Last night, CULTURED gathered a select group of industry insiders and creative confidants to toast the magazine’s 2026 Artists on Artists issue digital cover star, Joseph Zada. Hosted with Spotify and Anthony Thomas Melillo’s ATM Collection, the low-lit dinner brought together the silver screen’s new guard and established cultural figures, just 10 days before Zada’s highly anticipated turn in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, arriving in theaters Nov. 20.
The festivities unfolded at Duke’s in the Sunset Tower Hotel, imbuing the evening with a layer of old-school glamour. White-clothed tables were dressed with pink and ivory chrysanthemums by Mila Floral, slender taper candles, and personalized place cards under the careful watch of X Projects. As a consummate host, Zada made his way through the room, greeting guests and striking up conversation as the night began to unfold.
Among those spotted raising a glass to the cover star were actors Mckenna Grace, Hayes Warner, Igby Rigney, Zoe Kazan, Mamie Gummer, and Adelaide Kane, alongside artists Jordan Wolfson, Jennifer Guidi, Lily Stockman, Austyn Weiner, and photographer Christian Coppola. Musicians Aluna, Empress Of, Will Swinton, and Coco & Clair Clair also joined the festivities, as did media personality Vinnie Hacker and filmmaker Francis Lawrence. Between conversations and passed plates, guests posed for keepsake portraits with ESP’s custom Polaroid cameras, allowing for a decidedly nostalgic souvenir.
Finally, it was time for guests to take their seats and turn their attention to the night’s pomp. Over glasses of bubbly and cocktails, CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson welcomed the room and raised a toast to Zada, whose forthcoming role as Haymitch Abernathy is poised to introduce the 21-year-old Australian actor to a considerably wider audience on the global stage. The menu opened with a mixed green salad of grapes, candied pecans, and champagne vinaigrette, followed by a choice of festive steak frites or chicken paillard with lemon, and molten chocolate cake with whipped cream to close.
With the entire Hunger Games audiobook series available on Spotify, guests had another way to revisit the contemporary classics ahead of the new film’s release. As the night wound down, the personalized Polaroids and conversations carried the celebration beyond the dinner table. For Zada, the evening marked another milestone in a breakout year and a glimpse at his Hollywood future ahead. Feeling the FOMO? You can pre-order your copy of the Artists on Artists issue to see Zada in print.
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