Every year, before Hollywood’s biggest night, Academy Award nominees are invited to a special lunch party.
It’s an annual tradition, the unofficial start of the countdown to the ceremony, with the stars mingling, eating a fancy meal, having their photos taken, and generally getting to know each other before the big night – kind of like a big Oscars do hen or stag, without the fancy dress and budget airline flights.
Tom Cruisecelebrating a best picture nomination for his return to Top Gun, among the stars in attendance, along with 182 nominees including Bill Nighy, Colin Farrell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Angela BassettBrendan Fraser, Austin Butler and many more.
The luncheon, held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, is an opportunity to highlight the work of some of the lesser-known nominees, including those who worked behind the scenes on this year’s biggest film contenders.
Here are some of the photos from the glitzy shindig.
Everyone wants a little cruise
Nobody wants a boring portrait
The Irish Consortium
A big year for newly nominated people
And the accessories award goes to…
This year’s Oscar ceremony will take place on Sunday 12 March. Madcap multiverse sc-fi Everything Everywhere All At Once and dark comedy The Banshees Of Inisherin are favorites to win the best picture award, with Top Gun: Maverick, The Fabelmans, All Quiet On The Western Front, Come, Elvis, Avatar: The Return to Water, Women Talking and Triantán Brónach also in the running.
Last year’s event saw best actor winner Will Smith upstage comedian Chris Rock – an “unprecedented” incident which Academy president Janet Yang addressed at the lunch, saying it was the organization’s response is “inadequate”.
Read more about the Oscars:
Why the British star’s nod sparked controversy
Full list of nominees
Blockbusters, first timers and snubs – all the talking points this year
She said the organization had learned from what happened, telling attendees that the Academy “must be fully transparent and accountable in our actions, and especially in times of crisis we must act quickly and mercifully and decisively for ourselves and our industry. and no less can be expected from us in the future”.
Surely everyone will be on their best behavior this year, no?
You can watch the Oscars exclusively on Sky Showcase on Sunday 12 March from midnight. Sky News will be live on the red carpet at the ceremony in Hollywood on Sunday 12 and live with the winners at the Vanity Fair Breakfast with Kay Burley party on Monday 13 March