Skarsgård and Moura—in complimentary hues of brown, incidentally —were the belles of the ball. They spent most of the night in rapt conversation with Javier Bardem, who came through to support the two nominees over cocktails.

Just when it seemed as if the night couldn’t get any classier, a three piece-band set up shop in the far corner of the penthouse and played through our full dinner. But things took an unprecedented turn when Jon Batiste—who was not on the guest list, but happened to be at the Chateau as well— came by to see some mutual friends, including Goransson. Of course, live instruments and Batiste can only be separated for so long and within an hour, Batiste was leading an impromptu jam session that rivaled the sounds of everything else happening in and around the hotel that night.

Overall, it felt fitting to give Stellan—stealthily one of our most versatile and captivating character actors, who’s been on something of a crazy run lately—his flowers. But what was even more assuring was how nonplussed he seemed by it. Some performers his age would treat their first nomination as finally getting their Big Moment, and the coming telecast as a sort of culmination of a lifetime of doing it for the love of the game. From the Oscars rehearsals I watched on Saturday, the big show is going to put his talents to great use. But at the Chateau last night Stellan carried himself as if he felt assured he’d be back in a room like this, toasting another nomination, sooner than later.

Stellan Skarsgard, Javier Bardem and Wagner Moura attend Zegna’s Academy Awards dinner at Chateau Marmont.Courtesy of Zegna