Oscar nominees luncheon, where for a moment competition was put aside

Nearly all of the 230 people up for Oscars across 24 categories gathered on Tuesday for the Academy Award nominees luncheon, an event that functions as a celebration, group portrait session and orientation for next month’s big ceremony.

Nominees including Jessie Buckley, Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio and Emma Stone sat for lunch and stood for a class photo alongside nominees for awards including best animated short and the newly created casting Oscar. The ballroom at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, was especially full of nominees for “Sinners,” the most nominated film of all time, including star Michael B. Jordan and director Ryan Coogler.

Lynette Howell Taylor, elected in July as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, made her first address to Oscar nominees, and gave them a set of instructions on how to handle their acceptance speeches if they win. “Be prepared,” she said. “Don’t say you didn’t expect it. You have a one in five chance of winning.”

Leonardo Dicaprio.

She urged winners to “make it heartfelt,” not to try to thank everyone they can think of, pick one person to speak for a group of victors and hold speeches to 45 seconds. The luncheon is a relatively egalitarian affair where big names mix with small ones and veteran nominees stand for photos with first-timers.

Craig Renaud, nominated for best documentary short for “Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud,” got to chat with DiCaprio, up for best actor for “One Battle After Another,” at the tables before the group photo.

The roll call where every nominee in attendance is summoned to the stage, is the centerpiece of the gathering. It feels much like the names being read off at a high school graduation. (Nominees even get a certificate on departure that looks like a diploma. “Woo-hoo!” best supporting actress nominee Elle Fanning said when handed hers on her way out, and asked for a photo with it.)

Emma Stone.

This year’s roll call, read by actor and Academy Board of Governors member Lou Diamond Phillips, began with Delroy Lindo, up for best supporting actor for “Sinners,” and ended with Teyana Taylor, up for best supporting actress for its biggest competitor, “One Battle After Another.”

Steven Spielberg, nominated for best picture as a producer of “Hamnet,” chatted in the lobby with “One Battle” best director nominee Paul Thomas Anderson.

Spielberg took a photo of Anderson leaning on an Oscar statue. Chloé Zhao, up for her second best director Oscar for “Hamnet,” hugged former academy president Janet Yang. Jacob Elordi, who stands 6-foot-5, embraced the nearly as tall director of Sirât, Oliver Laxe, near the entrance and attracted the attention of most of the cameras in the room. Elordi is up for best supporting actor for “Frankenstein” and “Sirât” is up for best international feature. Academy members from 88 countries voted for the nominees.

Kate Hudson, a best actress nominee for “Song Sung Blue,” was among the first spotted in the lobby, returning to the Oscars after 25 years since her breakthrough nomination for “Almost Famous.”

When Jessie Buckley entered the room, she lit it up with her smile, celebrating her first best actress nomination for “Hamnet.” She was previously nominated in supporting actress for “The Lost Daughter.” Buckley shared a tender moment with fellow best actress nominee Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”), the two embracing and exchanging compliments on each other’s work.

Elle Fanning. Photos: Agencies

“Hamnet” writer and director Chloé Zhao moved easily through the room, happy and animated. Elle Fanning was also on hand, savoring her first Oscar nomination for “Sentimental Value.” EJAE, the singer-songwriter behind “Golden” from the Netflix hit “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” was a lively presence, chatting with numerous nominees, including Emma Stone. The two paused for a photo together.

Amy Madigan, nominated for “Weapons,” drew attention as she entered the room. It was her first nomination since the 1980s, and the energy around her felt markedly different this time. Past Oscar nominees were also in attendance as guests, including “Mudbound” (2017) screenwriter Virgil Williams, who was seen exchanging numbers with Diane Warren after she encouraged him to call her when he directs his next project. Williams was later spotted chatting with Teyana Taylor, a supporting actress nominee for “One Battle After Another.”

Agencies