Vanity Fair Oscar Party: Kardashians, fat-jabs and sparkling gowns rule red carpet
Stars flocked to the annual Vanity Fair after party after the 97th Academy Awards
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Oscars' weirdest secrets from seating plan rules to oxygen warning
Hollywood's finest including Demi Moore, Timothee Chalamet, Al Pacino and Michael Keaton will gather inside Hollywood's Dolby Theatre for the Oscars 2025
đ Click Here to read in detail đ
Grab the popcorn! The most glittering event in the Hollywood calendar is finally here. The 96th Academy Awards takes place this Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in the heart of Tinsel Town.
A-listers attending include Adrien Brody, Demi Moore, Cynthia Erivo, Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton and Guy Pearce - and those are just the nominees.
So you can imagine, assigning good seats for all those in contention as well as Hollywood old timers and the stars giving out award on the night can be tricky for organisers
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, there's a long-standing pecking order when it comes to the Oscars seating arrangement. The most recognisable faces occupy the first few rows, while nominees in the more prestigious categories are usually positioned near the aisles or right at the front.
The Dolby Theatre allocates a significant portion of its 3,300 seat to influential Academy members and industry bigwigs but as the show is televised it is vital they fill the front row with recognisable faces so viewers get their money's worth including shots of celebrities laughing or grimacing at jokes during the ceremony.
Demi Moore is guaranteed a front row seat (Image:
AFP via Getty Images) Oscar nominee Timothee Chalamet will not be hidden at the back (Image:
AFP via Getty Images)"Maintaining clear camera shots is crucial to capturing real-time reactions to the big reveal of who wins in each category, and the best way to ensure this is strategic seating." Evan Nierman, CEO of global PR firm Red Banyon told Newsweek.
Movie studio executives who put the stars on screen also get designated seating close to the front.
And those who are nominated in the crafts categories which includes costume, sound, or production design are seated further back meaning it takes them much longer to get to the stage.
This year the show is presented by Conan O' Brien.
Otto Spoerri, the Oscars' seating maestro for over two decade before his death in 2008, once provided insights to The Record, a New Jersey newspaper, in 2001, about the crucial role of strategic seat placement in ensuring a seamless show. "Every second counts," he explained, emphasizing the importance of swift winner transitions to avoid on-air meltdowns from producers.
In a 2002 National Public Radio interviewâthe same year he decided to step downâSpoerri admitted to his own version of forecasting the victors. "We try to play our own little guessing game as to who might be the winner and try to put them on an aisle," he revealed, shedding light on the behind-the-scenes planning that went into staging Hollywood's most glamorous night.
Each of the 200 nominees have two tickets each and the opportunity to request an additional pair (enough to accommodate a star wishing to bring their partner, parents, and agent) - so they will take around 800 tickets
2025 Oscar nominee Adrien Brody kissed presenter Halle Berry after accepting his Oscar "The Pianist" in 2003. (Image:
AFP)Presenters and hosts each are also usually given a pair of tickets.
There are also blocks of seating reserved for ABC which broadcasts the show, TV sponsors, Hollywood's local politicians, Academy Museum Of Motion Pictures donors, accountants, the media, and the production and legal teams.
Aside from the nominees and the eventual winners, another group of people play a crucial if humble role in the Oscars - the seat-fillers.
Those who are given this unpaid job have to fill in the gaps ensuring the venue looks packed to viewers at home including anytime a guest goes to the toilet.
The 2025 Oscars ceremony airs this Sunday 2 MarchPerhaps a little unglamorous but being surrounded by big stars - and finding yourself seated next to Brad Pitt - albeit for five minutes - might make it one of the most coveted gigs in LA.
However as with everything in LA - you have to know the right people. Generally the 300 seat fillers present at the ceremony are either Academy or ABC employees, or have connections with those organisations.
In order to distinguish themselves from the other guests that evening, seat fillers who are also dressed in their finest to blend in - have to wear a badge that says, âI am temporarily filling this seat for camera purposes,â which they remove when sitting down.
All eyes will be on the celebrities in attendance. Pictured here is Cillian Murphy and Kylie Jenner who will be a guest on Sunday with Oscar nominee boyfriend Timothee Chalemet (Image:
Twitter)Maya Tribbett a former seat filler, reveals that although Hollywood's unsung seat filling heroes must look like they belong - they must not stand out. " No sparkles, no short dresses, no bright colours or white. Basically donât stand out," she told Metro in 2020. "We were there a few hours before the show started and we were told not to talk to anyone or take pictures. But as soon as we got into the theatre everyone sneakily took pictures."
Selfies a big no no but Maya's recalls a seat filler getting a sneaky selfie with White Lotus star Connie Britton and Hollywood legend Jeff Daniels.
For A listers the selfie rule is of course relaxed. As Oscars producers are guaranteed that that impromptu pics of the night can go viral - giving the event brilliant PR coverage.
Who can forget the epic selfie of 2014 starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt who was then happily married and pictured next to Angelina Jolie.
Once seated, seat fillers are on the lookout for when the seatsâ proper owner is returning.
Mistakes can occur - one year two seat fillers were assigned to one seat, and the other seat filler got there first. She was stranded in the middle of an aisle while the lights were going on: âI had to drop, and I happened to drop on Robin Williamsâ feet. thought was the funniest thing he had ever seen."
And confusion can arise. Maya reveals: "Some people didnât understand and told us not to sit next to them because their spouse was on their way back."
There can be perks - two seat fillers one year were invited to an after party by Harry Connick Junior.
At the theatre's three mezzanine levels, the less than A list attendees are just thrilled to be invited. They are comprised of some of the nearly 10,000 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who vie for tickets through annual lotteries
One academy member quipped to the Times that those in the mezzanine need to "be OK with the thinner oxygen."
Meanwhile closer to earth - on the main level organisers have to ensure there are no awkward encounters.
After all Hollywood is rife with relationships that start on set and then crash and burn. No one wants to be seated anywhere near their ex - as seating guru Otto would testify to.
He learned the hard way back in the mid-1980s, when he gave an actress known for her temper a seat too close to an actor who had recently dumped her.
"I figured out not to do that anymore," he told The Record years after the faux pas. "That was early on in my career. Now, I keep up with what's happening."
Nierman told Newsweek that much thought "goes into creating distance between performers who don't get along or have past romantic involvement, helping avoid any awkward or unpleasant encounters."
Another seating issue is that as it is very common for stars of the same movie to be sitting together to represent a specific film nominated at the Oscars.
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage in 2022 (Image:
Getty Images)It gets political when you have actors like Matt Damon or Robert Downey Jr. who are in the film Oppenheimer, and then also in another separate film nominated that year, says writer and director Stefano Da FrĂš, speaking to Newsweek.
He likens is to High School behavior: "Their choice of where to sit is highly political. Just like in high school, it means a lot to sit next to the team, and company, you publicly show your allegiance to. Some things haven't changed that much, just like being in high school. It's part popularity and part politics, all under the surveillance of the public scrutiny."
And the scrutiny is huge as we recall when Will Smith slapped host Chris Rock on stage in 2022. This lead to a ten year Academy events ban for Oscar winner Wlll. So it pays for to be on your best behavior if you want to be invited again.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(717x306:719x308)/lauren-sanchez-jeff-bezos-vanity-fair-oscar-party-030325-1-89a9c927838c453eb61a1e31219e3478.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(717x306:719x308)/lauren-sanchez-jeff-bezos-vanity-fair-oscar-party-030325-1-89a9c927838c453eb61a1e31219e3478.jpg&description=Lauren SĂĄnchez and Jeff Bezos Give Bride and Groom Vibes at 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party â See Her Eye Popping Gown Lauren SĂĄnchez and Jeff Bezos gave off bride and groom vibes at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in a strapless white gown with a feathered hem and train and a black tuxedo with a white bow tie. %23vanityfair)
