U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi raised eyebrows when she and her husband, Paul, made an appearance on the red carpet for an Oscars after-party.
As the 98th Academy Awards wrapped up, the former Speaker of the House was spotted arriving for the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Hollywood’s most exclusive night.
The 85-year-old longtime Democrat lawmaker set off a wave of commentary on social media, where users wondered what the couple was doing at a star-studded entertainment event filled with actors, filmmakers, and Tonsel Town’s glitterati.
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“At the Oscars? Omg, why?” one X user wondered about the couple’s appearance at the event.
“Absolute cringe,” an Instagram user commented.
Others also reacted.
Honestly, the audacity is almost impressive! They’re really out here acting like they’re the protagonist in a high-stakes heist movie, but we all know the only thing they’re actually ‘securing’ is their own screen time.
— M (@Itsthatmguy) March 16, 2026
Why??
— Frank Malfitano (@FrankMalfitano) March 16, 2026
Pelosi, who attended last year’s Vanity Fair afterparty in Beverly Hills, was dressed in a silver-gray top and pants, and her venture capitalist husband accompanied her in a tuxedo and red handkerchief.
Speaking with USA TODAY, Pelosi said she thought the Oscars show was “wonderful.”
“I’m so excited about it because we needed this very much tonight,” she said. “It’s a time when the arts have a stronger role than ever to bring us all together, to laugh, to cry, to be inspired, and the rest, and to see the excellence of it all was just wonderful.”
“I loved it,” she added before calling California a “resilient” state.
@usatoday U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi stressed the importance of the arts at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party: “We needed this very much tonight.” #Oscars ♬ original sound – USA TODAY
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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