The first word on Barack Obama's historic nomination acceptance speech from a bevy of celebrities in attendance was decidedly partisan: "It was excellent," Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie said. "It was amazing."
"Incredible," said Jessica Alba simply, before joining Fergie, Rosario Dawson, Wilmer Valderrama and Kerry Washington at a private exit from Invesco Field. Alba was at the speech with husband Cash Warren.
Other celebrities in attendance included George Lucas with girlfriend Mellody Hardon and his daughter, Forest Whitaker with wife Keisha and Star Jones, and Daniel Dae Kim of Lost, who posed for pictures with the Hawaii Democratic delegation.
"What I hope happens is the country doesn't forget the jubilation and excitement that's been generated here," Kim said. "And I hope it turns into something that changes the world."
Oprah Winfrey left Denver with the candidate she wanted, but reportedly without her eyelashes.
The talk-show host said she was moved to tears by Obama's speech. And those must've been some serious tears.
"I cried my eyelashes off," she said, moments after Obama accepted the nomination for president before an estimated 84,000 people.
"I think it's the most powerful thing I have ever experienced," she added, calling Obama's words "transcendent".
On the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's I have a Dream speech, Winfrey compared Obama's words to those of the civil rights leader, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
"He's not an African-American candidate," she said. "He's a candidate for Americans."
Winfrey threw her support behind Obama early - even before the Democratic primaries got underway last year. She's stayed active since, hosting rallies and fundraisers that even Obama has acknowledged have given him a boost.
Before singing the national anthem to a slowly filling stadium, Jennifer Hudson appeared lost in thought, wearing a casual grey dress and listening to iPod earphones as her handlers asked for directions to the podium. While waiting, she typed on a Sidekick.
"Fired up!" said an excited Spike Lee on the field. "Bigger than the Super Bowl!"
will.i.am performed his speech-song Yes We Can with John Legend during the run-up to Obama's speech. Susan Sarandon and Anne Hathaway sang along in the stands as Sheryl Crow performed Change is Gonna Come, and crooner Michael McDonald prompted many a flag wave with his rendition of America the Beautiful.
Among the celebrities spotted in and around the convention on Wednesday was Steven Spielberg, who directed a short film on veterans that was shown at the convention.
Jennifer Lopez spoke at a reception honouring children's rights activist Marian Wright Edelman. Ben Affleck read excerpts from a Howard Zinn book and made an appearance at the city's food bank for America's Second Harvest.
Affleck was joined by his wife, Jennifer Garner, at the book reading at the Starz Green Room across the street from the Pepsi Centre. Also participating: Dawson, Washington, Taye Diggs, Hill Harper and Josh Brolin.
