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Inside the Private, Star-Studded 2018 Emmys After-Parties

E! News has exclusive access to events hosted by Fox, Hulu, Netflix and more

By Zach Johnson Sep 18, 2018 3:00 PMTags

From romantic proposals to surprise appearances, the 2018 Emmys had plenty of must-see moments. After Saturday Night Live's Michael Che and Colin Jost hosted the show live at the Microsoft Theater in L.A., they put on private party nearby at the Roosevelt Hotel Penthouse.

Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and HBO's Game of Thrones were the big winners Monday, picking up Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Drama Series, respectively. Cameras weren't allowed inside the after-parties—but, of course, E! News was on the scene.

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2018 Emmys: After-Party Pics
Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Governors Ball at the Microsoft Theatre

Saturday Night Live star Leslie Jones was one of the first to arrive. According to an onlooker, she was nibbling on appetizers and "many people were approaching her to say hi." Meanwhile, the stars of Netflix's Queer Eye were working the room. "They all had wine glasses in their hands and were drinking their way across to the front of the party," a partygoer reveals. "They made their way to the dessert table and were looking around to see what their options were."

Watch: Henry Winkler Says "Barry" Emmy Win Was "Meant to Be"

Barry's Henry Winkler "was so excited" to get his Emmy engraved, a source says. "He had a huge smile on his face. He looked so proud and was flaunting his Emmy throughout the party."

While Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney chatted with executives (and she nibbled on olives), Westworld winner Thandie Newton and her husband arrived holding hands as she proceeded to "walk proudly through the party" and "pose for photographers" stationed inside.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's Alex Borstein was "trying to figure out how to hold her Emmy and type on her cellphone," while The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story's Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy "met up with friends who congratulated them" upon their arrival. In a booth near the back of the room, Keri Russell was "excitedly talking to a friend" and sipping a Stella Artois. Meanwhile, a partygoer says Queer Eye stars Tan France and Antoni Porowski were happily "taking pictures with fans by the dance floor where the rotating orchestra was."

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO

HBO's Post-Emmy Reception at The Plaza Pacific Design Center

Fresh off their big win, Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Kit Harrington reveled in each other's company at their table. At one point, Harrington got up to say hello to Billions star Malin Akerman, a source says. Game of Thrones creator David Benioff was holding court nearby with his wife Amanda Peet, who was looking at photos on her phone.

Meanwhile, as Barry winner Bill Hader walked by with a full plate of food, Silicon Valley's Thomas Middleditch chatted with friends and Big Little Lies' Laura Dern was "hugging people."

Newton's husband was "rubbing her back gently," a guest reveals. One of her Westworld co-stars, Evan Rachel Wood, was seated at the same table and chatting up Amanda Nguyen.

Later on, Peter Dinklage joined Clarke and Emanuel at their table. "His put his Emmy on the table and they were eating," a guest says. Elsewhere, Harington "walked over a chair to say hi to someone," while Newton was seen congratulating fellow winner Regina King near the red carpet. "They were standing, both holding their Emmys. It looked like a cute moment," a guest tells E! News exclusively. " Thandie's husband was holding her train before they walked away."

Tiffany Haddish was hanging out with Dave Chapelle, while Michelle Wolf was drinking champagne and chatting with John Oliver. A little later, famished Empire star Taraji P. Henson made her grand entrance. According to a guest, "She walked over to her friends and asked, "Are you eating? What is that?" After learning it was butternut squash, she asked, "Is it good?"

Other notable guests included Karamo Brown, Emilia Clarke, Nathalie Emanuel and Issa Rae.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Netflix

Netflix Primetime Emmys After-Party at NeueHouse Hollywood

Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt were amongst the first to arrive. Meanwhile, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stars Teddi Mellencamp, Kyle Richards and their husbands were catching up. Elsewhere, Dern "was stuck in the crowd" and looked to her son, model Ellery Walker Harper, to "lead their way through the crowd, clearing a path for her and his sister."

Ozark's Jason Bateman "went right to the buffet shortly after arriving," a source says. "When he returned to his table with a full plate, Retta was there, talking with some of their friends." While Queer Eye's Bobby Berk was spotted "fighting the big crowd to make it through the jam-packed hallway," Billy Eichner and Ben Stiller were "working the room together, walking around and greeting people together. They were in great spirits and talking to people as a duo."

Shannon Purser "tore up the dance floor" to Whitney Houston's "I Want to Dance With Somebody," according to a source, while James Corden walked around solo greeting people. Connie Britton's arrival "attracted a lot of attention," a source adds. "So many people were eager to greet Connie as she walked in with a male companion. Connie didn't stay long at all, but she couldn't walk very far without people approaching her to greet her or ask for a picture."

Jeff Daniels was spotted "sipping on a drink looking very content after his win," while John Mulaney "made his way through the crowd," eventually crossing paths with Nick Kroll. "The comedians talked about business," a source reveals, "all while Mulaney was holding his Emmy." And Stephen Colbert chatting with friends when an seemingly intoxicated man became a bit hostile. The Late Show host told him to "have a good night," a source says, then left the party.

As the Queer Eye stars filtered in, comedienne Wanda Sykes was overheard saying she was confused as to why anyone would ever wait in such a long line simply to use the photo booth. Stranger Things stars Natalia Dyer and Charlie Keaton arrived at 11:30 p.m. PT, "locked arm-in-arm and talking into each other's ears as they made their way over to the cast's table. They did not leave each other's sides the whole night and kept a relatively low profile."

King arrived well after midnight and took pictures with her Emmy. "A large crowd of people swarmed Regina shortly after her arrival," a source says. "Regina was particularly fascinated by one woman's sequined dress and kept rubbing her hand up and down the dress." The party finally started thinning out after 1 a.m.—longer than anyone had anticipated, a source reveals.

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Emmys 2018 Candid Moments
David Buchan/Variety/Shutterstock

Hulu's Emmy Party at Nomad Hotel Los Angeles

I Love You, America host Sarah Silverman took selfies with two of her girlfriends outside the venue's entrance. "Her friend laughed and told and her to put her chin down whole posing," a source reveals to E! News. "Sarah was joking about having double chins and everyone laughed."

Inside the party, Silverman was reunited with her family. "She was posing with her dad while sitting next to him and they shared a really cute moment together," the source says. "Sarah then stood up and took photos with her whole family." Elsewhere, The Handmaid's Tale star Elizabeth Moss popped in and took photos with castmates Max Minghella, Yvonne Strahovski and Samira Wiley, "then mingled while grabbing a drink," a source says. "Elisabeth and Max chatted for a bit—it sounded business-like—and then she left about 30 minutes afterwards."

Alexis Bledel and Vincent Kartheiser didn't stay long, either. Strahovski, who is pregnant, "looked like she was having fun with all of her co-stars, but she also looked tired," a source says. "She sat at her designated table for a bit and then ended up leaving with her husband."

King made the rounds, just before John Legend and Chrissy Teigen arrived. "The party was starting to die down," a source shares with E! News. "They definitely lifted the night back up."

The A-list couple cuddled on the couch, "and Chrissy was kissing John's cheek. It was adorable—a lot of PDA, but in a cute way! They were posing for photos and looked really happy." Teigen eventually started dancing and saying hello to people. "Chrissy was literally the life of the party," the source adds. "Chrissy was dancing to the hip-hop music that was playing and was super into it, rapping all the words. Chrissy was getting down with her wine glass in the air and had a huge smile on. She and John were having so much fun together. He was spinning her around, and they were dancing together in the middle of everyone. It was a scene, for sure!"

The couple even formed a dance circle when Beyoncé and Jay-Z's "APES--T" came on, wrangling The Handmaid's Tale star Madeleine Brewer and a Hulu executive. "John was recording the entire thing on his phone and was smiling huge. He looked proud that Chrissy was getting crazy on the dance floor," a source says. "Madeleine stayed on the dance floor and was dancing with anyone and everyone. The dance floor was getting more pumped and she wasn't holding back!" Meanwhile, the Runaways cast posed for pictures together on the hotel stairs.

Araya Diaz/Getty Images

Fox, FX, National Geographic and Twentieth Century Fox TV Emmy Party at Vibiana

The Heineken-sponsored event was "packed to the brim outside," according to a guest.

Jeff Goldblum was spotted "mingling with the crowd," while Édgar Ramírez walked in and posed for pictures with Max Greenfield; Constance Wu palled around with a male companion, while other guests included Antonio Banderas, Sterling K. Brown and Donald Glover.

After Penélope Cruz walked the red carpet, she headed straight inside to join Murphy. "Penelope spent the entire time sitting on the couch; Javier Bardem always nearby. Ryan sat down in between them and they talked for a while as Penelope ate a plate of food. Once he got up, Javier and Penelope continued their conversation," a source says. "They were totally relaxed and enjoying the party. but Penelope let the party come to her; she did not stand up unless it was to take photos." Later, Ramírez joined Murphy and the couple on the couch for a quick chat. "Javier let Penélope have the spotlight," a source tells E! News. "This was her night."

Darren Criss "couldn't make it two feet without stopping to take a picture. He got tons of congrats from everybody in the Versace area and he was working the party making the rounds." At one point, Criss whispered something into his fiancée's ear and then kissed her on the cheek. Milo Ventimiglia "was a social butterfly," a guest adds. "At one point, he walked over to say hi to Justin Hartley, who was sitting with his wife and a few other women, and they hugged and talked in the This is Us area for a bit. They even hugged again when the conversation was over."

The Americans winner Mathew Rhys and Russell both ordered red wine and were laughing and talking to friends on the couch, according to a partygoer. "They didn't stay very long," the partygoer adds, noting that they lasted "just long enough to polish off one glass of wine each."

Rich Fury/Getty Images

Amazon Prime Video Post-Emmy Awards Party at Cecconi's

It was, appropriately, all about the cast of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Borstein, Rachel Brosnahan and Amy Sherman-Palladino celebrated their big wins and took red carpet photos. Derek Hough tore up the dance floor with girlfriend Hayley Erbert, while other A-list guests—like Tim Gunn, Vanessa Hudgens, Heidi Klum and Dermot Mulroney—kicked back.

—Reporting by Linda Kim, Spencer Lubitz, Lauren Mendoza Alli Rosenbloom and Amanda Williams