From a designer dress with 350,000 crystals to celebrity guests: Inside Pia Whitesell's lavish 40th birthday party

Former soap star Pia Whitesell looked nothing short of incredible as she celebrated her milestone 40th birthday in Los Angeles over the weekend.

The actress and model, who is now based in Los Angeles with her multimillionaire Hollywood executive husband Patrick Whitesell, 58, threw a lavish bash that was attended by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck.

Whitesell, who turned heads in a figure-hugging silver gown, also surprised guests with a performance by Australian dance group Rüfüs Du Sol.

Watch the video above.

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Her frock featured a strapless design and was made by Eteri Couture – a fashion house in the U.S. The brand said they custom-made the design with 350,000 Swarovski crystals.

"I took no pictures or videos out of respect and privacy, but I must say I have been in this DJ game long over a decade and @ Pia house party might have topped the list last night. Walking in a backyard into a full-blown concert, what?!?!? Truly legendary and an honour to DJ. Happy birthday, P, you set the bar last night," one guest wrote on Instagram after the bash.

But it was Jennifer Lopez who almost stole the spotlight from Whitesell, sharing a series of snaps and a fun reel where she channelled her iconic Waiting For Tonight video clip as she danced by some ferns on the dancefloor.

"When your song comes on and you're next to a plant… Waiting For Datenight," Lopez captioned her post.

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She looked gorgeous on the night in a skin-tight green dress that featured a plunging neckline and a flowing skirt.

Lopez, 54, wore her long locks out and over her shoulders and glamorous-looking makeup.

At the event, Whitesell was surprised with a stunning five-tier pink cake with white intricate piping work that was almost the same height as the actress.

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Pia announced her engagement to the 58-year-old multimillionaire Hollywood executive Patrick Whitesell in November 2020. The couple got married in May 2021.

She gave birth to her first son Isaiah when she was 19 and welcomed her second child Lennox during her marriage to ex-husband AFL star Brad Miller.

In Australia, Pia was best known as a model, actress and TV presenter. She kickstarted her career in 1998 when she won a modelling competition run by teen magazine Dolly. Afterwards, she modelled for brands such as Samsung, Cadbury, and Maybelline.

She started taking acting lessons at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and joined Home and Away in 2014. Pia later starred in Dora and the Lost City of Gold in 2019.

Patrick is the CEO of talent agency WME, and is reportedly worth an estimated $440 million. His past clients have included A-listers such as Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, Ryan Reynolds, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhall, Idris Elba, Jogn Krasinski, Jude Law and Hugh Jackman.