Variety Toasts Young Hollywood’s Hottest at Cover Bash With Tate McRae, Sombr, Tyriq Withers and Malachi Barton

Los Angeles was hit by an unexpected wave of late-summer humidity on Wednesday, but that did little to dampen the spirits at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills—a hotel that has been a cornerstone of Tinseltown glamour since it first opened its doors in 1987. The occasion was Variety's Power of Young Hollywood event, presented by Disney+, an annual affair that serves as a barometer for the industry's next wave of talent. This year's honorees, who also landed the cover of Variety's special franchise edition, spanned music and acting: pop powerhouse Tate McRae, singer-songwriter Sombr, and actors Tyriq Withers and Malachi Barton.

Steering the ship were Variety's co-presidents, Dea Lawrence and Ramin Setoodeh, while Mario Lopez—joined by his 12-year-old son Dominic—handled emcee duties with practiced ease. The courtyard was a veritable who's who of emerging Hollywood: Madison Beer, Kiernan Shipka, Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham, Joey Polari (recently seen in "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" and "The Beauty"), Dylan Efron, and Magnus Ferrell were all spotted mingling. Guests fueled up on popcorn chicken bites and truffle fries, washing them down with signature tequila cocktails (for those of age, naturally), all set to beats spun by DJ Zuri Marley. A modern touch came courtesy of Neutrogena, which set up a full beauty bar with custom drinks and a vending machine stocked with skincare products—a magnet for the social media-savvy crowd. Amazon Music added to the vibe with a stripped-down acoustic set from Sienna Spiro.

Setoodeh opened the proceedings with a nod to the occasion's significance: "While Variety is 121 years old—we don't look it—you all represent the future of the entertainment industry with your vision, storytelling and creativity." The words landed with particular weight when Barton, known for Disney's "Camp Rock 3" and "Coven Academy," drew audible squeals from young fans and peers. Withers, keeping it casual in a black tank top, was deep in conversation with his presenter and friend Shipka, while McRae and Sombr held court at separate lawn booths surrounded by activations from Eternal Water and CashApp. Also in attendance was Nadia Gray, a standout in David Ayer's "Bright" and a key player in the upcoming "Baywatch" reboot, who networked with Variety's 2026 class of New Leaders, including WME partner Mike DeVeau and Brillstein's Matt Sadeghian.

The spotlight also fell on the team behind this year's box office hit "Obsession." Star Inde Navarrette and director Curry Barker worked the room alongside True Whitaker, Charli D'Amelio, Casey Trotter, and Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids and Family. Accepting her honor, McRae offered a candid glimpse into her creative engine: "As I've gotten older, I've realized that I'm incapable of doing anything casually in my life … I guess I have a slight problem doing the most at all times. It's not like I was soaking in gold paint two days ago or anything," she joked, referencing her acclaimed Lollapalooza closing set in Chicago. She continued, "Obsession has always been the thing that drives me. When I love something I really love it. I want to learn everything about it and become better at it. Dance was my first love, writing became the way I understood myself and music somehow became the place I could put it all together."

Sombr, visibly emotional after receiving his songwriting honor from Buckingham—a mentor whose four-decade tenure with Fleetwood Mac has cemented his legendary status—took a more reflective tone: "I write all my songs alone in my bedroom, and to be recognized in this incredible setting is humbling. My mind goes to dark places, and it feels like the only place I can turn to is writing songs." The evening wound down around 9:30 p.m., with Marley keeping the energy high until the very end. For an event built around celebrating the industry's future, even its youngest stars grasp the value of an early exit—after all, in a town obsessed with perpetual youth, beauty sleep remains the ultimate unspoken rule.