Nearby, servers circulate champagne on silver trays.
After guests have taken in the looping Sinners video, they travel down a few stairs into the heart of the function. The room is full of earthtones—beautifully dried flowers, shelves lined with spirits, plush seating. The room was clearly curated with a masterful eye for spacing. It’s grand but not overdone or self-indulgent. And then you look up and receive main character energy in the form of draping chandeleirs. They are gorgeous and have a Great Gatsby aura with an icy aesthetic.
The annual MACRO Pre-Oscars Party, hosted by CEO and Founder Charles King and Chief Brand Officer Stacey King, is a fête unlike most. This year’s high-end yet cozy affair took place on Thursday (March 12). Attendees came dressed to the nines with their interpretations of chic, but they were there to let loose because everyone is among family. The room is a curated mix of cultural impact: fly people doing extraordinary things.
There is no velvet rope. This soiree is too inclusive for that. In this moment, celebrating the greatest of 2025 cinema, everyone is important. And so you see Hollywood royalty comfortably walking the floor. Next to the DJ booth stands Ryan and Zinzi Coogler in conversation; seated on the back of a sofa adjacent to the dance floor is Damson Idris, million-dollar smile in tow. With F1 nominated for Best Picture, the British actor has plenty to celebrate including reuniting with his fellow Snowfall castmates at the soiree.
Newly minted power couple Anthony Anderson and Rocsi Diaz are 10-feet from the bar, vibing. Take a couple steps to their right and you’ll run into Erykah Badu, her badass hat making one of the night’s many fashion statements.
Walk a little further toward the entryway, in between Coco Jones and Chloe Bailey, and you’ll find Wunmi Mosaku. At the tail end of a seemingly exhausting Oscar campaign, Mosaku is stunning and gracious, wearing a beautiful free-flowing dress. An admirer asks for a photo. She kindly positions him and obliges.
Invitees were not limited to on‑screen talent. Near the massive screen, now displaying MACRO’s gems from 2025, including the runaway hit comedy, One of Them Days, newly appointed BET president Louis Carr held court as the music infused the crowd with proper vibes.
The DJs understood the assignment and curated strategic sets. Courtney Hollinquest opened with a mellow mood: The Isley Brothers’ “Between the Sheets” and the like. Mel DeBarge leaned into danceable R&B from the ’90s and early ’00s. Then Jae Murphy turned it up to pseudo ratchet with some Jersey and Baltimore house blends intended to ignite Gen-Z attendees.
Also at the DJ booth was Durand Bernarr. Bernarr, who delivered an iconic speech after winning a Grammy for Best Progressive R&B Album this year, gave an impromptu pop-up performance towards the end of the night. It's the kind of magic associated with this gathering.
The famed MACRO photo booth was a party unto itself. I asked one attendee how long he’d been waiting to get in front of the camera. He said two hours. “The photos are that good,” he shrugged. That anecdote captures the true power of a MACRO party: Everything is handled with care and intent. It’s curated to give an elevated experience to people who’ve worked hard all year—a nod and a warm hug that says, I see you. Good job.
CAPTIONS: The prints on Wunmi Mosaku are cosmic goodness; Damson Idris' deep-cut tee accentuates his chain; love Anthony Anderson and Rocsi Diaz's color coordination; Durand Bernarr exudes Black Boy Joy; from left: Kyla Pratt, Erykah Badu, MACRO Film Studios President James Lopez, and MACRO Founder and CEO Charles King; GOAT director Tyree Dillihay; power poses from Stacey King and Coco Jones; Jae Murphy on the closeout; Scott Evans gives beach prep; Olandria Carthen sizzled in her sheer bodysuit; Melvin Gregg delivers shades of blue; Jon Gist, Sony Vice President, Global Intersectional Marketing comes through with a strong black-on-black ensemble with a pop of animal print; active dancefloor at the midnight hour
Seen on the scene: Ryan and Zinzi Coogler, Algee Smith, Amin Joseph, Aziza Scott, Baron Davis, Danielle Brooks, Dave Talbert, DeVon Franklin, Dominique Fishback, Francia Raisa, Grasie Mercedes, Jharrel Jerome, Lance Gross, Lil Rel Howery, Omar Dorsey, Rick Famuyiwa, Sierra Capri, Tim Story, Erika Alexander, Jae Murphy, Bozoma Saint John, Aldis Hodge, Debra Lee, Jimmy Akingbola, Mara Brock Akil, Edwina Findley, Estelle, Tyree Dillihay, Akinola Davies, Marsai Martin, Simone Missick, Tina Mabry, Coco Jones, Tunji Balogun, Olandria Carthen, Arsema Thomas, Wunmi Mosaku, Aisha Bowe, Jozzy, Amaya Espinal, Amber Riley, Chloe Bailey, DeVon Franklin, Dewayne Perkins, Janelle James, Jayme Lawson, Kyla Pratt, Ruth E. Carter, Tyrese Gibson, JaNa Craig, Serena Page, Isaiah Jon, Damson Idris, Durand Bernard, Lynn Whitfield, Mario Van Peebles, Deon Cole, Omar Miller, Carlos Lopez Estrada, Anthony Hemingway, J. Alphonse, Sev Ohanian, Laz Alonzo, Chloe Bailey, Olandria Carthen, Jana Craig, Amaya Espinal
