Olivia Wilde, Storm Reid and more toast Face of the Future honoree Elizabeth Debicki
Olivia Wilde, Rachel Bilson and January Jones were among the Max Mara-clad attendees who turned out to the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood to celebrate the Italian label’s Women in Film Max Mara Face of the Future honoree Elizabeth Debicki on Tuesday night.
“I’m feeling fresh, fancy, free, excited, happy and grateful,” said the “Tenet” actress, who will officially receive the award during Women in Film’s annual gala at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills on Wednesday night. “It means a great deal to me because of the women who are behind this award. I respect them all so deeply. To be recognized by your peers means so much.”
The event
Co-hosted by Maria Giulia Maramotti, Max Mara’s vice president of U.S. retail and global brand ambassador, and Laura Brown, InStyle magazine’s editor-in-chief, the cocktail party drew a who’s who of actors and filmmakers looking to connect over comfort foods such as sliders and mini-bites of grilled cheese.
The crowd
Guests included Storm Reid, Camila Mendes, Madelaine Petsch, Rebecca Gayheart, Alice Eve, Olivia Holt, Suki Waterhouse, Zoe Lister-Jones and #MeToo movement founder Tarana Burke. Others decked out in looks by the brand were Women in Film L.A. board president Amy Baer as well as Minnie Driver, Chiara Ferragni, Alexandra Daddario, Lucy Hale, Camila Morrone, Xosha Roquemore, Skai Jackson, Sydney Sweeney and Fuschia Kate Sumner.
“Max Mara is empowering to women,” Debicki said. “It’s designed for women to feel like themselves,” before adding about her outfit for the evening, “This is the best pair of pants I’ve ever worn. It’s very ’30s and gorgeous but it’s also highly comfortable.”
The scene
Jaime King mingled with Katherine McNamara. The women held hands and hammed it up for the cameras. Lake Bell caught up with Lindsay Sloane on a couch, while Jennifer Morrison struck a pose with Cara Santana. Elsewhere, Debicki found a friend in Elizabeth Chambers.
Director Kay Cannon was eager to bond with other filmmakers in attendance. “I get excited to see the numbers increase, to see a bunch of women celebrating women,” Cannon said. “Women in Film highlights different people that I wouldn’t have ever known about had they not highlighted them. So much good work gets lost in the shuffle. I like coming here to see all the women coming together and bonding with women. With visibility comes progress.”
The night was also a chance for many of the women to discuss shared experiences. “Right after ‘Blockers’ came out, I was like, ‘Am I going to work again?’” said Cannon, whose directorial debut grossed more than $94 million worldwide. “I was working so hard on ‘Blockers’ that everything else fell to the wayside. So when that came out, it was like, ‘What’s the next project? What’s the sophomore film that might make or break you?’”
Cannon, who is best known for writing and producing the “Pitch Perfect” franchise, shouldn’t be worried. She has a slew of projects on the horizon. Days ago it was announced that she will direct the comedy “79ers” for Lionsgate, Point Grey and Gary Sanchez Productions. And Cannon will direct Sony Pictures’ anticipated musical comedy adaptation of “Cinderella,” which will star Camila Cabello. She wrote the project, which is set for release Feb. 5, 2021, while in post-production on ‘Blockers.’ “I’m working like crazy, but it’s all good,” she said.
The quote
Fresh face Peyton List shared her thoughts on Debicki’s Face of the Future anointment. “She’s killing it,” said the 21-year-old actress. “She’s not even up-and-coming. It’s cool that we put a spotlight on a woman like that who is making progress. Two years ago, I was here for my friend, Zoey Deutch, who was honored.”
List is also hard at work. The former Disney star recently completed the CW pilot “Glamorous” with Brooke Shields. The project was directed by Eva Longoria and centers around a gender nonconforming high school graduate who lands an internship at a cosmetics company. About the pilot, List said, “[The show’s creators] were like, ‘If we would have had this show when we were kids, you have no idea how much less alone we would have felt.’ To be able to give that to kids or people and have them be like, ‘We see you and you’re heard and we’re rooting for you,’ feels great.”
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