Grace Hightower, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper

Grace Hightower, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper (Getty)

Christoph Waltz, Quentin Tarantino

Christoph Waltz, Quentin Tarantino (
)

Jennifer Lawrence and Graydon Carter

Jennifer Lawrence and Graydon Carter (Getty)

Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman

Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman (Getty)

Halle Berry and Richard Gere

Halle Berry and Richard Gere (Getty)

Ashley Olsen and Catherine Zeta-Jones

Ashley Olsen and Catherine Zeta-Jones (Getty)

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux (
)

WHILE the competition was fierce in the run up to Sunday’s Oscars, the Vanity Fair after party was overflowing with congratulations and Champagne.

Stars including Jennifer Aniston and fiancé Justin Theroux, Ben Affleck, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lawrence, Daniel Day Lewis, Halle Berry and Sandra Bullock rubbed shoulders, stepped on each others’ trains, and traded kisses at the bash hosted by Graydon Carter at Jeff Klein’s historic Sunset Tower Hotel.

Aniston and Theroux sneaked in through a side door, and stayed close together all night, holding hands while chatting to stars including Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr, Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Aniston even asked her close friend Chelsea Handler to adjust her stunning red Valentino ball gown.

Later the couple held court in a corner booth where they were joined by Steven Spielberg, Donna Karan and John Travolta, who boomed at the “Lincoln” director, “Did you get your Martini yet?”

Nearby, Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper arrived hand-in-hand with his proud mother Gloria, and chatted to friends including Seth Rogan. His co-star Robert De Niro was also close by, surrounded by friends but looking serious after losing out on the best supporting actor award to Christoph Waltz.

Jane Fonda ran into fashion icon Valentino and—despite her tight monochrome floor length gown—performed an elaborate bow to the designer. Melissa McCarthy stood nearby and told us of her bouffant hair, “I could only get away with hair this big on a day like this.”

Ashley Olsen was spotted smoking cigarettes with a friend on the terrace while Catherine Zeta Jones, in a glittering Zuhair Murad gown, was still in the mood to dance and performed a short waltz with a fellow guest under the approving gaze of her husband Michael Douglas, before trading kisses with other stars including rocker Steven Tyler.

Halle Berry continued to turn heads in her custom-made Versace ‘Bond Girl’ gown. The beautiful actress told us, “It is actually very comfortable and I feel great in it. I am delighted for Ben Affleck tonight, Argo is a fantastic movie and he deserved to win.”

“Les Miserables” star Anne Hathaway arrived later in the evening having changed out of her now-famous pink Prada gown, and clutching her Oscar statuette. She beamed, “I still can’t quite believe it,” as she made the rounds hugging many in the room and telling one, “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Best actress winner Jennifer Lawrence arrived later in the evening with her parents and a large gaggle of friends, and was spotted striding into the party with her Oscar in hand, having changed into a slinky silver gown – a dramatic contrast to the pale pink Dior ballgown she wore at the ceremony, which was so big it prompted her to fall up the stars as she went to accept her award.

Meanwhile supermodel Naomi Campbell held court in a corner with Quincy Jones and Salma Hayek, in a dramatic Alexander McQueen gown with a heavily embroidered neckline.

There were loud cheers as Ben Affleck and his group swept in, clutching an array of Oscars. While Affleck shook hands and hugged many in the room, his wife Jennifer Garner told Page Six, “I am so happy and proud of him,” as guests negotiated around the elaborate train on her dress, trying not to step on the fabric.

And while many at the party admired Jane Fonda’s body, the actress clearly wasn’t worried about eating. As she left the party, she made a beeline to the In-N-Out burger truck outside on Sunset Boulevard and said, “Two burgers please.”

For more photos log onto www.vanityfair.com