Barack Obama's star-studded 60th birthday bash: who made the guest list?

The weekend event was significantly scaled back owing to growing concerns about the spread of the Delta variant

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  Then-president Barack Obama blows out candles on birthday cupcakes brought to him by then-vice president Joe Biden in the Oval Office, August 4, 2016. Photo courtesy of the National Archives/Pete Souza

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  Mr Obama with predecessors Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W Bush in Dallas, Texas, in April 2013. Mr Obama turned 60 on August 4, 2021. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama greets US embassy staff and their families at a hotel in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2015. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Throwings darts at Manuel's Tavern before an interview with 'Vice' in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2015. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama inspects the replica of a prison cell at the National Voting Rights Museum in Selma, Alabama. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Congressman John Lewis in 2011. The veteran politician died in 2020. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama strolls the lawn with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Photo courtesy of former president

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  On vacation in Martha’s Vineyard, Mr Obama shared a moment with his young niece, Savita. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama looks at jewellery at a shop before a walking tour of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, March 23, 2013. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  President Barack Obama participates the Gulf Co-operation Council Summit at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 21, 2016. The president is seated with King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama poses for a group selfie with the US Women's National Soccer Team celebrating their Fifa Women's World Cup victory at the White House on October 27, 2015. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama watches as a vendor writes a name using coloured sand in a bottle during a walking tour of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, March 23, 2013. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama receives a fist-bump from a US soldier as he greets hundreds of US troops during his visit to Camp Victory, Iraq, April 7, 2009. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama and then-vice president Joe Biden walk around the South Lawn of the White House during a break on a working Sunday, July 24, 2011. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama delivers remarks with the help of comedic actor Keegan-Michael Key as his 'anger translator' during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington, April 25, 2015. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama, wife Michelle, her mother, daughters Malia and Sasha join John Lewis, George W Bush, his wife Laura and other dignitaries to march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday, March 7, 2015. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama and then-vice president Joe Biden high-five after watching Sasha Obama and Maisy Biden, the vice president's granddaughter, play in a basketball game in Chevy Chase, Maryland, February 27, 2010. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  The former president talks with a young refugee as she paints at a Dignity for Children Foundation classroom in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama waves goodbye from the steps of Air Force One as he departs King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on his way to Cairo, Egypt, June 4, 2009. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama views the area near the Treasury during a walking tour of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, March 23, 2013. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama walking near the pyramids in Egypt. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mrk Obama removes his shoes as he prepares to visit the Blue Mosque April 7, 2009, in Istanbul, Turkey. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama sits on the grass with daughter Sasha during a barbecue with family and friends in celebration of his 49th birthday on the South Lawn of the White House. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama views science exhibits during the 2015 White House Science Fair celebrating technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions, March 23, 2015. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama and first lady Michelle Obama present a birthday cake to Assistant Usher Reggie Dickson following a Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony and dinner honouring President Shimon Peres of Israel, June 13, 2012. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama turned 60 on August 4. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama hugs Gabby Giffords as he arrives to deliver the State of the Union address in the House Chamber on January 24, 2012 at the US Capitol in Washington. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama takes a moment to himself before delivering remarks to the nation after yet another mass shooting. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama jokingly scolds then-vice president Joe Biden for dropping birthday cake in the Oval Office of the White House. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama hugs first lady Michelle Obama after she introduces him at a grassroots campaign event at Lagomarcino's Confectionary in Davenport, Iowa, August 15, 2012. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama attempts his best split with the gold medal 2016 US Olympic Women's Gymnastics Team after the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 29, 2016. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

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  Mr Obama on a much-needed vacation in his home state of Hawaii. Photo courtesy of the National Archives

It was meant to be the summer party of the year, but a new wave of the Delta variant of the coronavirus led former US president Barack Obama to scale down his star-studded birthday plans.

Obama, who turned 60 on Wednesday, was set to host a garden party with a reported 475-person-strong guest list at his $12 million mansion in Martha’s Vineyard island in Massachussetts.

However, according to The New York Times, many of the A-list guests received a call earlier in the week, to be told that they’d been uninvited, because of growing concerns about the spread of the Delta variant.

Curb Your Enthusiasm actor Larry David, and talk show hosts David Letterman and Conan O’Brien were among those who didn’t make the cut, The New York Times reported, while close friend Oprah Winfrey and filmmaker Ava DuVernay pulled out of the party earlier because of Covid-19 concerns.

For those who did make it, however, the bash was a “magical” event, according to guest Chrissy Teigen, who, along with husband John Legend, are known to be close friends of the former president and his wife Michelle Obama.

“Well, that was magical. Goodnight Martha’s Vineyard. I have fallen in love with you hard,” Teigen posted on Sunday, along with a video of herself singing Happy Birthday.

Teigen and Legend also posted images of themselves at the venue, with one photo featuring Pearl, a basset hound they adopted in July.

The menu at the bash included an extensive meat-free selection, co-ordinated by musician Questlove, according to Bloomberg.

Items included Spam musubi, made with Impossible Foods's faux meat and Eat Just’s plant-based eggs. Questlove also created his cheesesteak eggrolls, made using Impossible “beef” and “cheese sauce” from Perfect Day, a start-up in Berkeley, California, that makes animal-free and non-dairy proteins.

In lieu of gifts, Obama encouraged guests to donate to programmes that support young people, such as My Brother's Keeper, which helps young men of colour; the Girls Opportunity Alliance, which empowers adolescent girls around the world; and the Obama Foundation's Global Leadership Programmes, which aims to equip the next generation of emerging leaders, according to USA Today.

Actress Gabrielle Union and her husband, NBA player Dwyane Wade, were also spotted at the event.

"He rang. I answered," Union posted, along with photos of herself and Wade.

Union also posted another photo of the couple in the same location the next day, suggesting that there may have been several events.

Other guests included Bruce Springsteen, who teamed up with the former president earlier this year for a Spotify podcast, as well as Beyonce and her husband Jay Z. The Late Show host Stephen Colbert also attended.

Guests listed by The Daily Mail also include actors Tom Hanks, Bradley Cooper, Don Cheadle and directors Spike Lee and Steven Spielberg. Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder and Alicia Keys were also in attendance.

Grammy-winning musician HER, who made it to Obama's summer playlist this year, was also spotted at the party, which had performances by rapper Common and singer Erykah Badu.

"Happy birthday to the coolest @barackobama what an amazing night!" HER posted on Sunday, along with a video of her and the former president dancing. She deleted the post a few hours later.

Current US President Joe Biden did not attend, but made sure to wish his former boss a happy birthday on Wednesday.

Critics of Obama, especially those from the Republican Party, have slammed the former Democratic president for hosting such a large-scale event.

Republican congressman Jim Jordan, a loyalist of Obama's successor Donald Trump, took to Twitter to joke that "if this was President Trump's birthday" Democrats would be saying "How can someone be so reckless?" or "They're killing people".

Obama's spokesperson Hannah Hankins said the outdoor event was "planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with Covid safeguards in place".

"Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the [former] president and Mrs Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends,” Hankins said. “President Obama is appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon.”