TIFF 2013: Julia Roberts and Taylor Swift meet-cute, everyone hugs it out at the August: Osage County Soho House party

by Randi Bergman September 10, 2013

TIFF 2013 August Osage County Soho House — Photography courtesy of Grey Goose

See the photos from Grey Goose Soho House »

In some cosmic switcheroo, Taylor Swift may just have been the perfect megawatt replacement for Meryl Streep last night at Grey Goose Soho House. Streep had been the most anticipated guest of TIFF 2013 in connection with her latest sure-to-be Oscar nominated leading role in August: Osage County, but bowed out at the last minute due to illness. There were tears for many, especially one pint sized fan who wore a “Meryl in training” T-shirt to the film’s screening at Roy Thompson Hall earlier that evening. Not for the film’s cast and Gucci and Holt Renfrew’s hosted after-party guests however—they all seemed thrilled by the surprise appearance by Swift, who showed up in a wowza Calvin Klein Collection number after walking the red carpet of One Chance. Flanked by Harvey Weinstein and a dapper Brenton Thwaites who I’m sure will be the talk of the blogs all day long (he’s about to be a Disney prince!), Swift held court on the second floor for most of the night, that is, while she wasn’t busy hanging with the film’s star studded cast, aka. the fixtures of the rip-roarious festivities.

Julia Roberts, breathtaking in raspberry Dolce & Gabbana, chatted animatedly with co-stars Ewan McGregor, Juliette Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Julianne Nicholson and Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding 2.0!) for most of the evening. Her million dollar smile and signature cackle were as omnipresent as you’d, or say a little gal watching Pretty Woman on repeat a million times, imagine. Everyone was hugging. Everyone was so huggy! Nearby, Chris Cooper, whose performance instigated applause multiple times throughout the screening, ate dinner with wife Marianne Leone.

The cast seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves, spending hours in and around the club. I even found Roberts, McGregor, Mulroney and Swift making use of Soho House’s photo-booth, conveniently located beside the women’s bathroom. “It’s a good look, you should keep it,” said Mulroney to Swift as I meekly shuffled by. (I had to touch her back. It was soft. And awkward.)

Later that night, the party got even wilder as more celebs packed in. Juliette Lewis, who swapped into a white off-the-shoulder cocktail dress after the premiere, toasted with friends on the newly opened rooftop as the familial-y blessed Jack Huston and the familial-y famous Jason Bateman hung out at tables nearby. Back on the club floor, we were thrilled to see that IRL, Mad Men’s Lane Pryce aka. Jared Harris, was very much alive. Felicity Jones was there too, cause why the heck not.

And because that wasn’t all, I witnessed Ralph Fiennes showing off his moves to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” as an impromptu dance party broke out on the main floor. Devil may care? More like wizard can dance, am I right?