Inside Guests Only: Hollywood’s Most Authentic Gathering Happening Behind Closed Doors

It’s no secret the entertainment industry is vastly rooted in keeping up with appearances and exchanging who-you-know’s, but with events becoming increasingly public facing and performative, the next generation of dreamers and doers is quietly gravitating towards new kinds of safe spaces: enter Guests Only, the quarterly underground-ish dinner series redefining what connection looks like in Hollywood.

Out With Pressure, In With Vulnerability

“This is not a PR opportunity." the email warns. No carpets, no professional photography, not even a dress code.

Guests Only is invite-only, but it’s far from elitist. Anyone who attends can nominate someone else to join the next one. The guestlist? An unexpected mix of artists, producers, directors, writers, execs, actors, stylists, musicians, comedians, and anyone and everyone who would self-define as a creative, which encompasses a pretty large pool in LA & NYC if we’re honest.

“I loved the idea of introducing people that might’ve never met otherwise” says Kathy Schenfelt, the multi-hyphenate running the show.

Schenfelt, President of SCH Entertainment, grew up in Argentina and spent most of her teenage years daydreaming of the tight-knit community Hollywood royalty used to rave about, only to be crushed by what’s been lost over the years.

“This project was born from a conversation I had with my therapist, where I vented about the transactional nature of the industry and the lack of connection I felt all around,” almost a decade into calling herself an LA local, she finally took matters into her own hands. “I’ve discovered the sentiment is generally similar across the board, no matter what your job title is, so I wanted to create a space where we could all come together and talk about the things you usually don’t get to talk about with your peers.”

The Group Makes The Room

At every Guests Only gathering, right after everybody’s had a chance to enjoy a drink or two during the cocktail reception, there’s a surprise element that invites guests to open up. What comes out is raw, honest and deeply moving. With not a phone in sight and the comfort of a silent crowd paying their undivided attention, attendees are encouraged to share their ideas of success, burnout, big dreams, self-doubt and why they almost didn’t show up.

“It takes a lot of courage to stand before a group of people you don’t know very well and tell them how you really feel about the work you’re doing, or talk about that dream you’re still trying to achieve, or explain what made you want to be here.”

If You Know, You Know

Although the vibe is very much #iykyk, Guests Only is quietly making noise within the space. Schenfelt teamed up with entertainment agency executive Olivia Frary to bring the first gathering to life, and award-winning photographer/director Sonali Ohrie joined in for the second.

Slated for late summer, the next dinner will bring actress and entrepreneur Sasha Pieterse into the mix as a co-host, who described her experience as “a breath of fresh air.” Pieterse says she left the event feeling “deeply inspired, genuinely seen, and so grateful to be part of something so meaningful” and she “cannot wait to do it again.”

The next gen of industry powerplayers and A-listers have already attended. But what truly makes Guests Only special are the names perhaps you wouldn’t recognize, but who get a much needed seat at the table, too. The development producer, the rising indie artist, the film editor, the writer. One and all.

The Ultimate Goal? Keeping It Small

If you’re wondering how to snag an invite, there’s no straight-forward answer. “We have a growing list of nominees, that’s always great. Some are invited through their reps, some will hesitantly accept an Instagram DM request. We just want the twenty we think will make the best group, that’s really it.” concludes Schenfelt.

The project isn’t trying to go viral, it doesn’t need to. The magic is in its inward power, but the momentum is undeniable. There’s talk of expanding to more cities. An editorial branch is also in the works, featuring one-on-one conversations following a format similar to that of its beloved dinner series; embracing new connections and continuing to foster community.

Guests Only is something rare. It's a space where sensitive openness is celebrated. If you make the cut, come as you are.

BDG Media newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.