Brat Nation & Après-Sleaze: A Weekend In Sundance

By now, you’ve likely seen Alexander Skarsgaard’s Rockstud flip flops (despite the 20-degree weather), Meredith Marks’ boss-bitch, knee-length mink, and Charli’s babydoll dress-rain jacket combo. But what really happened at Sundance this year? Did attendees actually wear couture in a blizzard? Yes. Did anyone check the weather app? No. I spent four days in Park City bouncing between panels, premieres, and afters, surviving on caffeine, adrenaline, and sheer delusion, to see what all the hype is about.

On the first day, with my (snow) boots on the ground, I attended a panel with Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Elizabeth Debicki, and Peter Dinklage (dream blunt rotation? I think yes), celebrating their new film, Wicker, at the Chase Sapphire Reserve Experience. And yes, before you ask, Alexander Skarsgård is exactly what you’d expect…I was squealing in my seat! Beyond obsessed! I found myself spending a majority of the weekend at Chase's lounge, either listening to panels or popping in to recharge between events (the hub had a super convenient Main Street location). During the day, the space served complimentary bites (served late morning through mid-afternoon), as well as coffee and hot cocoa. By night, it transformed into a full-blown party hub, hosting coveted, star-studded cast parties—more on that later.

For now, onto The Moment we’ve all been waiting for. On Friday night, I somehow managed to get a ticket to the most-sought-after premiere—The Moment, the film conceived by and starring Charli XCX—and couldn’t have felt more blessed. A panel followed, with the cast and crew diving into the film’s inspirations and standout moments—easily a festival highlight. After that, I eventually headed back to the hotel for some much-needed sleep, though not before indulging in a cheeky late-night room service order.

For the weekend, I called Park City home at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, which is part of The Edit by Chase Travel. Just a 15 minute drive from Main Street, it offered a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of the festival, surrounded by Utah’s snow-capped mountains. Plus, it’s right by the ski slopes, if you’re into that.

The next morning, I bundled up and made my way to the Adobe House to catch Will Poulter’s panel on Union County, where he stars opposite Noah Centineo. I spent the hour enamored as he shared how he perfected an Ohio accent, what it was like working with Centineo, and somehow inspiring a chicken to be named after him. I took mental notes, but the chaos is best seen on our TikTok.

Then, I ducked into Chase's Reserved for Business space (just across from their Reserve Experience) to squeeze in some work between events. It was the perfect pit stop for anyone still on the clock: I charged my devices, fueled up on passed canapés and Rocky’s matcha (actually my go-to, so I was thrilled). They also had a photographer on site for new headshots, along with facials for a little mid-festival glow-up.

Somewhere between panels and defrosting my hands, I caught a screening of Josephine, Gemma Chan’s new film with Channing Tatum. She stars as the mother to an eight-year-old child, who accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park. Gemma’s performance was incredible, and I would recommend adding it to your watch lists. And it was just one highlight in a festival lineup that didn’t disappoint—this year, there was also Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega in the Art Basel-set thriller The Gallerist, Olivia Wilde’s provocative I Want Your Sex, and the absurdly funny coming-of-age chaos of The Shitheads, starring Kiernan Shipka and Dave Franco (which I also caught later that week and highly enjoyed).

I headed to The Gallerist press call later that night, where Natalie Portman delivered structured perfection in Jonathan Anderson’s Dior, Jenna Ortega wowed in Mugler Fall/Winter 2026, and Charli XCX stunned in a dress-rain jacket combo from emerging designer Simon Carle (all divine). I even got to fangirl a little with Jenna’s stylist, Enrique Méndez—and he spilled a few hints about her look tonight (apparently it ties into her character in the film…intrigue!).

After the carpet wrapped, I made my way to the premiere after-party, hosted by Chase Sapphire, which quickly became the place to be. This was just one of several cast parties Chase Sapphire hosted throughout the weekend, and at any given moment, you could spot someone casually slipping through the crowd—Jenna Ortega, Natalie Portman, Alexander Skarsgård, and Taika Waititi all made appearances. Another bonus for Sapphire Reserve cardmembers: access to a VIP screening followed by a members-only party on opening night. I capped the night at The Hellp’s après-ski-meets-sleaze set, which was loud, sweaty, and perfectly unhinged—exactly what the festival needed after days of panels and premieres.

After a whirlwind few days bouncing between panels, screenings, and after-parties, I’m completely wiped. But as Miss XCX puts it: sometimes you don’t sleep, you don’t eat—you just have to do it on repeat.