2025 Oscar Nominees Class Photo: Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet and 170 Others Gather for a Night at the Museum

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172 nominees from this year’s Oscars, including Timothée Chalamet (nominated for best actor in “A Complete Unknown”), Demi Moore (best actress nomination for “The Substance”), Denis Villeneuve (up for best adapted screenplay for “Dune: Part Two”), and Brandi Carlile (contending for best original song for “Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”), were not among those who received an award. However, they still gathered at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening for a unique museum experience. Notable absentees included Kieran Culkin (nominated for best supporting actor in “A Real Pain”), Karla Sofía Gascón (best actress nominee for “Emilia Pérez”), and Guy Pearce (contending for best supporting actor in “The Brutalist”).

Instead of their usual Oscar Nominees Luncheon, which had to be scrapped due to this year’s LA wildfires, the Academy chose to organize a special event known as “The Oscar Nominees Dinner,” only five days before the 97th Academy Awards.

This way, we maintain the essence of the original statement but make it more conversational and easier for the reader to understand.

Upon arriving on Tuesday, nominees were guided into a room adjacent to the museum’s Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby. Here, they had an opportunity to snap a photo with Academy president Janet Yang, followed by posing for media outlets in front of a backdrop for repeated use. Subsequently, they casually walked towards a part of the lobby where a row of tables for dinner awaited, which was situated in front of it. Here, they socialized over cocktails with one another, as well as Academy CEO Bill Kramer, Academy Museum director Amy Homma, and members of the Academy’s governing board.

Among the guests, some had attended numerous Oscar gatherings in the past – for instance, Diane Warren, nominated for her 16th original song award for “The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight,” has been here before, 37 years after receiving her first nomination. In contrast, others were first-timers, including four of the five best supporting actress nominees: Isabella Rossellini (from “Conclave”), Zoe Saldaña (in “Emilia Pérez”), Ariana Grande (for “Wicked”) and Monica Barbaro (from “A Complete Unknown”).

A significant number of the nominees had not previously crossed paths. Additionally, there were encounters between long-time friends and associates in the group – for instance, the nominated producers Marc Platt (from Wicked) and Fred Berger (A Complete Unknown), who had jointly won a best picture Oscar eight years prior for La La Land, only to experience chaos on stage during the awards ceremony.

The majority of the nominees appeared to be based in their local areas, yet a number of them had traveled considerable distances to attend this gathering and various pre-Oscar events, as well as the Oscars itself. Representing these globetrotters were: Ralph Fiennes (best actor for “Conclave”), hailing from the U.K.; Fernanda Torres (best actress for “I’m Still Here”), representing Brazil; and Slava Leontyev (best documentary feature for “Porcelain War”), who has been serving in the Ukrainian military during their conflict with Russia, and thus traveled to the event from Ukraine.

The Academy requires that only one individual can represent a group of joint winners, hence the challenging choices being made currently. For instance, the potential winners for the Best Makeup/Hairstyling category from “The Substance“, Pierre-Oliver Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarselli – who are highly anticipated to win – have assigned Persin to speak on their behalf if they should be so fortunate. Some nominees have admitted to preparing speeches in case things go their way. “I feel foolish,” Conclave producer Michael A. Jackman confessed, “but I don’t want to appear foolish!

After some time, I was escorted up a grand staircase into a theater that looked like the Death Star, or at least its twin – the David Geffen Theatre. Once inside, I settled into one of the plush-red seats and listened as Yang gave a quick pep talk about making the most of our 45 seconds on stage if we were to win. Then, we all gathered for this year’s group photo, which was traditionally taken on the bleachers in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton. As a gamer, I felt like I was about to level up and step onto the stage.

As a passionate admirer, I found myself in awe when the Best Original Screenplay nominee, RaMell Ross (for “Nickel Boys”), playfully rose to his feet moments before the flash of several cameras. The charismatic Best Actress nominee, Cynthia Erivo (from “Wicked”), seated beside her colleague, energetically cheered before one shot, urging everyone to shout, “Oscar nominee!”. And then, after the arrival of another deserving nominee, James Mangold (for “A Completed Unknown”), in the categories of Best Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay, we couldn’t help but repeat the excitement all over again.

After securing the snaps, we all made our way back down to catch a scrumptious dinner, whipped up by none other than the legendary Wolfgang Puck himself. The spread included mouthwatering New York steak, succulent roasted salmon, pan-roasted jidori chicken, and black pepper gnocchi cacio e pepe served family style. With a handful of press in attendance, they eventually called it a night, leaving us to savor the culinary masterpiece.

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2025-02-26 08:24