Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts check into the London Party.
BAFTA winner Bill Nighy celebrates with a smooch from wife Diana Quick at the London Party.
LONDON -- Judging by the burgeoning accumulation of events, parties and luxury hospitality suites surroundingLondon's Orange British Academy Film Awards on Feb. 15, the BAFTAs have become a magnet for the global glitter set.
This year
Variety co-hosted, with distrib outfit UIP, the inaugural London Party on Feb. 14 at the storied Middle Temple Hall. Held to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation, event netted some $200,000 and attracted Brit showbiz and numerous BAFTA nominees.
About his busy slate,
Ian McKellen observed at the soiree, "I won't bother to say I'm going to take a rest because the phone will ring with something wonderful and I'll be off again."
Additional nominees and other stars on hand to celebrate BAFTA weekend were
Bill Nighy, a winner the next day; "LOTR" co-stars
Andy Serkis and
Billy Boyd;
Laura Linney; "21 Grams" co-stars and co-BAFTA nominees
Benicio Del Toro and
Naomi Watts; plus
Paul Bettany and
Val Kilmer. Helmers aboard were
Sofia Coppola,
Richard Curtis and
Anthony Minghella; execs included UIP's
Stewart Till; and
Variety's
Tad Smith and
Charlie Koones.
Contact Variety Staff at
news@variety.com