The China Mail - Toasts to LA and consolation drinks flow backstage at Oscars

"It's a great category!" said Jeremy Strong, nominee for "The Apprentice," looking relaxed after having just lost the night's first award for supporting actor.

"It's early and then you're home free to have a long chat at the bar," he joked to AFP, after applauding his former "Succession" castmate Kieran Culkin to the stage.

"It's all good," shrugged "A Complete Unknown" filmmaker James Mangold, insisting he was "lucky" to have been up for best director, as he tucked into a salmon and caviar snack at the official after-party.

For Richard Curtis, creator of "Notting Hill" and "Love Actually," the night was even more carefree: he already scored his honorary Oscar at a separate Academy ceremony for lifetime achievement months earlier.

"I'm relaxing tonight, I've already won my Oscar for the year!" he told AFP, also at the bar, where the champagne and tequila flowed.

He hailed the moving tribute to wildfire-hit Los Angeles from "Wicked" stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, which opened the show: "Beautiful start. Beautiful songs."

"If they have songs that good they should start with them every year."

It was a popular sentiment backstage among Tinseltown's taste-makers, on a night that leaned heavily into musical crowd-pleasers.

Those who snuck off for a drink during the James Bond-themed musical tribute cursed their poor timing for leaving their seats.

Performers Margaret Qualley, Doja Cat, Raye and Lisa from K-pop sensation Blackpink all made solid cases to become future "Bond girls" during a spectacular number.

"Margaret Qualley would be good!" said Brandon Wilson, star of best picture nominee "Nickel Boys," among a crowd of celebrities straining to hear on the lobby bar's small TV screens.

Inside the main ballroom, a vibrant tribute to the late musical tastemaker Quincy Jones later in the night had the star-studded front rows on their feet.

Perhaps the evening's loudest laugh came in a rare political joke, when host Conan O'Brien noted "Anora" was doing well in early awards.

"I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian," he joked, referring to US President Donald Trump's recent rapprochement with Vladimir Putin.

"Anora," a film about a sex worker marrying a Russian oligarch's son, went on to triumph in the best picture field.

Winning for best actor, Adrien Brody's plea not to "let hate go unchecked" drew strong applause in the room, despite "The Brutalist" star wildly overrunning his 45-second acceptance speech limit.

- Los Angeles honored -

Beyond the awards, much of the ceremony's focus was on its host city, which recently suffered deadly devastation from wildfires.

The gala began with audible gasps and "awws" as a Los Angeles orchestra strummed up a powerful tribute to their hometown, while Grande appeared as if from behind a rainbow.

The room fell respectfully silent as O'Brien praised the resilience of Los Angeles.

Firefighters were later invited onstage by the host to deliver risque jokes.

"Best delivery of the night," O'Brien said gamely, after one quip about the "Joker" sequel landed well.

"It was as you'd expect -- nerve-wracking but amazing," said Jodi Slicker, fire captain in Pasadena, on returning to her seat after successfully upstaging the comedian.

And during a commercial break, "Sing Sing" best actor nominee Colman Domingo led the audience in a celebratory toast to the southern California metropolis, where 29 people died and thousands of homes were lost to the flames.

"People ask me if I'm going to leave," he said.

"Not even a thought," he added to raucous cheers.

D.Wang--ThChM