Following last month's Oscar nominations announcement and ahead of next month's Oscars ceremony, the nominees gathered for a luncheon. This year's Oscar Nominees Luncheon was held at The Beverly Hilton hotel on Monday, Feb. 12. The event, as is tradition, culminated with the annual "class photo." Nominees were called to the stage, one by one, to assemble for a group shot of the individuals behind the cinematic excellence that will be celebrated at the 96th Oscars.
"May today's celebration add to the excitement you felt when your name was called on January 23rd," Academy President Janet Yang said in her welcome remarks. "I hope you've each taken time over the past few weeks to reflect on your achievements and absorb the feeling of being a part of this esteemed class of filmmakers. It might sound cliché, but it's true: To receive a nomination is an honor of the highest order, particularly because you were nominated by your distinguished peers."
She continued, "This year, ballots were cast by Academy members around the world — from 93 countries, to be exact — and when I look around this ballroom, I can see how much that has contributed to such an incredibly talented global roster of nominees."
Behold, the 96th Oscars nominee class photo:
You can click here to zoom in on the photo.
If you look to the left side of the stage, you'll see a La La Land reunion, of sorts, with Emma Stone standing in front of Ryan Gosling. Stone's Poor Things director, Yorgos Lanthimos, is to her left, just past Barbie producer Tom Ackerley. Towards the front of the photo, you can spot Anatomy of a Fall filmmaker Justine Triet, American Fiction filmmaker Cord Jefferson, and Maestro writer, director, producer and star Bradley Cooper.
Front row center is Perfect Days director Wim Wenders and Oppenheimer filmmaker Christopher Nolan, who are bookended by Robert Downey Jr. and Lily Gladstone. A few rows back, you'll find Margot Robbie, who is next to Io Capitano director Matteo Garrone and just below her Barbie director, Greta Gerwig. Gerwig shares the back row with the likes of Annette Bening, Mark Ronson and Colman Domingo.
At the right side of the stage, the front row rounds out with Killers of the Flower Moon director Martin Scorsese, The Holdovers star Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and El Conde cinematographer Edward Lachman. If you look to the top, you'll find first-time nominee Emily Blunt, nearby Finneas and Billie Eilish, Past Lives filmmaker Celine Song, and Maestro star Carey Mulligan. At the very top, next to the Oscar statue, American Fiction star Sterling K. Brown poses with Diane Warren.
Want an inside look at what goes into this photo? Below, watch producer and Academy governor DeVon Franklin announce the official nominees roll call, beginning with Laura Karpman and ending with Robert Downey Jr.
The 96th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 10 at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
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