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Oscar nominees aren’t just famous for lauded roles. They’re also famous for regifting. Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets and the man responsible for the most elaborate of awards season swag, will be the first to tell you that A-listers like Jennifer Lawrence will parlay gifts (like $5000 designer bags) into hookups for family. In the case of this year’s “Everyone Wins” swag—offered to the Academy Awards host Conan O’Brien and Oscar nominees in the best actor, best actress, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, and best director categories—a penchant for sharing the spoils is a good thing. Because aside from the $25,000 in services at a Floridian plastic surgery clinic, this year’s gifts include big-ticket items meant for providing much-needed relief to those affected by the Los Angeles fires.
Most notably, $1 million in Bright Harbor personalized disaster recovery support (ranging from help with insurance and government assistance paperwork to vetting vendors for remediation and rebuilding) is included and will be shared among 300 families. “This isn’t one of those things that’s non-transferable or is just giving a month or two,” Fary says. “The company gave to each of the nominees a full year’s membership worth more than $3,500, so someone who lost their home, like Adrien Brody, can certainly take advantage of having a team of professionals helping walk them through this process.”
What’s more, each recipient will receive 10 one-year memberships to give to others who lost homes in the fires. “It’s a true gift that these celebrities can actually share with anybody that they want, and we all want it to reach as many people as possible,” he says. Additionally, Maison Construction, a firm headed by a born-and-bred Angeleno, is offering complimentary project management services and a 50 percent discount on construction services, which can be used by the recipient or passed on to someone who lost their home in the L.A. fires.
Distinctive Assets.
For some nominees, this year’s focus on supporting those in need while also celebrating the moment may take the sting off an Oscar loss (which for actors, can also mean missing out on six-figure cash bonuses contracted by distribution studios and/or producers or a 20 to 60 percent pay bump for subsequent roles).
For the rest of us, the thoughtful, give-back component helps rationalize the idea of well-heeled celebs getting $216,191 in freebies (including more than $37,000 in vacations that have been hand-selected by a private concierge who caters to high-net-worth individuals). We’re talking about a four-night stay at two Joali Maldives resorts known for villas-only accommodations and dedicated butler service, five nights at Santani, a wellness retreat in the hills of Sri Lanka, and a three-night stay at Barcelona’s tony Cotton House Hotel.
See what Timothée Chalamet, Cynthia Erivo, Demi Moore, Kieran Culkin, Zoe Saldaña, and others will find in awards season’s biggest gift bag ahead.
Nomatic Travel Bag
With so many dedicated compartments, this duffel-backpack hybrid bag is more considered than half the scripts in Hollywood. There is a show compartment with a ventilated flap, RFID pockets (great for credit cards) a water-resistant pocket for bottles or wet clothing, and a cushy, fleece-lined spot for your phone. The weekender also features a full-perimeter zipper that opens like a suitcase for easy packing and a sleeve that slides through the handle of a carry-on.
You know Alamo Drafthouse as the go-to theatre for habanero bloody marys, a full-brunch menu, and a celebrated cinema that screens classics like Blue Velvet alongside the latest releases. But the filmhouse-meets-bar is also the best spot to find movie merch (some of which celebs will score alongside a $100 gift card).
AncestryDNA kit with 3-month World Explorer Membership
What better reminder that America is a nation of immigrants than getting—or giving —a dossier of your family’s genealogy? Celebs will receive a $25,000 VIP Family History Experience, in which a professional genealogist conducts research to develop a family tree that stretches back generations. Thankfully, a more affordable option is available to the public, a three-month membership that allows users to explore 60 billion online historical records.
For gift bag recipients who count THC as anti-anxiety medication, Green Thumb Industries is providing a variety of chill-makers, including Dogwalkers pre-rolls, Beboe cashmere socks, RYTHM merch inspired by its famous Afternoon Delight #4 and Animal Face strains, and this THC-infused non-alcoholic margarita for hangover-free festivities.
Is it even an Oscar party if a charcuterie isn’t served? This versatile cutting board is made of a gorgeous thick maple and features handles that make serving a grazing board a classy and easy affair. The ingenious groove around its perimeter catches juice when the board is employed as a carving station.
Nominees will find a selection of teas sourced from Darjeeling in their swag bags, but anyone can custom make a chic gift box from this company that ethically sources tea directly from farms and employs an all-female production team. Our pick for very L.A. gifting? The brand’s Sunset in Hollywood blend of black tea with wild floral and fruity notes.
Tru Fru Nature's Raspberries White & Dark Chocolate
The most affordable item in this year’s gift bags is also the most delightful, says Fary. “These freeze dried raspberries are one of my favorite discoveries of this year’s award season gift bagging,” he says. “They’re utterly delicious. I cannot stop eating them.”
The perfect gift for hosts of summer cookouts: a collection of maple barbeque sauces, condiments, and seasonings sourced from Quebec, plus a maple wood board produced by those with disabilities and boxed by high school students overcoming personal and professional challenges.
Does endless doom scrolling have you ready to drown your phone in the bathtub? Opt for analog entertainment instead. Sized like a tablet, this travel-ready backgammon set includes beautiful resin checkers, is made in stylish colorways, and provides a welcomed respite from a chaotic news cycle.
This collapsable work light is meant to illuminate home improvement projects, thanks to tube, spotlight, and ring settings and a face that rotates 260° horizontally and 90° vertically. But with eight hours of run time, the battery-run light is also a lifesaver in emergencies when the power is out.
Celebs will receive a collection of makeup brushes, bronzer, and eyeliner from this Sephora-stocked brand loved by no-makeup makeup fans. But the real score is this award-winning mascara: it separates and amplifies individual lashes while nourishing them with keratin and organic shea butter.
We always presumed that actors’ sunnies were wildly expensive, but with the inclusion of sunglasses, blue light blockers, and other frames in this year’s gift bags, expect to see affordable options from this direct-to-consumer brand on the mugs of Hollywood’s biggest stars come next week. This pair feels very Chalamet: it comes with emoji-like charms to customize the frames.
Whether you travel like a celebrity (that is, often and in style) or are always prepped to flee the country at a moment's notice, this pleather passport wallet will keep you organized. It contains dedicated slots for a picture ID, credit cards and cash, alongside a space for your most essential travel document.
These cashews, dusted with cinnamon, coconut or sea salt, are wildly addictive. Thank goodness they’re air roasted and pack plenty of fiber and antioxidants.
