Say what you will about celebrities—there's no denying they can throw a mean party.
Between their high-profile friendships, brand connections, and surpluses of excess cash, there's really very little standing between them and an over-the-top, Gatsby-esque soirée. From Hollywood's earliest days, when silent film star Mary Pickford hosted extravagant events at Pickfair, her massive Beverly Hills mansion, to modern-day bashes like Taylor Swift's star-studded birthday parties, which have been highly anticipated over the years, there's a long and storied tradition of celebs giving parties we all wish we could land on the guest list for.
For that reason, Peerspace compiled a list of five celebrities who are famous for throwing epic parties. While party hosting didn't put any of these personalities on the map, their lavish events have certainly established them as A-listers. To develop this roundup, we trawled several entertainment outlets, from People to Us Weekly, noting the biggest events and most sought-after invitations.
From Truman Capote to the Kardashians, read on to see which celeb hosts' parties have become a thing of legend.
Popularly known now as "the party of the century," no list of over-the-top celeb shindigs would be complete without Truman Capote's Black and White Ball.
On Nov. 28, 1966, the writer and socialite invited 540 of his closest friends—and frenemies—to the Plaza Hotel to celebrate Katharine Graham becoming the head of The Washington Post (though, in actuality, the party was more to celebrate Capote's success with "In Cold Blood" and to throw around his newfound celebrity weight).
The guest list at the masquerade ball included big names like Frank Sinatra, Andy Warhol, Babe Paley, Norman Mailer, and Wallis Simpson, and the event was such a big deal that major newspapers like The New York Times covered it, tantalizing readers with details about the list of attendees and their elaborate fashion choices.
Partygoers were split on whether the Black and White Ball lived up to its hype. Some, who found the party to be a letdown compared to the build-up, told Esquire decades later that the night "didn't amount to much" and was only "a good party as far as parties go." Others raved about that night, remembering it as "greater than any of [Capote's] books." In the intervening years, many celebrities have even attempted to copy Capote's ball—how's that for setting the bar!
Unlike Truman Capote, whose iconic party was best known for its exclusive guest list and relatively tame antics, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner spent decades throwing some of the wildest parties Hollywood has ever seen.
From the '60s through the late '70s in Chicago—and later in his Holmby Hills residence in Los Angeles—Hefner would regularly host the who's who of show business, always ensuring there were enough bottles of liquor, piles of decadent food, and attractive playmates on hand to ensure all of his guests had an excellent time.
Looking back on it, former attendees have mixed memories of the events, with some recalling the parties as "wild but respectful" and others calling them "orgies" of the "pretty gross" variety. With guest lists that included big names like Donald Trump, Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rihanna, and Pamela Anderson, it's easy to understand why the Los Angeles Times once wrote that "attending one of Hefner's parties at the Playboy mansion was a sign of status, where one could rub elbows with celebrities, Playboy Bunnies and Hefner himself."
Though Hefner died in 2017, his legacy—and that of his Playboy Mansion parties—endures.
Michael Rubin may not be a widely recognizable name the way Truman Capote and Hugh Hefner are. Still, the businessman and philanthropist—who built his multibillion-dollar fortune with companies like GSI Commerce, Fanatics, and Rue La La—is one of the world's wealthiest people. He's also a notorious partier.
Since 2021, Rubin has been hosting a "white party" at his home in the Hamptons, inviting almost every major celebrity there is. Last year's guest list included Jennifer Lopez, Tom Brady, the Kardashian-Jenners, Justin Bieber, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé, with surprise performances by Usher and Ne-Yo.
His Super Bowl parties, typically thrown at a massive club in Las Vegas, are also the stuff of legend, with invitations sent out to major sports stars, actors, musicians, and socialites from all over the world. As one frequent guest, rapper Quavo, described the vibe of Rubin's parties to Business Insider: "We all having fun, enjoying life, celebrating. Toasting to nothing but positive energy, good moves."
Since 2000, supermodel Heidi Klum has been throwing over-the-top Halloween parties at venues across New York City and LA. Guests have included A-listers like Camilla Cabello, social media stars Alix Earle and James Charles, and such popular figures as Elon Musk and Questlove. Elaborate costumes are expected, and guests walk a red carpet and are entertained by DJ sets and performances from groups like Cirque du Soleil.
No matter how hard they may try, attendees' costumes are rarely better than Klum's highly-detailed get-ups, which have included a hyper-realistic earthworm, Jessica Rabbit, Fiona from "Shrek," and a peacock. In a conversation with Vogue, Klum revealed that the holiday party was an important tradition for her because of what it represents: "the artistry of transformation." Onlookers have also praised Klum's annual event for "[encouraging] adults not to let go of joy altogether or the wonder in self-expression."
Speaking of holiday-themed events, we'd be remiss not to mention the Kardashian-Jenners and their annual Christmas Eve party. The bashes began over 40 years ago, long before the family was famous, growing from a small, intimate event to one of Hollywood's biggest annual parties sponsored by major brands like Coca-Cola.
Regular guests have included Paris and Kathy Hilton, Scott Disick, Scottie and Larsa Pippen, Adele, and Jennifer Lopez. Attendees are treated to performances by major artists (Babyface, Sia, and John Legend have all serenaded guests) and copious amounts of alcohol, thanks to Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila brand.
Originally, matriarch Kris Jenner was the mastermind behind the festivities, noting on an episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" that she loves the "magic" the party can make and the way it "make[s] everyone feel so amazing on one night a year."
In recent years, she's passed the baton to her elder daughters, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, who have taken turns hosting the bash.
Story editing by Eliza Siegel. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.
This story originally appeared on Peerspace and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
