Cheese: An Annotated History of the Oscar Class Photo

At the end of this year’s award season, which culminates with the 97th Oscars on March 2nd, it will add another cherished group photo to its collection. For over 40 years, the Oscar Nominees Luncheon – a significant, slightly awkward get-together where a Best Actress nominee might find themselves next to an editor, before everyone gathers for a class photo – has been a staple of the award season. This tradition was broken in 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns and again this year because of the L.A. fires. The luncheon was unfortunately canceled on January 13th, but fortunately, we managed to capture a group photo at the cocktail party and dinners held at the Academy Museum on February 25th. In essence, it was like an Academy luncheon in spirit.

In 2021, Richard Kahn, former president of the Academy in the late 1980s, expressed that he felt much like many of us do about events, such as the luncheon, that have been canceled and delayed due to the pandemic. He described it as something cherished by us.

To begin with, it was Kahn who started this tradition back in 1981. At that time, the lengthy preparation for the Academy Awards, often extending into April, required a change. As Steve Pond, journalist and author of “The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards“, explains, “The show used to take place in late March, sometimes in April.” In those days, film blogs were non-existent, making it challenging to maintain interest. Pond further notes, “People weren’t as eager for all Oscar-related information as they are today.

Initially, Kahn – a former member of the Academy’s Board of Governors with extensive marketing experience – contemplated the challenge and proposed an intriguing solution: Why not host a friendly, tension-free lunch for nominees well ahead of the ceremony? This would generate pre-Oscars buzz during the lengthy period between the announcement of nominations and the actual event. It also seemed like a delightful method to personally deliver their nomination certificates, which had traditionally been mailed, often in a formal leather-bound case. Kahn never appreciated that method, describing it as “quite traditional and impersonal.

In early 1982, the inaugural Oscar Nominees Luncheon was held in the lavish ballroom of the Beverly Hilton, located in Beverly Hills. As reported by the New York Times, Fay Kanin, who served as president of the Academy at that time, aimed to create an occasion that would appropriately honor the individual accomplishments of each and every Oscar nominee. However, during the preparations, Kahn, who conceived the idea, harbored concerns about its success: “I wondered, ‘Will they attend?'” he reminisces.

Indeed, they did show up. It brought us great joy when 42 of our invitees chose to join us, as Kahn recalls with excitement, recalling the moment Steven Spielberg walked in and exclaimed, “Impressive!” In that moment, Kahn thought, “Steven Spielberg just said ‘Impressive’!

In my humble opinion, as a movie enthusiast attending the annual awards event, I’ve noticed an intriguing seating arrangement that harks back to the Academy’s founding principles. Sitting next to a sound mixer could be a producer, or a supporting actor might find themselves beside a makeup artist. This unique setup mirrors the essence of an academy – a gathering place for individuals from diverse artistic and technical backgrounds. Over the years, this lunch has evolved into a traditional ritual. For the Academy, it serves as a platform to flaunt its prestige; for nominees like myself, it offers a relaxed setting where we can connect and network away from the high-pressure atmosphere of the actual ceremony.

At cocktail events, it’s common to hear stars and movie makers compliment each other: “Your film is fantastic.” For example, Al Seib, a seasoned photographer from Los Angeles who passed away in 2022, recalled such incidents. For instance, Tom Hanks approached Frank Darabont at a 1995 luncheon and expressed his readiness to collaborate with the director; shortly after, Darabont offered him “The Green Mile.” Seib mentioned that this type of interaction isn’t as prevalent during the actual Oscars night, as the atmosphere is more tense.

For fans of the Oscars who aren’t insiders, the annual luncheon holds primary importance due to one feature: the group photo. Every year, it’s a delightful scene – a mix of nominees standing together around an Oscar statue, grinning like teammates from a youth soccer league. This custom traces back to 1985, and according to Kahn, “It transformed into the most cherished aspect of the luncheon – this joyous assembly of various artists and artisans, all posing on the stage like they were graduating from middle school!

In the ’90s, the process of assembling for our group photo was quite chaotic, I must say. People would simply call out, “All nominees, come up here and stand on these platforms.” It felt like a mad rush. Everyone would scramble up there, trying to secure a good spot. After what seemed like endless camera flashes, we’d stay put on those platforms, waiting to be called alphabetically to receive our certificate of nomination and the official Oscar-nominee sweatshirt – a tradition that started in 1989.

Speaking about it, Pond mentions that there were nominees whose last names appeared towards the end of the alphabet who often found themselves standing up on stage for a long time. This was especially true for film composer Hans Zimmer, with 11 Oscar nominations under his belt. Interestingly, one year, the Academy decided to announce the names in reverse alphabetical order, starting with Zimmer, which took him by surprise, as noted by Kahn.

Back in 2011, the Academy decided to shake things up a bit. Instead of waiting on the stage for their names to be called during the photo session, nominees are now announced beforehand. As they exit the stage, they grab their nomination certificates and pose for a group photo afterwards. This streamlined process makes the event run more smoothly, with the added bonus that we no longer see Oscar-nominee sweatshirts gracing the red carpet. In all my years of attending the luncheon, I’ve only seen one actor sporting the sweatshirt – Catherine Keener, who apparently found it quite chilly and decided to wear it on the spot!

2020 marked a significant shift during the pre-pandemic Oscar season: The annual luncheon, typically held at the Beverly Hilton, moved to the Ray Dolby Ballroom located at Hollywood and Highland. As Deadline pointed out, this was the first time the Oscar lunch had ever been hosted at the same venue where the show itself is broadcast.

Over the past five years, we’ve faced two significant disruptions: the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires. Yet, the Academy has managed to uphold tradition. The gathering, reminiscent of ancient European academies and even older Roman and Greek societies, is imbued with a camaraderie that dates back centuries. It’s a place where great minds convene, exchanging their knowledge and skills. He hesitates, then smiles. “It might sound fancy, but it’s a truly remarkable occasion.

Located below are the class photos from every year, accompanied by information about significant award stories of that time and a guide to identifying prominent guests at our luncheons. To find the latest year’s photo, click on this link [here].

At the 1984 Oscars, one of the most talked-about stories revolved around the Best Actress category, where three out of five nominees portrayed “farm wives” in their movies: Sally Field in “Places in the Heart”, Jessica Lange in “Country”, and Sissy Spacek in “The River”. Field emerged victorious, securing her second Oscar win within a span of five years, and delivered her now-memorable speech, “You like me!”. Unfortunately, neither Field nor the other farm wives were present at this year’s gathering. The only representative from the Best Actress nominees was Vanessa Redgrave (third row, second from the right), who battled visa issues to film “The Bostonians” and later overcame the Academy’s lingering resentment following her controversial 1977 speech when she won Best Supporting Actress. Interestingly, Redgrave attended the event dressed as if for a sales conference in Phoenix. Additionally, this is the only class photo where the Oscar statue stands off to the side instead of being the center of attention.

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Before the 2021 Oscar nominations, it was a rare occurrence to have two Asian actors nominated in the Best Actor category like Riz Ahmed and Steven Yeun. The last time this happened was at the 57th Oscars, when Pat Morita from “The Karate Kid” (the gentleman in the second row, sitting furthest to the left) was up against Dr. Haing S. Ngor from “The Killing Fields” (the man in the back row, also seated furthest to the left). Unfortunately, both gentlemen lost that year. What a remarkable moment it would have been for Asian representation in film if they had won!

Ray Parker Jr., positioned third from the left in the second row, was nominated for Best Original Song for the theme from Ghostbusters. Notably, stars like Peter Falk, Danny DeVito, Carly Simon, and Teri Garr made appearances in the music video for this song, each of them being previous Oscar nominees.

In the film “Amadeus,” F. Murray Abraham (seated, second from the left) and Tom Hulce (seated, extreme right) both received nominations for Best Actor, portraying Salieri and Mozart respectively. This was the first instance since “Midnight Cowboy” in 1969 that two lead actors were nominated in the same category for a Best Picture winner, and it remains unique as the only time that two performers from the same movie have been nominated in the Best Actor category.

1985 stood out as an exceptional year for the Best Supporting Actress category, showcasing five intricate characters: a cunning mafia woman (Anjelica Huston, seated eighth from right in the back row, in “Prizzi’s Honor”), a troubled nun (Meg Tilly, seated fourth from right in the third row, in “Agnes of God”), a discontented daughter (Amy Madigan in “Twice in a Lifetime”), a formidable personality (Oprah Winfrey, seated third from left in the back row), and a struggling alcoholic singer (Margaret Avery, seated sixth from left in the second row, in “The Color Purple”). Notably, this was a year where all five actresses were first-time nominees; the Academy could benefit from more frequent influxes of new talent. The lineup was more diverse than the Oscars typically were during the 1980s, with one biracial nominee (Tilly) and two Black women receiving their first Supporting Actress nominations. The most significant stories revolved around Winfrey’s film debut and Huston’s resurgence, as her career was rejuvenated following a disappointing start in her father’s 1969 film “A Walk With Love and Death”. She regained momentum when she collaborated with her father again and shared the screen with her then-boyfriend, Jack Nicholson (seventh from right in the back row), in “Prizzi’s Honor”, garnering widespread critical acclaim. Her comeback story, although we didn’t refer to it as a campaign strategy in 1985, was irresistible to the Oscars, and she won handily.

From this race, two peculiar anecdotes originate from the actors of “The Color Purple.” Oprah Winfrey, who later admitted she had her luncheon bread roll bronzed because she didn’t expect to win the Supporting Actress statue, is one of them. The other is Avery, who secured the role of Shug Avery after Tina Turner declined, and ran an unusual campaign for Best Actress with a divine letter-styled ad. Criticized at the time for poor judgment, maybe she was simply ahead of her era?

Fast forward to 25 years later when Melissa Leo followed suit with her own ads for “The Fighter,” donning fur and sporting the word “Consider” above her portrait. The initial response was harsh, but soon those ads morphed into a strange yet beloved internet meme – and Leo eventually won the Oscar. If Avery had access to the internet in 1985 to both ridicule and celebrate her, perhaps things would have unfolded differently for her.

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Amy Madigan (seated, fourth from the right), nominated for Best Supporting Actress in “Twice in a Lifetime”, stood out with her style – a sleek black leather skirt and vibrant pink heels – among this otherwise modestly dressed crowd.

Eric Roberts, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the film “Runaway Train” (third row, third from the right), shares an unique honor with Meg Tilly, his fellow nominee for Best Supporting Actress in “Agnes of God” (third row, fourth from the right). Both belong to Oscar-nominated sibling pairs. Meg’s sister Jennifer Tilly was nominated in 1994 for “Bullets Over Broadway,” and Eric’s sister is the Academy Award-winning Julia Roberts.

Whoppi Goldberg, iconically known for an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards), who was part of the team from “The Color Purple,” gleams with joy as she celebrates her first-ever Oscar nomination in the Best Actress category, marking a significant milestone in her illustrious career.

Reflecting on the event, Marlee Matlin’s prominent placement next to the massive Oscar statue seemed to foretell her triumph. However, many didn’t consider her a strong contender, maybe because she was a fresh face competing against four seasoned actors (Jane Fonda, Sissy Spacek, Kathleen Turner, and Sigourney Weaver). Today, she stands as the youngest Best Actress winner ever and the only deaf performer to win in any category. Matlin’s Oscar victory presented a stark contrast to Paul Newman, who, around 1986, was much like Glenn Close of his time. Newman’s underwhelming performance as a deceitful pool shark in Martin Scorsese’s The Color of Money — a role he’d initially played in 1961’s The Hustler opposite Piper Laurie (seventh from the right in the first row), who received a surprising Supporting Actress nomination in ’86 for her brief appearance as Matlin’s mother in Children of a Lesser God — marked his seventh nomination. The Academy had given Newman an honorary Oscar the year before, but he hadn’t previously won a competitive award until The Color of Money was released. Remarkably, he didn’t even attend to claim it! (He cited post-production duties on The Glass Menagerie, which starred his wife, Joanne Woodward.)

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Back in 1986, I was the talk of the town, mainly due to my film “Blue Velvet,” which brought me my second Best Director nomination, following my success with “The Elephant Man” in 1980. I had already bagged awards from the Los Angeles and National Society of Film Critics, but it was Oliver Stone who took home the Oscar that year. Yet, a memorable moment came when I shared a luncheon stage with Laurie, who I later cast in “Twin Peaks,” after just a few years had passed.

This year signified Kathleen Turner’s first and only career nomination for Best Actress, which she received for the film “Peggy Sue Got Married” directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Thirteen years later, she appeared alongside James Woods in Sofia Coppola’s debut movie “The Virgin Suicides.” During that film, Kathleen shared the screen with James Woods, who was nominated for Best Actor in 1986 for his role in “Salvador,” just like her on-screen husband in the movie.

In the movie that eventually won Best Picture, “Platoon”, Willem Dafoe received his first of four Oscar nominations throughout his career. A few years later, he collaborated with David Lynch in the 1990 film titled “Wild at Heart”.

One enjoyable aspect of examining school photos is the excitement of spotting well-known faces among them. However, when you look at the 1987 photo, you may be disappointed to not see Cher among the students. Interestingly, the Oscar-winning actress was absent from that particular class photo (perhaps lingering anger over her 1985 nomination snub for ‘Mask’?). When Cher eventually won the award, her main competitor Sally Kirkland, who is seen in the second row, seventh from the right and wearing a fuchsia outfit, notoriously made a face of displeasure when the envelope was revealed. This could have been due to her high hopes following her surprise Golden Globe win for ‘Anna’.

In this group, it was Michael Douglas (located second from right in the front row), who would eventually win Best Actor for his roles in Wall Street, a victory largely due to the impact of Fatal Attraction. Interestingly, although his screen wife, nominee Anne Archer (third from right in the front row), was present on this day, Glenn Close was not. Instead, Anne Ramsey (second from the left in the front row) rejoiced over her Supporting Actress nomination for Throw Momma From the Train, a recognition that came after many years in the business. It’s worth noting that this nomination occurred two years following what might be her most memorable role, as Ma Fratelli in The Goonies. Tragically, she passed away just a few months after this photograph was taken.

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Diane Warren, seated seventh from the right in the front row, was remarkably ’80s-stylish as she received her first of twelve Oscar nominations for Best Original Song. This recognition was earned for “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” a tune featured in the movie “Mannequin.

Sherry Lansing, seated fourth from the right in the front row, was the trailblazer as the first woman to lead a film studio in Hollywood. In 1987, she earned an Oscar nomination for best picture, which she received as a producer of the hit movie “Fatal Attraction,” with actors Archer and Douglas featured among its stars sitting to her left.

Sigourney Weaver (located third from the left in the third row), Dustin Hoffman (fourth from the left in the front row), and Kevin Kline (fourth from the right in the front row) seemed to enjoy themselves more at the luncheon than they did during the infamous “Snow White” opening number at that year’s Oscars. Unfortunately for them, all three were captured on camera expressing displeasure during the confusing production number which has since become notorious and remains etched in Oscar history.

1989 marked a time when the Oscars were more about elegance than viral moments. It was the epitome of Hollywood glamour, and most attendees weren’t thrilled with producer Alan Carr’s extravagant opening musical number, featuring a Disney princess singing an out-of-key duet of “Proud Mary” with Rob Lowe. Carr aimed to infuse Broadway flair and Las Vegas spectacle into the Academy Awards, but the bewildered expressions on the faces of front-row nominees, who were being greeted by a Disney princess, suggested that his vision was an instant disaster. Martin Landau (front row, far right), nominated for Best Supporting Actor for “Tucker: The Man and His Dream”, seemed to enjoy it all, although he looked just as cheerful in the pre-ceremony photo, perhaps because he was simply enjoying the whole season. The ceremony never fully recovered from its puzzling beginning, and the show has since been referred to by some as “The Worst Oscars Ever” due entirely to Carr’s well-meaning fiasco.

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Five years following their joint appearance in a photograph, Kline (winner of Best Supporting Actor for “A Fish Called Wanda”) and Weaver (nominated for Best Actress for “Gorillas in the Mist” and Best Supporting Actress for “Working Girl”) portrayed the roles of President and First Lady respectively in the movie titled “Dave”.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I must admit, River Phoenix (seated sixth from the right in the front row) didn’t exactly exude joy when he was nominated for his first and tragically only Academy Award, this time for Best Supporting Actor in “Running on Empty”.

Notable musician Hans Zimmer received his initial Oscar nomination this year in the Best Original Score category, for his work on the Best Picture winner “Rain Man”, which featured a stellar performance by Hoffman.

A brief acknowledgement to Daniel Day-Lewis (seated in the front row, furthest to the right), who truly elevated the Oscars Luncheon with his presence. The grandeur and tradition (notably his hair and unique style!) seem fitting for such a formal event. His win for ‘My Left Foot’ also aligns with some popular Oscar trends: recognizing actors for portraying real-life figures, depicting physical disabilities, and delivering intense performances that push the limits of acting, often involving extreme physical efforts. It’s no secret that during the filming of this movie, Day-Lewis went to great lengths with his Method acting, requiring the crew to wheel him around and feed him, and a rumor circulated that he even fractured ribs from maintaining the hunched position throughout shooting.

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At the time, Daniel Day-Lewis’s wife, Isabelle Adjani (located third from the right in the back row), was savoring her Best Actress nomination for the film ‘Camille Claudel’. She was seen enjoying company with Anjelica Huston (second from the right in the back row) and Dan Aykroyd (the person furthest to the right in the back row).

Noticeably missing at the event was Spike Lee, who had been nominated for Best Original Screenplay for “Do the Right Thing”. Instead, Lili Fini Zanuck and Richard Zanuck (located in the third row, sixth and seventh from right) were present, having won Best Picture that year for producing “Driving Miss Daisy”. As Lee expressed to New York Magazine in 2008: “Recall what Kim Basinger did? Onstage she said, ‘The best film of the year is not even nominated, and it’s Do the Right Thing.’ I didn’t even know her. But when Driving Miss Daisy won Best Picture, that stung… No one talks about Driving Miss Daisy anymore.” Morgan Freeman, the star of “Driving Miss Daisy”, is pictured front row, sixth from right.

The 63rd Oscars were primarily focused on one performer, Madonna, who performed “Sooner or Later,” a Dick Tracy song nominee, accompanied by none other than Michael Jackson, often referred to as an unusual pairing. The event’s peculiarities extended to the list of nominees themselves, which included several well-known figures making their only Oscar appearance: Shel Silverstein, Steven Sondheim, and Jon Bon Jovi (and that was just in the Original Song category). Regrettably, none of these individuals attended the group photo, a fact now more notable for the presence of two Supporting Actress nominees. Whoopi Goldberg, from Ghost, was seated in the third row, ninth from the right, and on Oscar night became the second Black actress to receive an Academy Award. Annette Bening, from The Grifters, was positioned in the back row, tenth from the right, and her loss marked the beginning of a streak of unsuccessful nominations that continues to this day.

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Carmine Coppola, seated in the front row and positioned farthest to the left, was basking in the joy of receiving his second Academy Award nomination for composing the music score for his son Francis Ford Coppola’s film “The Godfather Part III.

Andy Garcia (positioned sixth from right in the front row) was also a nominee for “The Godfather Part III” and chose to sport the trendy menswear scarf, a popular accessory at the Oscars during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

1991 saw Oscar deviate from traditional trends. In the past, particularly during the 1980s, the Best Picture category typically favored Meaningful Dramas, often historical in nature. These films were usually the ones with the most nominations (like Dances With Wolves, The Last Emperor, Out of Africa, or Amadeus). It appeared that the 64th Academy Awards would follow this pattern as well, with Barry Levinson’s and Warren Beatty’s (front row, second from right) gangster period piece, Bugsy, leading with ten nominations and having already won several awards prior to the ceremony (including the Golden Globe). It boasted Hollywood connections, a real-life love story (Beatty and his co-star Annette Bening were soon to marry), and all the necessary credentials to win on Oscar night. The team behind Bugsy can be considered as the favored side: There’s Beatty standing next to screenwriter and close friend James Toback (front row, far right). Two rows behind them, smiling broadly, is producer Mark Johnson (third row, fourth from right with glasses), standing alongside costume designer Albert Wolsky (third row, fifth from right), and a row behind them is cinematographer Allen Daviau (fourth row, sixth from right).

Later on, the image includes Team “The Silence of the Lambs” on its left side. In this shot, you can see Jodie Foster, positioned in the front row, third from the left. One row behind her is producer Ron Bozman, who is fourth from the left in the second row. Not far from him stands Anthony Hopkins, the seventh from the left in the same row. Despite being acclaimed, “The Silence of the Lambs” was an unexpected victor: It debuted early in the year, it was available on home video, it fell under the genre category, and it sparked controversy due to its portrayal of a controversial serial killer villain, Buffalo Bill, which upset many LGBTQ activists. The competition for Oscars that year was particularly fierce, and some prognosticators did predict “The Silence of the Lambs” would win. However, very few anticipated it would achieve a Grand Slam: winning Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Adapted Screenplay — an accomplishment only achieved three times before in Academy history. No film has managed this feat since then.

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In a historic moment, Laura Dern and Diane Ladd found themselves as the very first and still only mother-daughter pair to receive Oscar nominations for the same film. This remarkable achievement unfolded when they were both recognized in the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories, respectively, for their roles in “Rambling Rose.

Barbra Streisand, seated in the front row, seventh from the right, proudly wore an eye-catching hat while being nominated for Best Picture for “The Prince of Tides.” However, she was unfortunately not recognized in the Best Director category.

➼ To match Barbra’s stylish hat, Geena Davis, nominated for Best Actress for “Thelma & Louise,” opted for a dapper men’s suit at the celebration of her nomination, instead.

At the 65th Academy Awards, a controversy arose when the theme “Oscars Honoring Women in Film” was selected, despite the majority of Best Picture nominees featuring male leads. The exception was Merchant Ivory’s Howards End, which starred a woman as its central character. The other nominees were The Crying Game (starring Stephen Rea), A Few Good Men (with Tom Cruise), Scent of a Woman (focusing on Al Pacino), and Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven (the eventual winner). Critics noted that this lineup reflected the limited roles being offered to women in the industry. Emma Thompson, who won Best Actress for her role as Margaret Schlegel, used her acceptance speech to honor “the heroism and courage of women,” hoping it would inspire more authentic female characters on screen. Marisa Tomei, a newcomer at the time, unexpectedly won Best Supporting Actress, sparking rumors that presenter Jack Palance had mistakenly announced her name due to difficulty reading the actual winner’s name.

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This year, Robert Downey Jr., positioned in the second row, ninth from the left, received his initial Oscar nomination for portraying Charlie Chaplin in the movie “Chaplin”. Tomei was also part of this film. Later, in 1994, they both starred in the romantic comedy “Only You”. Fast forward more than two decades, and in the Marvel movies, their roles as Aunt May and Tony Stark allowed for a lot of on-screen flirting.

Without a doubt, Paul Berry (located in the back row, fourth from the left) was the standout figure at this year’s luncheon photo. Known for his nomination in the Best Animated Short Film category for “The Sandman,” he undoubtedly captivated everyone with his striking fuchsia hairstyle.

💬 Denzel Washington (seated in the tenth spot from the right on the front row) exudes a relaxed and casual vibe with his untucked shirt and jeans, foreshadowing the carefree fashion trend that would become popular during award ceremonies in the Zoom era.

At the 1993 Oscars Luncheon, the front-row seats held a significant position. Not only was it the prime spot for that year’s event, but it unintentionally honored director John Singleton. Two years before, Singleton made history as the first Black man and youngest person ever nominated for Best Director for his film “Boyz N the Hood.” However, despite deserving recognition, neither Laurence Fishburne (seated in the third row, 13th from the left) nor Angela Bassett (front row, eighth from the right), who were in that movie, received acting awards. In the following years, they would secure Lead Actor and Actress nominations for their roles in “What’s Love Got to Do With It?”, playing Ike and Tina Turner respectively. Unfortunately, Singleton’s subsequent work, “Poetic Justice,” didn’t receive critical acclaim or awards, but Janet Jackson’s (front row, tenth from the right) song “Again,” co-produced by Jimmy Jam (front row, ninth from the right) and Terry Lewis, earned a Best Original Song nomination.

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Angela Bassett, positioned eighth from the right in the front row, received a nomination for her portrayal of Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” Ralph Fiennes, seated second row at the far right, was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for “Schindler’s List.” Two years following these nominations, they shared the screen in Kathryn Bigelow’s dystopian film, “Strange Days.

In the future, Survivor contestant Jonathan Penner (fifth from right in the front row) was jointly nominated with his wife Stacy Title in the Best Live-Action Short Film category for their film “Down on the Waterfront”. Tragically, Stacy passed away last year after a prolonged struggle against ALS.

A year following their collaboration in “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” Winona Ryder (located in the second row, second from left) and Anthony Hopkins (positioned in the back row, fourth from right) were both recognized for their roles in period films. Specifically, she was nominated for “The Age of Innocence,” while he received a nomination for “The Remains of the Day.

The term nepotism carries a negative connotation, but let’s refer to Hollywood as a “close-knit community.” Networking is crucial in any field, and the entertainment industry takes this to another level by often favoring family ties. This anecdote from a class photo presents some instances of this phenomenon.

For example, Sean Astin, positioned at the front row, far left, was born into the business as the first child of Patty Duke, an Oscar winner and renowned child star known for her role in The Miracle Worker. Like his mother, he achieved fame as a teenager, starring in films like The Goonies. Before he reached the height of his popularity as a loyal Hobbit companion in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, he ventured into directing and mirrored his mother’s path once more by being nominated for an Oscar. His 1994 nomination was earned for a short film titled Kangaroo Court.

In this very photo, you can see both Thomas (located in the back row, six people from the left) and Randy Newman (placed in the back row, three people from the right). Interestingly, Thomas was a double Oscar nominee that year for ‘Little Women’ and ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, though he would later become just as common a sight as his senior cousin Randy. The shared love for music runs deep within their family: Thomas’s father, Alfred Newman, was an iconic film composer who holds the record for most Oscar wins (nine). Moreover, take notice of Jennifer Tilly (seated in the third row, three people from the left), who was unexpectedly nominated for Best Supporting Actress due to her wittily offensive performance in ‘Bullets Over Broadway’ (“Charmed. Charmed. Charmed”). Her sister Meg had been nominated nine years prior in the same category.

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In 1968, Quincy Jones became the first African-American individual to receive two Oscar nominations in a single year. This year, his humanitarian efforts were recognized with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The following year, he took on the role of producer for the Academy Awards telecast.

➼ The nominees for Best Costume Design, Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner (located in the fifth and sixth positions from the right in the front row), opted for a more subtle appearance at this luncheon, which was quite different from their extravagant looks on Oscar night when Gardiner donned a dress made of American Express Gold Cards to collect the award for their exceptional costume design work on The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Filmmaker Frieda Lee Mock (seated ninth from left in this picture) holds the record as the most-nominated Asian woman in film history, with a total of five Oscar nominations. At the time this photo was taken, she was en route to her solitary victory for the Documentary Feature category, which was for the film “Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision”.

At this year’s luncheon, Dianne Houston (seated at the back, ninth from the left) fortunately managed to attend despite an initial issue – she was initially barred from accessing the parking lot of the facility. A valet informed Houston, who was nominated for Best Live-Action Short for her film ‘Tuesday Morning Ride’, that the lot was reserved for nominees only. This misunderstanding was more unfortunate given that Houston was the sole Black Oscar nominee in a year that Hollywood’s diversity record was particularly poor, with no representation from Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Denzel Washington, or Laurence Fishburne among the nominees.

Prior to the #OscarsSoWhite movement, there was the Hollywood Blackout of 1996. At the 68th Academy Awards, Diane Houston, who had been the only black woman nominated for an Oscar for directing a film over a span of 20 years, found herself alone among 166 nominees. It was not People, the popular celebrity magazine, that called out the Oscars on their unfortunate bias, but rather they ran a critical cover story titled “Hollywood Blackout,” with a subheading that read, “The film industry may claim to promote equality, but its continued exclusion of African-Americans is a national embarrassment.

Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow-PUSH Coalition advocated for a protest during the Oscars, which put him at odds with host Whoopi Goldberg and music producer Quincy Jones, who were trying to create “the most ethnically diverse Oscars show ever.” Despite this, Jones managed to convince Jackson to postpone the boycott within the theater itself. The protestors decided to demonstrate outside ABC affiliate TV stations instead, as they were broadcasting the Oscars. Jackson urged attendees, including Nicholas Cage and Elisabeth Shue, among others, to wear rainbow ribbons to highlight the lack of diversity at the event. However, only Quincy Jones participated in this gesture, receiving minimal support beyond that symbolic action. In her opening monologue, Goldberg expressed her disapproval by saying “Enough with the ribbons.”

Fast forward a few decades, and the call for better representation from the Academy that was voiced by People magazine mirrors the current era of demanding change, even though the actual diversity among nominees has only marginally improved, and progress among voting members has been slow.

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1995 saw the Oscars brimming with moments that feel awkward in today’s context. When examined through a 2021 lens, the event featured Toy Story writers John Lasseter (located third row, tenth from the right) and Joss Whedon (placed in the back row, tenth from the right), as well as Best Supporting Actor laureate Kevin Spacey (second row, eighth from the left).

In the ’90s, it was a golden era for actors receiving Oscar nominations for short films. That particular year’s winner in the Live-Action Short Film category was Christine Lahti (located in the second row, tenth from the left), who won for her work in “Lieberman in Love”. She edged out other contenders such as Griffin Dunne (third row, 13th from the right, competing with “Duke of Groove”) and Jeff Goldblum (front row, third from the right, nominated for “Little Surprises”).

➼ The nominee for Best Actor, Anthony Hopkins (seated eighth from the left; Nixon), and the nominee for Best Supporting Actor, Ed Harris (back row, third from right; Apollo 13), were both in attendance, noticeably distant from each other. Some twenty years later, they would collaborate and star together in the HBO series Westworld.

Renowned cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, seated fourth from the left in the front row, was relishing his inaugural Oscar nomination for his contribution to the film A Little Princess. Lubezki has since accumulated a total of eight nominations and three wins.

This year, Sharon Stone received her initial and sole Oscar nomination in the Best Actress category, for her role in the movie “Casino”. She can be found in the second row, seventh from the left.

In the Supporting Actor category, Cuba Gooding Jr.’s heartfelt speech for Jerry Maguire is often the highlight, but it’s also worth noting that Edward Norton, positioned sixth from right in the back row, was nominated for his exceptional performance in Primal Fear. Remarkably, this was Norton’s first-ever film nomination, a role he won over with an audition tape. Prior to his portrayal of Aaron Stampler in Primal Fear, his only on-screen credit was for an English as a Second Language instructional video.

During the 68th Academy Awards held a year ago, the Best Original Score category was divided into “Dramatic” and “Musical or Comedy” sections due to numerous nominations of Disney Renaissance film scores in the early ’90s (like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King). In that inaugural year, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz won in the new category for Pocahontas. However, at the 69th Oscars, Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, including Schwartz (third row, eighth from left), depicted here in a stylish vest with both eyes closed, didn’t win. Some declared the Disney Decade to be over, and their prediction proved correct when Disney went without a Score award for over two decades; by 1999, the categories were once again combined.

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In the front row, seated farthest to the right, is Billy Bob Thornton, who stands out as the sole individual adorning a John Deere cap.

In the photo, it might appear that Matt Damon (fourth row, seventh from the left) is distracted from his Good Will Hunting co-star Minnie Driver (third row, tenth from the left), not because he was engrossed in acting great and The Apostle star Robert Duvall (fourth row, sixth from the left), who were both nominated for Best Actor. It could also be due to the fact that Damon and Driver were going through a highly strained breakup at the time, with Driver eventually discovering their separation was permanent when Damon confirmed on The Oprah Winfrey Show that he was single. This would explain why Driver often looked so frustrated in scenes where she reacted to the affection between Matt and Ben at the 1997 Oscars.

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As I sat in the bustling movie theater, my eyes couldn’t help but wander to the back row where two familiar faces, Robert Duvall and Matt Damon, were deep in conversation. Their animated discussion could have been about their Best Actor nominations – Robert for his exceptional performance in “The Apostle” and Matt for his breakthrough role in “Good Will Hunting”. Or perhaps they were reminiscing about their memorable collaboration in the 1993 film, “Geronimo: An American Legend”. Either way, it was a delightful sight to see these two talented actors share a moment, transporting me back to the magic of the silver screen.

At the awards luncheon, it’s likely that Best Actress nominee Kim Basinger (seated in the third row, eighth from left; for her role in L.A. Confidential) and Best Actor winner Jack Nicholson (second row, 11th from left; in As Good as It Gets) didn’t spend a moment reminiscing about their time filming Batman, but they certainly had the opportunity to do so.

2019 was a groundbreaking year full of firsts for Paul Thomas Anderson (located second row, tenth from the right) and Julianne Moore (second row, ninth from the right), as their nominations for Best Original Screenplay for ‘Boogie Nights’ and Best Supporting Actress respectively marked the beginning of many more accomplishments.

In a less formal setting, it wouldn’t be surprising to see notorious bachelor Warren Beatty (seated on an Oscar statue) with an actress on his lap. However, at the strictly formal Oscar Luncheon, this seating arrangement is indeed a unique choice. (One might wonder who made these arrangements.) Interestingly, Kathy Bates appears to be quite content in this position, unlike her neighbor Rachel Griffiths (on Roberto Benigni’s lap). It’s possible that Beatty and Bates developed a friendship during the filming of ‘Dick Tracy’ in 1990. This film was a significant success for both actors – it marked Beatty’s last major box office hit and an affair with Madonna, as depicted in the documentary ‘Truth or Dare’. For Bates, it paved the way to stardom and an eventual Oscar win as Annie Wilkes in ‘Misery’. Eight years later, they were both back at the Oscars for ‘Bulworth’ and ‘Primary Colors’, respectively. ‘Bulworth’ earned Beatty his fourth screenwriting nomination, a rare feat for a movie star, as he was nominated just as frequently for his writing skills as for his acting.

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Four individuals to Bates’ right in the front row are where you’ll find Sir Ian McKellen, the pioneering first openly gay actor ever nominated for an award, notably for his performance in Gods and Monsters. To add a layer of sweetness to this historic milestone, it’s worth noting that Gods and Monsters was one of the few biopics featuring a queer historical figure, remarkably not cast with a straight actor in the leading role.

As a cinephile, I can’t help but notice that Emily Watson, my fellow thespian in Griffiths’s “Hilary and Jackie,” seems to carry an understated enthusiasm in her nomination for Best Actress (Emily Watson, seated in the first row, furthest right).

In 2021, the nominees Diane Warren (located second row, center to the left of the statue, for “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” in the Best Original Song category) and Marc Shaiman (also second row, center to the left of the statue, for the Best Original Musical/Comedy Score in Patch Adams) have accumulated a grand total of 19 Oscar nominations but still haven’t taken home a single win. Academy, it’s high time for a change!

As a movie enthusiast, I find myself standing back, the 13th from right, in a sea of spectators. The man I’m eyeing, Steven Spielberg, is casually dressed in a grey V-neck and white undershirt. This evening, he’s on the brink of claiming the elusive Best Director award for “Saving Private Ryan,” a title that has evaded him since his cinematic journey began.

In 1999, the two leading contenders for Best Picture created a small exclusive area for themselves. Directors Sam Mendes (11th from left in the back row) and screenwriter Alan Ball (tenth from left in the back row), of American Beauty, found themselves alongside their main rivals, Lasse Hallström (13th from the third row) – director of The Cider House Rules, and author and screenwriter John Irving (ninth from the back row). The rivalry between their campaigns wasn’t entirely cordial, as it was orchestrated by titans running their respective studios: Dreamworks’ Steven Spielberg and Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein (neither present in the photo).

The arrangement of the Best Actor nominees surrounding the large Oscar statue serves as its own symbolic setup. Kevin Spacey, who won for his role in American Beauty, is positioned beside the statue, signifying his close association with the award. Denzel Washington, who was the initial favorite for The Hurricane, is situated further back, indicating his less fortunate outcome.

To Spacey’s immediate right, we find Richard Farnsworth, a nominee who had made a remarkable comeback in his later career for The Straight Story and was the oldest nominee at that time. Tragically, he passed away just a few months after the ceremony.

Spacey is also joined by Haley Joel Osment, the highly talked-about male performer of the year for his role in The Sixth Sense. At the time, they were actively filming their upcoming project, Pay it Forward, which unfortunately turned out to be a flop.

The legendary couple Annette Bening and Warren Beatty (seated together, in the front row, slightly to the left) had three reasons for joy: her nomination for Best Actress for the film “American Beauty”, his recognition with the Irwin G. Thalberg Memorial Award for career success, and the anticipation of their upcoming baby. With Bening eight months pregnant at the time, there were jokes about her possibly giving birth on stage! What a fascinating era!

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Take a look at Tom Cruise (located third row, sixth from the left) and Russell Crowe (third row, seventh from the left), who were both nominated for their roles in ‘Magnolia’ and ‘The Insider’, respectively. It seems they may have been laying the groundwork for what would later be known as the Dark Universe, before joining forces in the 2017 film, ‘The Mummy’.

2000 was indeed a remarkable year for Steven Soderbergh, despite his absence at the awards luncheon. Neither Julia Roberts, who starred in his Oscar-winning film Erin Brockovich, nor Benicio Del Toro, from Traffic, were present either. Both films were Best Picture nominees, garnering a total of ten nominations and ultimately winning five. While writer Stephen Gaghan (second row, sixth from left) and editor Stephen Mirrione (back row, eighth from right), who both worked on Traffic, attended the luncheon, Soderbergh was conspicuously absent.

Ridley Scott, representing Gladiator, and Lasse Hallstrom, director of Chocolat, were also missing. This meant that Ang Lee (third row, second from right), the director of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, was the only Best Picture filmmaker in attendance for the photo. Lee was a favorite to win in the Best Director category, having directed a Best Picture nominee for the first time since his individual Oscar nominations began (he had previously been nominated as a producer for Sense and Sensibility in 1995).

Soderbergh received directing nominations for both his films, but neither secured the top award of the night. Interestingly, Soderbergh beat himself in the Best Director category with Traffic, making him the first director since 1948 to have actors from multiple nominated movies win Oscars in the same year. In essence, it was a historic night for Soderbergh.

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This year’s competition features the individuals whom you might want to spy as a fly on in the risers. We present actors Juliette Binoche, Jeff Bridges, Ellen Burstyn, and Marcia Gay Harden (seated, respectively from the seventh to tenth position, right side).

In the second row, second from the left, was Tom Hanks, a nominee for Best Actor for the film “Cast Away”. Meanwhile, Laura Linney, who was nominated for Best Actress for “You Can Count on Me”, was seated in the third row, sixth from the right. Interestingly enough, these two actors would later portray husband and wife in the 2016 movie titled “Sully”.

David Lynch and Sting shared a moment together at the 2001 Oscars luncheon, seated side by side. They may have briefly imagined themselves nominated for ‘Dune’, the 1984 film where Lynch directed Sting as Feyd, the antagonist in a revealing costume. In truth, Sting was there due to his Best Original Song nomination for “Until…” from ‘Kate & Leopold’, while Lynch was up for Best Director. Interestingly, ‘Mulholland Dr.’ received only one nomination that year, making it the first film in its category since 1986 not to receive any other recognition – coincidentally, this also happened to be the case with Lynch’s ‘Blue Velvet’.

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Hey, I believe that’s Bob Balaban sitting in the front row, all the way to the far left! This talented character actor was actually a nominee for producing the film, “Gosford Park”, which earned a nod for Best Picture.

This year, Sidney Poitier (seated furthest to the left in the third row) was bestowed an honorary Oscar. Notably, this was also the year Denzel Washington (in the second row, seventh from the left) received the Best Actor award for “Training Day,” making him the first African-American actor to win this category since Poitier’s victory for “Lilies of the Field.

In the third row, fifth from the left is Australian actress Nicole Kidman, who was nominated for Best Actress for Moulin Rouge!, and next to her, sixth from the left, is Russell Crowe, also a nominee that year for Best Actor in A Beautiful Mind. Interestingly, these two friends of each other’s in real life would share a significant moment the following year when Kidman won Best Actress for The Hours, and she publicly acknowledged Crowe in her acceptance speech.

Jennifer Connelly, who had won the Best Supporting Actress award for “A Beautiful Mind” (third row, seventh from left), and Ben Kingsley, a Best Supporting Actor nominee for “Sexy Beast” (front row, fourth from right), would team up two years later in “The House of Sand and Fog.” Notably, Kingsley was also nominated for his role in this film.

What stands out most about the 75th Academy Awards is Adrien Brody, seen in the second row, seventh from right, winning for his role in “The Pianist.” Notably, Roman Polanski, the film’s director, couldn’t accept his Best Director trophy due to a pending prison sentence for statutory rape. Brody’s historic win as the youngest Best Actor ever, his passionate kiss with Halle Berry, and heartfelt speech have become iconic moments. While they are memorable on their own, the context of that night makes them even more special. The upcoming Iraq invasion, which the U.S. initiated a week after this photo was taken, was a significant concern for everyone, and the uncertainty about holding an Oscar ceremony at all was a hot topic at the pre-ceremony luncheon. The Academy was apprehensive about political speeches and took measures to limit them by instructing nominees to acknowledge no more than five people, avoid using notes, and keep their speeches under 30 seconds. However, Brody, who was certainly aware of these rules, broke most of them on the night of the Oscars, resulting in a captivating television moment.

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It’s important to mention that Queen Latifah (seated furthest to the right in the second row) appears significantly less at ease compared to Harvey Weinstein (also in the second row, just to the right of her).

In the same manner as Julianne Moore found herself seated beside one of her frequent collaborators, Paul Thomas Anderson, in 1997, this year she was positioned next to Todd Haynes, the director of her movie “Far From Heaven”. Both were seated as follows: Paul Thomas Anderson was tenth from left on the front row, while Todd Haynes was the 11th from left.

➼ It’s important to mention that Martin Scorsese, standing front and center, slightly right from the statue, is here on his own as Leonardo DiCaprio, his frequent leading man, isn’t present. In the same year, despite a strong ten nominations for Gangs of New York, DiCaprio wasn’t recognized. This scenario seems familiar? During the last Oscar season, Scorsese was back, but this time Robert De Niro, his usual leading man, missed out on a nomination despite an impressive ten nominations for The Irishman.

At this year’s gathering, there was no room for doubt that “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” would take center stage. However, it remained unclear where exactly the camera would be positioned.

Peter Jackson (located in the third row, three places to the right of the statue) and his team were thrilled as their long-term bet on the franchise resulted in a historic achievement – sweeping every one of its 11 categories at the Oscars, marking the most significant clean sweep ever, even surpassing the achievements of films like Titanic and Ben-Hur that missed some nominations. Young Keisha Castle-Hughes (positioned centrally in the front row, to the right of the statue) was taken aback as she clinched the Best Actress award for her role in Whale Rider, despite a strategy to campaign for Whale Rider as a supporting actress – however, this didn’t stop her from maintaining a close relationship with her former competitors, nominees Patricia Clarkson and Marcia Gay Harden who were also centrally located in the front row. The Supporting Actress category was expected to be won by Renée Zellweger for Cold Mountain, but a late surge of support for Shohreh Aghdashloo from House of Sand and Fog ignited Harvey Weinstein’s campaign efforts. Meanwhile, both leading acting categories were highly competitive, yet most of the male nominees decided to skip this event. The leading actress contenders – Charlize Theron, recognized for her transformation in Monster, and Diane Keaton, celebrated for her mid-Something’s Gotta Give comeback – both opted to wear white at the ceremony.

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The couple, Michael McKean and Annette O’Toole (located in the second row, third and fourth from the left), received a nomination this year for penning “A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow” as part of Christopher Guest’s film, “A Mighty Wind.

Nearly everyone in this year’s group photo appears to be preoccupied by something, notably Sofia Coppola (seated eighth from the left in the front row) who was nominated for Best Director and won Best Screenplay, and Sean Penn (seated ninth from the left in the front row), who took home the award for Best Actor.

➼ This year’s Best Supporting Actor nominee Benicio Del Toro, seen in the back row on the far right, was awarded the title of most stylish individual, a stark contrast to his tormented character portrayed in the film “21 Grams”.

2021 appears to be a significant year for mothers, based on a trend analysis by the Los Angeles Times. Notably, Charlize Theron, Penn, and Keisha Castle-Hughes are among those who have shared their motherhood experiences this year.

2005 saw the continuation of a noteworthy contemporary rivalry at the Oscars with the 77th ceremony. That year, Annette Bening (fourth row, 12th from the left) secured her third nomination overall and second in the Best Actress category for her role in “Being Julia.” Despite her impressive career, she has only managed four nominations to date, with a surprising omission for her outstanding performance in “Captain Marvel.” Bening carried “Being Julia” as its leading lady, and given her old-school Hollywood charm, it seemed like 2005 could finally end her string of losses. However, she found herself competing against Hilary Swank (second row, ninth from the left), who had won five years prior for an iconic performance in “Boys Don’t Cry.” Interestingly, when Swank is nominated for an Oscar, she tends to take home the statuette.

2004 was an unparalleled year for me as a movie enthusiast, with the Academy honoring exceptional performances by several actresses. Among them was Imelda Staunton, who stole the show in Mike Leigh’s poignant drama, “Vera Drake,” positioned right beside the statue, second to its right in the front row. Additionally, Kate Winslet delivered a remarkable performance in Charlie Kaufman’s film, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Meanwhile, the fifth row was graced by the presence of the talented Catalina Sandino Moreno for her breakthrough role in “Maria Full of Grace.” However, it was Hilary Swank who once again claimed the little gold man, making Academy history with her second win for “Million Dollar Baby,” edging out Annette Bening yet again.

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Whenever the opportunity arises for a reunion of the Titanic cast, we’re all for it! So let’s rejoice as Leonardo DiCaprio (seventh from the left in the back row) – who was nominated for Best Actor for The Aviator – and Kate Winslet get to spend an afternoon together again.

Bening was seated near Adam Duritz (fourth row, 11th from the left) who co-wrote the nominated “Accidentally in Love” for Shrek 2. It might be because of this connection that she has both hands on Don Cheadle’s (third row, to the left of the statue) shoulders, preparing to step in and intervene in any discussions about ogres as needed.

This year’s collection of “photographed individuals who we envisioned collaborating in a heist film” included Swank, Julie Delpy (third row, 8th from the left; nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Before Sunset), Laura Linney (third row, center, third to the left of the statue; nominated for Best Supporting Actress, Kinsey), Cate Blanchett (second row, center, second to the left of the statue; nominated for Best Supporting Actress, The Aviator), and Sophie Okonedo (second row, center, left of the statue; nominated for Best Supporting Actress, Hotel Rwanda).

On the left side is Paul Haggis (seated seventh from the left in the second row), the director and producer of Crash, while his co-producer Cathy Schulman (eighth from the left in the second row) is on the right. These two would later cause an unexpected stir at the Oscars, winning the Best Picture award over the heavily favored Brokeback Mountain. Throughout that Oscar season, it was believed that Brokeback Mountain, with its wide critical acclaim and numerous precursor awards from major critics groups, guilds, and the Golden Globes, would secure a historic Best Picture win. However, the Academy’s votes were split, awarding Lee Best Director and Crash the title of Best Picture. The success and attention given to Brokeback Mountain that year served as a significant narrative, symbolizing the growing recognition and acceptance of LGBTQ films (as it was also nominated alongside Capote and Transamerica). Since 2005, the Oscars have made considerable progress in recognizing LGBTQ stories and openly gay creators, with many Academy voters expressing regret over Crash’s Best Picture win.

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This year, Amy Adams (seated, second from the left) received her initial Oscar nomination for her exceptional performance in the film “Junebug”. Although she didn’t win back then, and hasn’t won as of now, the luncheon may have provided an opportunity for her to converse with Joaquin Phoenix (standing, 12th from the left), who was also nominated this year for his role in “Walk the Line” as Johnny Cash. Interestingly, Adams would later collaborate with Phoenix in the films “Her” and “The Master”.

It’s a mix of joy and sadness every time I see Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger (in the fourth row, ninth and tenth from the right) nominated for Brokeback Mountain side by side.

The nominee for Best Costume Design, Sandy Powell (ninth from the right in the front row), who was there for “Mrs. Henderson Presents,” and Reese Witherspoon (eighth from the right in the front row), the winner of Best Actress for “Walk the Line,” standing side by side, brings to mind that Powell has never designed costumes for a film starring Witherspoon, which is unfortunate.

Finally, after a long wait, it was Martin Scorsese’s turn to receive an accolade! The initial favorite, Dreamgirls, fell short on nomination day following a year-long campaign filled with obvious Oscar ambitions. This paved the way for Scorsese to be recognized for The Departed, a film that initially wasn’t expected to contend for awards at all. Joining him were his nominated editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, (fourth from right in the third row), and supporting actor Mark Wahlberg (second from right in the back row). If Little Miss Sunshine could be held off, it seemed like smooth sailing for Scorsese to clinch the award.

In awe and admiration, I can’t help but marvel at the unstoppable force that was Helen Mirren (front row, 6th from right), playing the living Queen Elizabeth in “The Queen”. Her performance, an unrivaled masterpiece even against Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestley, reigned supreme throughout the entire season. The dwindling response to “Dreamgirls” couldn’t deter Jennifer Hudson’s (back row, 3rd from right) highly anticipated win for her remarkable portrayal of “And I Am Telling You (I’m Not Going)”. However, her brilliance cast a radiant glow that influenced her fellow frontrunner. Eddie Murphy (second row, 11th from left), who had swept the season’s precursor awards in his well-deserved comeback story, found himself facing a sudden surge of support for Alan Arkin (front row, far right) due to voter affection for “Sunshine”. Despite losing, Murphy chose to exit the ceremony entirely after the results were announced.

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In actuality, Leonardo DiCaprio wasn’t nominated for his leading role in the Best Picture winner “The Departed”; instead, he was recognized for his performance in “Blood Diamond”. However, this didn’t prevent him from joining forces with his “Departed” team: director Martin Scorsese (third row, third from right) and editor Thelma Schoonmaker (third row, fourth from right), who both went on to receive Oscars.

It’s not crucial that Melissa Etheridge (located in the back row, tenth from the right) and Steven Spielberg (in the back row, ninth from the right) were seated beside each other in the photograph, but it’s still worth mentioning. Melissa Etheridge won Best Original Song for “I Need to Wake Up” from the film An Inconvenient Truth, while Steven Spielberg produced Best Picture nominee Letters from Iwo Jima.

10-year-old Abigail Breslin (fourth from the right in the front row), who received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress due to her performance in “Little Miss Sunshine”, was seen exchanging friendly slaps (or high fives) with Leo during the luncheon.

The primary concern looming over the event was the persisting Writers Strike, which posed a significant risk of disrupting the Academy Awards. Notable writers and politically conscious celebrities such as George Clooney (second row, center, second to the left of the statue) and Michael Moore (fourth row, sixth from the right), among others, had expressed their intention to skip the Oscars if a resolution wasn’t found within the subsequent month. However, this luncheon was not viewed as crossing the picket line because it was more of a casual celebration rather than a scripted event.

Remarkably, every writer nominated for original and adapted screenplays attended, which is unusual for these types of functions. (Given their attendance, it’s hard not to highlight them all. The original screenplay nominees included winner Diablo Cody (fourth row, 12th from the right) for Juno; Nancy Oliver (third row, ninth from the right) for Lars and the Real Girl; Tony Gilroy (back row, 13th from the left) for Michael Clayton; Brad Bird (fourth row, eighth from the right), Jan Pinkava (third row, third from the left), and Jim Capobianco (fourth row, 13th from the left) for Ratatouille; and Tamara Jenkins (second row, fifth from the right) for The Savages. As for the adapted screenplay nominees, winners Joel Coen (fourth row, tenth from the right) and Ethan Coen (third row, ninth from the left) were recognized for No Country for Old Men; Christopher Hampton (front row, furthest right) for Atonement; Sarah Polley (front row, fifth from the left) for Away from Her; Ronald Harwood (front row, center, sitting on the statue) for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly; and Paul Thomas Anderson (third row, tenth from the left) for There Will Be Blood.)

The day’s other significant discussion point revolved around the most radiant star in the room – Elliot Page (positioned in the front row, second from the left). This talented individual was nominated for Best Actress, recognized for their captivating portrayal of a pregnant teenager in the surprise blockbuster film “Juno”. Thirteen years before openly identifying as transgender, Page had already masterfully navigated the more gender-specific queries that actresses (not actors) often face at such events regarding ‘what they’re wearing’. They skillfully diverted attention with humor, stating they repurposed their old prison uniform and learned to sew. George Clooney was asked about offering advice to the young star, commenting that Page was “too intelligent” for such guidance. It was reported that Page was particularly thrilled to encounter the legendary Sissy Spacek (unfortunately not present in the picture), who had come to support her husband, production designer Jack Fisk (positioned in the back row, center, third from the left of the statue), nominated for his work on “There Will Be Blood”.

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Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (located in the back row, 15th and 16th from the left), the nominees for Best Original Song, savored their unique moment associated with their independent film sensation, “Once.

In the group photo, Julian Schnabel (eighteenth from left in the back row), who was nominated for Best Director for “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” had the opportunity to reconnect with Javier Bardem (in front of Schnabel), who was a contender for Best Supporting Actor for “No Country for Old Men.” Schnabel had previously directed Bardem to his first Oscar nomination in the 2000 film “Before Night Falls.

During the 2008-2009 awards season, Kate Winslet found herself in a challenging situation with two major roles vying for recognition. She employed a strategic move often referred to as category fraud, although she appeared in the group photo only once during the luncheon. The role of April Wheeler in Revolutionary Road was undeniably a leading part, while the role of illiterate Nazi Hanna Schmitz in The Reader could have gone either way. And indeed, it did! At the Golden Globes, Winslet skillfully secured nominations for Lead Actress in Revolutionary Road and Supporting Actress in The Reader, a move that proved fruitful as she won in both categories. At the BAFTAs, she faced competition from herself, being nominated for Lead Actress for her performances in both films, ultimately taking home the award for The Reader. However, the Academy showed little appreciation for Revolutionary Road, which garnered a Supporting Actor nod for Michael Shannon and nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design, but no recognition for Winslet or her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio. This left Winslet’s performance in The Reader as her sole nomination. Despite this, the voters seemed unfazed and awarded her the win.

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Showcasing the Best Actor nominee for “The Wrestler,” the charismatic Mickey Rourke, donning a look that perfectly embodies his unique style while celebrating his recognition.

At the same time, Robert Downey Jr., who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the movie “Tropic Thunder,” was also having an exceptional year with his first appearance as Marvel’s Iron Man. Two years later, for the sequel, he would square off against a villain portrayed by none other than Mickey Rourke!

➼ The two actresses nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, namely Amy Adams and Viola Davis (seated seventh and eighth from the right in the third row), confidently declared, “We will add a splash of color to this otherwise dull scene.

In addition to Heath Ledger receiving the posthumous Best Supporting Actor award, Richard King (located fourth from the left in the back row) winning Best Sound Editing was the only victory for The Dark Knight. This film, along with its director Christopher Nolan, was often overlooked and perceived as being underappreciated in major categories.

It’s not always the case that new ideas for the Oscars are poor ones. The controversy over The Dark Knight‘s exclusion from Best Picture nominations led the Academy to increase the number of nominees in this category to ten. This was done with the hope that popular, mainstream movies would still have a chance to be recognized during the broadcast. In the first year of the expanded Best Picture field, films like The Blind Side, District 9, and Up were indeed included. The competition came down to two films that represented opposite ends of the commercial spectrum – on one hand, the record-breaking CGI epic Avatar, and on the other, the low-budget war drama The Hurt Locker. Interestingly enough, the directors of these films, James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow, were former spouses. Despite their public praise for each other, they were deliberately positioned as far apart as possible in the nominee photo – Cameron was placed in the top left corner with George Clooney, looking down, while Bigelow was near the bottom right corner, between The Hurt Locker‘s star Jeremy Renner and Morgan Freeman.

According to Cameron’s forecast, it was Bigelow who emerged victorious on Oscar night. The Hurt Locker, directed by Bigelow, clinched both Best Director and Best Picture awards, marking two significant milestones: Bigelow became the first female director to win the award, and The Hurt Locker established itself as the lowest-grossing Best Picture winner (when adjusted for inflation) in Academy history. This double victory served as a hint of what was to come at the Oscars over the following decade, during which the Academy grappled with striking a balance between recognition, relevance, and representation.

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In the row second from the front, Jason Reitman was nominated for the Best Director category for the movie “Up in the Air.” Interestingly, he and his renowned father, Ivan Reitman, who was also in the same row one place to Jason’s left, both received a Best Picture nomination as they were joint producers.

This year’s photo arrangement that sparks our dreams of a potential partnership features Lee Daniels (located fourth row, second from the left, nominated as Best Director for Precious) and Meryl Streep (also in the fourth row, third from the left, nominated as Best Actress for Julie & Julia).

As a cinephile, I can’t help but marvel at the unique pairing of this year’s Best Actor and Actress winners, Jeff Bridges (seated on the second row, all the way to the left) who delivered an outstanding performance in “Crazy Heart,” and Sandra Bullock (also on the second row, slightly to the right of Jeff) who was simply mesmerizing in “The Blind Side.” It’s quite remarkable to see these two extraordinary talents side by side in this assembly of cinematic greats. A first for the annals of film history, indeed!

The critically acclaimed film “The Fighter,” nominated for Best Picture, marked director David O. Russell’s third consecutive collaboration with Mark Wahlberg, excluding the film “Nailed” which was shelved for years and eventually released under a different title, “Accidental Love.” Known for creating dark comedies and often clashing with stars like George Clooney and Lily Tomlin, this film was a major breakthrough for Russell. Interestingly, all main cast members were nominated except Wahlberg; Christian Bale (not in the photo) and Melissa Leo (16th from left in the back row) ended up winning. Despite not being nominated, Wahlberg was a producer on the film, allowing him to attend the event and pose with Russell. However, their joyful moment in the limelight wouldn’t last as Russell later cast Bradley Cooper instead of Wahlberg for “Silver Linings Playbook,” reportedly straining their friendship.

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Christopher Nolan, positioned second from the left of the Oscar statuette, secured his initial Best Picture nomination with the film “Inception”, a recognition that came nine years following his first Oscar nod for scriptwriting in “Memento”.

At the event, the Best Actress winner Natalie Portman (standing slightly to the left of the Oscar statue for Black Swan) and Best Actor nominee Javier Bardem (positioned next to her in Biutiful) were seen enjoying a reunion. This duo previously starred together in the 2006 film, Goya’s Ghosts. If that title rings a bell, let me remind you: it was directed by Milos Forman, set during the Spanish Inquisition, and featured Natalie Portman portraying multiple characters. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, give it a watch!

In this scenario, we find nominees Jesse Eisenberg (fourth from the right in the fourth row) up for Best Actor in “The Social Network” and Mark Ruffalo (fourth from the right in the fifth row, recognized as Best Supporting Actor for “The Kids Are All Right”), who seemed to be already brainstorming their 2013 film collaboration, “Now You See Me.” During the event, Eisenberg humorously commented that it was reminiscent of Bar Mitzvah season: “It’s like going to a Bar Mitzvah every weekend—dressing up in suits and meeting lots of Jewish people.

2011 marked the breakout year for “The Help”. Despite its flaws, this movie deserves a lot of praise because it brought two incredibly gifted actresses, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, who might have been overlooked by Hollywood otherwise, into the limelight. Today, Davis and Spencer are among the most frequently nominated Black women in history, alongside costume designer Ruth E. Carter – Davis has garnered four nominations and one win, while Spencer and Carter each have three nominations. At the time this photograph was taken, the number of nominations held by Black women was significantly smaller. Standing side by side in this photo are Viola Davis and songwriter Siedah Garrett (both enjoying their second nominations), a feat that, among Black women, had previously been achieved only by Whoopi Goldberg, Sharen Davis, and Ruth E. Carter.

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➼ It’s often interesting to note that Martin Scorsese (fifth from right in the back row; Best Director nominee for Hugo) and Steven Spielberg (fourth from right in the back row; Best Picture nominee for War Horse) are seated next to each other. The New York Times reported that, at the time, Harvey Weinstein (not pictured) – who had not yet fallen from grace – would have welcomed Scorsese by jokingly asking, “Any plans for a sequel? Gangs 2?

As I scrutinize the bustling fourth row of this year’s awards ceremony, my eyes fall upon Jonah Hill, nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Moneyball, and Bret McKenzie, winner of Best Original Song for The Muppets. Although their on-screen roles might not have had them sharing a screen together, the camaraderie between these two, evident from their seating proximity (with Jonah just to Bret’s left), suggests that they undoubtedly enjoyed each other’s company off-screen as well, wouldn’t you agree?

This year’s exciting duo we’d be thrilled to see working together: Michelle Williams (fourteen spots from the end in the back row) who was nominated for Best Actress in ‘My Week with Marilyn’, and Aaron Sorkin (thirteen spots from the end in the back row), who received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for ‘Moneyball’.

➼ Greetings! Here are future “Thunder Force” co-stars Spencer (located in the back row, 11th from the right) and Melissa McCarthy (placed in the fifth row, fourth from the right; an Academy Award nominee for her role in “Bridesmaids”).

Terry George, a filmmaker prominently positioned next to a statue, is renowned for his Academy Award-nominated scripts for intense dramas like “Hotel Rwanda” and “In the Name of the Father”. However, he also shares an endearing and unique Oscar achievement with his daughter Oorlagh. At a recent luncheon, they both radiated warmth, and they are the only father-daughter pair to ever win an Oscar together, for their short film “The Shore” (2011).

In this rendition, the movie “Beasts of the Southern Wild” is likened to a small engine that overcomes challenges, and its young lead actress, Quvenzhané Wallis (seated in the front row, right in front of the statue), steals the spotlight. The 9-year-old prodigy surpassed the record set by Keisha Castle-Hughes less than a decade ago with “Whale Rider” as the youngest actress ever nominated for a leading role. Emmanuelle Riva (not shown), who was recognized for her work in “Amour“, became the oldest nominee at that time.

During this time, Kathryn Bigelow (located fourth row, second from right) made a comeback in the Oscars with the Best Picture nominee “Zero Dark Thirty,” although she missed out on a chance for another Best Director nomination as the film was entangled in controversy over its portrayal of torture. Megan Ellison (third row, second from right), Bigelow’s producer, earned her first nomination through her production company Annapurna Pictures, which would go on to produce several potential Oscar winners before experiencing financial difficulties in 2019 and eventually fading away. However, they are now recovering. Ellison was the one who financed the subsequent project of one of the major nominees in the room that night: David O. Russell (front row, far right) and his “Silver Linings Playbook” co-stars Jennifer Lawrence (back row, 14th from right) and Bradley Cooper (front row, center, to the right of the statue), with whom he collaborated on “American Hustle” in 2013. “Playbook” was a film that received nominations in all acting categories for the first time in over 30 years, with Lawrence taking home the win. In an unexpected moment, she wished a happy birthday to her fellow nominee Riva after her famous trip on the way to the stage.

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In this arrangement, we find Tim Burton (fifth row, eight from the left; director of Best Animated Feature nominee Frankenweenie), Amy Adams (fifth row, ninth from the left; Best Supporting Actress nominee for The Master), and Christoph Waltz (back row, eighth from the right; Best Supporting Actor winner for Django Unchained) just two years before they would work together, but unfortunately earned no Oscar nominations for their collaboration in Big Eyes!

The gathering united the potential Bruce Waynes and Lois Lanes of the Snyder-verse: Ben Affleck (in the back row, ninth from the left) was present, having later earned an Oscar for his role in Argo, which won the Best Picture award that year.

In the future, Anne Hathaway, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Les Misérables and was seen in the center two above the statue, and Jessica Chastain, a Best Actress nominee for Zero Dark Thirty positioned 13th from right in the third row, were each celebrating their second Oscar nominations.

In the year 2014, the Best Actress category at the Oscars boasted an unparalleled assemblage of talent. The nominees had a collective six statuettes among them: one for Cate Blanchett (fifteenth from right in the fifth row; nominated for Blue Jasmine), one for Sandra Bullock (second from the left in the back row; Gravity), one for Judi Dench (not pictured; Philomena), three for Meryl Streep (twelfth from right in the back row; August: Osage County) – and while Amy Adams (fifth from the left in the back row; American Hustle) hadn’t previously claimed a trophy, she entered the ceremony with five prior nominations. Interestingly, thanks to Meryl’s influence, the combined number of acting nominations among these five actresses amounted to an astounding 41. There was no fresh face or upstart contender; instead, the Best Actress nominees of 2014 symbolized enduring talent and longevity. Cate Blanchett was widely considered the front-runner for her performance in Blue Jasmine, donning a resplendent silver gown in anticipation of facing off against the gold coat worn by eventual Supporting Actor winner, Jared Leto (fourth row, center, third to the left of the statue) of Dallas Buyers Club. When Blanchett eventually took home the award, she joined an elite group of only 13 (at the time) living actors with multiple performance Oscars.

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Hey there! Guess who? It’s me, basking in the spotlight as Bono, sitting second row, farthest right. Thrilled to bits about my second Oscar nomination for co-writing a Best Original Song from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – what an incredible journey it’s been!

At the recent Grammy Awards, Pharrell Williams (seated fifteen spots from the right in the back row), who was nominated for Best Original Song with “Happy” from Despicable Me 2, garnered attention for his distinctive hat. This accessory made a reappearance among the nominees at the Oscars as well.

It’s puzzling as to why Spike Jonze (located in the third row, second from the left), the winner of the Best Original Screenplay for “Her”, opted to don a barn coat at the lunch event. To be frank, his choice was a bit perplexing due to work commitments.

This year at Hollywood, both Matthew McConaughey (located third row, seventh from the left) and Sandra Bullock, who had a romantic past after starring together in ‘A Time to Kill’ back in 1996, were present to share memories, or perhaps not.

In the photograph of this year’s luncheon, we see a diverse group including Oprah Winfrey (8th from left in the back row), Common (center 2nd to the right of the statue in the fifth row), and Isao Takahata (far right in the third row). However, the primary discussion about the 2015 Oscars focused on a significant absence – for the first time since 1998, all 20 acting nominations went to white actors. Notably, David Oyelowo was overlooked in the Best Actor category and Ava DuVernay missed out on a Director nomination for her Best Picture nominee, Selma. The film’s only other recognition was for Best Original Song. Regrettably, no women were nominated in any of the directing, screenwriting, or cinematography categories.

In an unfortunate turn of events, the Academy seemed overly enthusiastic and vocal about Clint Eastwood’s film, “American Sniper,” even nominating it for six Academy Awards, despite its controversial portrayal by many as racially insensitive and jingoistic. This assessment doesn’t even touch upon the film’s controversial use of a fake baby. The movie’s commercial success and popularity among conservative audiences highlighted a significant rift within Hollywood. The obvious disparities showcased at the 87th Academy Awards served as a catalyst, leading to the rise of the #OscarsSoWhite movement in the subsequent year.

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Right next to each other, the victors of Best Supporting Actor (J.K. Simmons, from Whiplash, fifth from the right in the fifth row) and Best Supporting Actress (Patricia Arquette, from Boyhood, fourth from the right in the fifth row) were likely discussing their strong chances of winning the award.

Three years have passed since the comedic romance “Crazy, Stupid Love” failed to generate any Oscar buzz, but that film’s star-studded family of Steve Carell (seated ninth from right in the back row; winner of Best Actor for “Foxcatcher”), Julianne Moore (far left in the back row; Best Actress recipient for “Still Alice”), and Emma Stone (third from right in the front row; nominated for Best Supporting Actress in “Birdman”) all found themselves recognized at this year’s awards ceremony. In a remarkable turn of events, Julianne Moore was crowned the winner in her category.

Oprah Winfrey, who is located eighth from the left in the back row, received a nomination as a producer for the Best Picture contender “Selma”. This marks her first Oscar competition since she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for “The Color Purple” way back in 1985.

➼ Could it be that the Best Actress nominee, Reese Witherspoon (fifth from the right in the second-last row), is making a particular expression? Perhaps it’s because she needs to sit two rows away from her Wild co-star and potential future Big Little Lies rival, Laura Dern (sixth from the left in the back row).

2015’s Oscars were filled with a variety of intriguing stories, such as Leonardo DiCaprio’s (fifth row, tenth from left) long-awaited Best Actor win, the David versus Goliath battle between Spotlight and The Revenant, and an #OscarsSoWhite controversy highlighted by The Weeknd (back row, sixth from left; Best Original Song nominee for Fifty Shades of Grey). In this group photo, he was the only black nominee. It was also a significant competition between cinematographers that year. Emmanuel Lubezki (back row, eighth from right; The Revenant) and Roger Deakins (back row, seventh from right; Sicario) represented an impressive 21 nominations and two wins combined. Lubezki was on the verge of making history with his third consecutive Best Cinematography Oscar win for The Revenant, having previously won for Gravity’s special effects and Birdman’s single-take. Deakins, unfortunately, lost this time around for Sicario but eventually won his first in 2017 for Blade Runner 2049 and again last year for his own single-take mastery in 1917.

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2016 marked the first time Lady Gaga received an Oscar nomination. This was for her collaboration with frequent Oscar event attendee Diane Warren on the song “Til It Happens to You” from The Hunting Ground. However, they ended up losing to a James Bond theme by Sam Smith. Somehow, that’s how it turned out.

➼ Actress nominated for Best Actress, Charlotte Rampling (seated, the seventh from the left; in “45 Years”), and nominee for Best Supporting Actor, Sylvester Stallone (in the back row, tenth from the right; in “Creed”) had acted together about four decades ago in a 1975 adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s novel, “Farewell, My Lovely”.

2017 saw the Oscars marred by the Best Picture controversy between “La La Land” and “Moonlight,” an incident that overshadows all other aspects of the ceremony. However, it was also a significant year for the Best Documentary Feature category. Notably, four Black filmmakers were represented: Ava DuVernay with “13th,” Ezra Edelman with “O.J.: Made in America,” Raoul Peck with “I Am Not Your Negro,” and Roger Ross Williams with “Life, Animated.” Among them, only Ava DuVernay did not attend the luncheon. The category also blurred the lines between film and television when “O.J.: Made in America” won, despite being a 467-minute epic that premiered at Sundance and was shown in theaters for the dedicated few. Most people, however, experienced it as a five-part series on TV or streaming platforms. This presentation, while breaking the record as the longest film to win an Oscar, marked its end. A few months later, the Academy introduced new rules, barring multi-part and limited series from the documentary category.

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Looks like a reunion for “The Help”! Nominees Emma Stone (fifth from the left, front row), Viola Davis (fourth from the right, fifth row), and Octavia Spencer (eighth from the left, first row) were all recognized. It’s worth noting that Stone and Davis winning together marked the first time since 2004 that actresses who previously worked together took home Oscars in the same year since Hilary Swank and Cate Blanchett did so for “The Gift.

This time around, Pharrell Williams (located to the left of the Oscar statue) received another nomination, specifically as a producer for the Best Picture-nominated movie “Hidden Figures”. Previously, he gained attention with his iconic hat, while this time he expressed admiration towards NASA and the Black women highlighted in his production.

In the photograph, Lion co-stars and nominees, specifically Nicole Kidman (located fifteen spots to the right in the fifth row) and Dev Patel (thirteen spots to his right in the same row), found themselves positioned next to Mel Gibson. However, one can only hope that they chose not to acknowledge him.

This year’s intriguing pair of actors we’d love to see together in a movie (ideally a romantic thriller) are Denzel Washington, who was nominated for Best Actor for his role in “Fences,” and Isabelle Huppert, nominated for Best Actress for her work in “Elle.” (Denzel is located in the fifth row, 11th from left; while Isabelle is positioned in the back row, ninth from left.)

Sound mixer Kevin O’Connell, who is sitting in the second row, center, to the right of the statue, made an expressive, anticipatory face in this photo, and finally ended his losing streak this year by winning an award for “Hacksaw Ridge.” He shared this honor with Peter Grace (not pictured), Robert Mackenzie, who is in the third row, 11th from the left, and Andy Wright, also in the third row, 10th from the left.

As a movie enthusiast, I’m reflecting on Casey Affleck’s demeanor at this year’s awards ceremony, specifically during the Best Actor category where he took home the prize for “Manchester by the Sea”. Rumors surrounding sexual harassment allegations swirled around him, allegations he vehemently denied but were settled out of court. While he appeared somewhat somber on stage, a behind-the-scenes photo published by the L.A. Times tells a different story. In this image, seventh from the bottom, we see him beaming with delight as he warmly embraces and kisses Spencer, who also attended the ceremony. Interestingly, Casey was victorious in his category, whereas Spencer fell short in hers.

Initially, Tiffany Haddish, a potential contender for the 2017 Oscar’s best supporting actress category due to her performance in “Girls Trip,” was conspicuously absent. The media’s initial optimism about her chances seemed plausible as the nominations approached, despite her missing out on several precursors. If Melissa McCarthy received recognition for her role in “Bridesmaids,” it seemed fair that Haddish should too. Regrettably, Universal Pictures focused their campaign efforts on “Get Out,” another blockbuster that unexpectedly became an awards contender. Fortunately for them, that strategy proved successful as Jordan Peele (sitting fifth row, ninth from right) and Greta Gerwig (back row, twelfth from right) emerged as crossover successes. Peele’s directorial debut in “Get Out” earned him a notable achievement, while Gerwig’s first film, “Lady Bird,” made her the fifth female Best Director nominee in Oscar history. Notably, at the Golden Globes that January, Gerwig’s friend Natalie Portman drew attention to the all-male nominees in the directing category.

In this image, Greta Gerwig is flanked by her future co-star from Little Women, Meryl Streep (in the back row, 12th from the right), and documentarian JR (also in the back row, 10th from the right), both of them holding a large cardboard cutout of Agnès Varda whom they were jointly nominated with for Best Documentary Feature for Faces Places. A few rows ahead, Timothée Chalamet was standing (third row, 4th to the right of a statue), having been catapulted to stardom after a series of hits including Call Me by Your Name, Lady Bird, and his famous jawline. Scattered throughout, you’ll find Mary J. Blige (back row, 2nd from the left), who made history as Netflix’s first acting nominee during a time when streaming services were still aspiring for Hollywood prestige. Additionally, Blige was the first person to be nominated for both an acting performance and Best Original Song in the same year.

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This year, Kobe Bryant (located to the right of the Oscar statue) shared an Oscar win with animator Glenn Keane for the animated short film “Dear Basketball.” As noted at a luncheon, it was evident that some people are simply movie stars, but then there are true luminaries. Everyone in the room aspired to take a photo with Kobe Bryant, even the other well-known actors present.

This group of three movie directors is particularly impressive: Steven Spielberg (seated seventh from the right in the back row) who produced Best Picture nominee “The Post,” Luca Guadagnino (sixth from the right in the back row), producer of another Best Picture nominee “Call Me By Your Name,” and Peele. During lunch, however, Spielberg made a point to sit next to Greta Gerwig, as he shared with Vanity Fair. In a jovial mood, he and del Toro even managed to snap a selfie with her.

Make sure to focus on Emily V. Gordon (seated second from the left in the second row), who added a refreshing burst of color to the scene as a nominee for Best Original Screenplay for the film The Big Sick.

2019 saw the Oscars facing an unusual string of challenges. Initially, the Academy proposed a new award for ‘popular films,’ which stirred up so much controversy that it was eventually withdrawn. Later, the lack of a host announcement persisted for months, with the Academy admitting difficulty in finding someone willing to take on the role. This was swiftly followed by the revelation that Kevin Hart would host, but a PR storm over his past anti-gay humor resulted in him stepping down and the show proceeding without a host. The awards ceremony itself remained contentious. Green Book, the most divisive film of the season, was a buddy comedy starring Mahershala Ali (10th from left in the 3rd row) as a gay Black pianist and Viggo Mortensen (5th from right in the front row) as his white working-class chauffeur. Opinions varied widely on this film, with some viewing it as an uplifting tale of overcoming differences and others seeing it as outdated and insensitive. The film sparked controversy throughout the fall: Mortensen used a racial slur during a Q&A, and the real pianist’s family stated they had not been consulted about the movie.

The sensational stories about Farrelly’s past actions on movie sets and Vallelonga’s controversial tweets didn’t affect the success of Green Book at awards ceremonies. In fact, these controversies might have even bolstered the film’s popularity, as it won multiple awards including Best Picture at the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. The victories for Green Book seemed to overshadow its competitors like Moonlight, making the two-year-old win for Moonlight seem distant in comparison.

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In this photograph, Sam Elliott (located fifteen spots to the left in the back row; nominated for Best Supporting Actor in ‘A Star Is Born’) appears toweringly tall, almost as if he’s eight feet high. Barry Jenkins (stationed directly to Elliott’s right; nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’), on the other hand, doesn’t seem nearly as imposing.

Diane Warren, seated third row fifth from the left (Best Original Song nominee for “I’ll Fight” from RBG), is tasked with composing a song for Willem Dafoe, sitting third row fourth from the left (Best Actor nominee for At Eternity’s Gate).

Diane Warren, who’s seated fifth from the left in the third row (nominated for Best Original Song for “I’ll Fight” from RBG), is asked to write a song for Willem Dafoe, who’s also seated fourth from the left in the third row (nominated for Best Actor for At Eternity’s Gate).

In the spirit of their recent award-winning achievements, filmmakers Spike Lee and Ruth E. Carter, along with Best Supporting Actress nominee Rachel Weisz, are set to collaborate on an intriguing cinematic venture. Spike Lee, winner of the Best Adapted Screenplay for BlacKkKlansman, is positioned 14th from right in the back row, while Ruth E. Carter, victor of the Best Costume Design for Black Panther, stands to his right. Rachel Weisz, nominated for her role in The Favourite, can be found in front of Spike Lee.

At this lunch gathering, Vanity Fair observed Lee engaging in an animated, spontaneous conversation with Bradley Cooper (located in the back row, seventh from left, two places to the right of Lady Gaga, for A Star Is Born). The pair were making passionate hand gestures and “Lee took off his glasses during the exchange to focus intently on Cooper.” Interestingly, just two days prior, at a Directors Guild event, Cooper surprised Lee by disclosing that he had auditioned for a role in one of Lee’s projects years ago when he was relatively unknown.

In the New York Times, Glenn Close (third from the left on the top row) was spotted laughing it up with Sam Elliott (center, to the left of the statue), who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in A Star Is Born and is rumored to be “my husband in another life,” according to Glenn.

It’s impossible not to be charmed by the presence of Sandy Powell (second row, 13th from right), costume designer for ‘The Irishman’, and Kathy Bates (second row, 12th from right), Best Supporting Actress nominee for ‘Richard Jewell’, standing front and center in this photograph, resembling time travelers eager to embark on a quest, much like Bill and Ted’s companions (Taika Waititi, fourth row, 11th from right; from ‘Jojo Rabbit’), and Bong Joon-ho (fourth row, tenth from right); from ‘Parasite’). The Oscar luncheon of the class of 2019 appears chaotic and bustling compared to the one in 1984, and this may be due to the increased significance attached to Oscar campaigns. In 1984, there were many acting category absentees. However, in 2019, it seems that one might require a medical certificate to miss this crucial event on the campaign trail. The nominees’ luncheon not only serves as an opportunity for Hollywood’s elite to socialize and exchange accessories, but also offers one of the final chances for Oscar nominees to secure positive publicity before the big night.

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Robert De Niro (located fourth row, to the left of center statue and fifth from the center), despite not receiving a nomination for his leading role in “The Irishman”, is present as one of the film’s producers, which might explain his sidelong glance towards someone.

Quentin Tarantino, seated on the fourth row, slightly to the left of the central statue, chose to honor his third Best Director nomination for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” by donning a bowling shirt.

Perhaps, the songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (seated fifth row, center) were already two-time winners of the Best Original Song award prior to their 2019 nomination for Frozen II, which could explain why they appear as if they are emissaries of goodwill to the Oscars Nation in this photograph, with their hands clasped together.

As a devoted cinephile, I find myself right smack dab in the fifth row, 14th from the right, eagerly waiting for the day the Academy bestows the Best Actress title upon me – a role I’ve been embodying since my career’s inception over nearly four decades. With Everything Everywhere All at Once marking my 25th year in Hollywood, I continue to exude grace, although the long-awaited acknowledgment from the American film industry’s elite has yet to arrive.

In the same row, Angela Bassett (14th from the left) offers a shy smile, perhaps feeling a tad awkward sandwiched between Tom Cruise (15th from the left), a four-time nominee who radiates pride. To my far right, Guillermo del Toro (1st from the right) strikes a pose reminiscent of a child at a mall photo studio, pondering ways to liberate animation from its genre constraints and elevate it to the major leagues.

This group photograph bears an uncanny resemblance to a senior-year class portrait taken in a high school auditorium – a diverse array of faces, polite smiles ready to conquer new challenges, all while reminding us that this gathering represents a significant slice of the film industry. Here’s hoping they all remember to take their photo-day slip home, so their parents can order those wallet-size prints that gather dust in the family basement filing cabinet as a testament to their enduring legacy.

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For the first time, fresh nominees Brian Tyree Henry (for Best Supporting Actor in “Causeway”) and Stephanie Hsu (for Best Supporting Actress in “Everything Everywhere”) find themselves seated alongside 14-time nominee and song composer Diane Warren (nominated for “Applause”), creating an intriguing group of newcomers and veterans on the right side of the back row.

➼ Newcomers Paul Mescal and Ke Huy Quan claimed spots among the gathering – Paul Mescal, Best Actor nominee for ‘Aftersun’, and Ke Huy Quan, Best Supporting Actor nominee for ‘Everything Everywhere’. They settled down slightly to their left, with Paul adopting a somewhat innocent posture despite his bare-chested collarless attire, and Ke Huy Quan flashing a warm smile.

In the back row, third from the left, Cate Blanchett stands tall. Her storied career already etched in Oscars lore with ten appearances as a Best Picture nominee, eight nods, and two victories, today she graces us with her presence for her recognition as Best Actress contender in ‘Tár’.

Andrea Riseborough was conspicuously missing from the event. She gained recognition for her contentious Best Actress nomination for her role in “To Leslie”, but unfortunately had to skip the gathering because of her filming commitments, as confirmed by her representatives.

From now on, this year will be referred to as “The Year of the Sneeze.” The 2024 portrait’s most striking element is attributed to Best Original Screenplay nominee Arthur Harari (second row from the top, eighth from left; Anatomy of a Fall). He appears to be sneezing or laughing, and the ripple effect across the image is delightful to explore. The film Anatomy of a Sneeze is gaining popularity. To the right, slightly up, is Best Adapted Screenplay nominee Greta Gerwig (top row, 12th from left; Barbie), who sports a fake smile that seems to say “I wasn’t nominated for Best Director again,” and eyes focused on Harari. Next to her is the Best Actor nominee for The Holdovers, Paul Giamatti, trying hard not to laugh. On Harari’s other side is the production designer for Poor Things, Shona Heath (second row from the top, sixth from left), who is fully laughing. This yearly photo shoot usually doesn’t have a standout image, but the best one for 2024 happens to be the one with a sneeze. It’s an easy photo to analyze as the nominees weren’t positioned in a semi-circle this time and are instead arranged in straight lines, making it feel like a school picture day.

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In the second and third spots from the right in the top row, nominees Sterling K. Brown for American Fiction and Diane Warren for Flamin’ Hot were captured posing side by side. Interestingly, these two have collaborated just once before, on the 2017 film Marshall. However, it appears that Brown moved positions to stand next to Warren, creating an unexpected bond reminiscent of unique animal friendships.

In the photo, director Martin Scorsese (third from the right in the bottom row) is surrounded by a group of influential women, including Best Actress nominee Lily Gladstone (fourth from the right in the bottom row) and Best Supporting Actress nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph (second from the right in the bottom row). A Martin Scorsese film with these talented actresses could be incredibly impactful, reminiscent of his work on “Kill Bill.

Robert Downey Jr., portraying Oppenheimer in the bottom row, first from the left, is the anticipated victor for Best Supporting Actor. However, he maintains a serious demeanor amidst the most illustrious phase of his career, refraining from smiling.

This photograph, surprisingly, wasn’t captured at the 2025 Oscar nominees luncheon, which was canceled on January 13 due to L.A.’s wildfires. Instead, it was taken during an Academy-hosted cocktail party and dinner held at the Academy Museum on February 25. Notably absent from this image is Karla Sofía Gascón, who was nominated for her performance in Emilia Pérez and became the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for an acting Oscar. However, she won’t be seen at any events prior to the awards ceremony due to a controversy surrounding her old, offensive tweets that resurfaced after the nominations were announced. Despite this, her co-star Zoë Saldaña (seated in the bottom row, seventh from the left) has been making waves, winning Supporting Actress categories at various award shows and maintaining her momentum towards a win at the Oscars.

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Timothée Chalamet, nominated for Best Actor a second time for the film “A Complete Unknown,” is seated as distant as possible from Ted Caplan, the film’s sound designer, in the third row from the top, with Timothée on the left and Ted on the right.

In the upper tier of the Best Actor category, there seems to be a group consisting of Adrien Brody, Colman Domingo, and Sebastian Stan (placed fifth, sixth, and seventh from the left respectively). One might ponder if they are excluding Timothée Chalamet, given their close proximity.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, both recently nominated for the initial phase of “Wicked” (seated, tenth and eleventh from left), are undeniably together in this picture and naturally drawing all eyes. Isn’t it only fitting for these captivating personalities to command attention?

76-year-old Edward Lachman (located in the bottom row, second from the right) rejoiced over his fourth Academy Award nomination for the film “Maria.” In the photo, he can be seen wearing a large hat that conceals his eyes completely. Unfortunately, the image does not show his eyes.

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2025-02-27 03:14