Haute Event: Behind-the-Scenes at the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards

The Independent Spirit Awards have long been known as the “Cool Oscars.” The awards show occurs every year on the Saturday before the Academy Awards on the beach in Santa Monica and honors independent film stars. This year, Colin Firth and Natalie Portman were the big winners, but any given year turns out Brangelina level stars.

The best part about these awards is the backstage area (I call it “Tent City”), where sponsors set up additional viewing and gifting tents. Being that The Daily Truffle is UB-SESSED with anything behind-the-scenes, we were thrilled to get an invitation from LG who took over the “official backstage tent” to host a viewing party on their new LG Cinema 3D HDTVs behind the main stage. LG Cinema 3D HDTVs are their new consumer televisions that come with 3D glasses and can play anything 3D in your house!

The LG Cinema 3D HDTV tent housed a getaway for celebs, managers, agents, publicists, friends, families and reporters a break from the three-hour Independent Spirit Awards show, which was hosted by Joel McHale (my former colleague at E!).

There was a moment in the Spirit Awards broadcast where we were asked to “put on our 3D glasses” which were sprinkled over all the tables inside the LG Loung. I noticed Michelle Trachtenberg had a pair of Swarovski 3D glasses.

A pregnant Natalie Portman was darling in a short yellow Givenchy dress and nude shoes and tip toed her way on to stage to get her Spirit Award through the windy tented village flanked by fiancé Benjamin Millepied, Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky, along with her security and staff.

Other interesting names of note included Nicole Kidman (nominated for best female lead), who walked through with her BFF Naomi Watts (best supporting female); Rosario Dawson who bumped into good friend Vanessa Hudgens (they have the same manager who was there discussing doing a movie with them together – big step VH!); Gerard Butler, Hilary Swank, Jason Ritter, Erika Christensen, “The Wrap’s” Mikey Glazer, manager Evan Haneny, reporter Mark Malkin, BWR’s Steve Wilson, Jane Lynch (who when asked what she thought of Justin Bieber’s new haircut, replied, “It’s cute, but he still looks like a lesbian.”); Mark Ruffalo (also a Spirit Awards nominee), director John Waters, and many more.

Thank you to LG Cinema 3D HDTV for inviting us to the lounge and viewing party!

This post was written by The Daily Truffle blog in Beverly Hills. If you are looking for the REAL “Beverly Hills 90210″ or a west coast Gossip Girl – this is the blog to read. The entire blog is written by native Angelenos on the Hollywood party circuit. Photos of celebrity event invitations and gift bags from the parties are a highlight.

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