by Nathaniel R
photo via Rebecca Keegan
The Oscar Nominee Luncheon -- which we must belatedly now obsess over -- is one of the greatest Oscar traditions, for a variety of reasons which have nothing to do with lunching. One of the secrets to its wonderfulness is possibly that it's not telecast so it still maintains some kind of insider cachet. Nevertheless the media are invited so it's not "private" per se. And even if it were, in our social media age the stars serve as their own kind of media outlet, too, with their selfie madness...
"celebrities... they're just like us!"
So it's the best kind of honorary event, intimate and epic simultaneously.
These are our three favorite photos from the event. Spielberg's selfie prompt, this Laura Dern sandwich below, and Meryl with Daniela Vega (two Fantastic Women).
(Best twitter line about this photo comes from Calvin Stowell: "This explains the disturbance in the gay force I felt yesterday. I am still recovering.")
It's also worth noting that though Agnes Varda didn't attend she was there in spirit... and in cut out form as her co-director "Jr" proved with abundantly wonderful photo ops. Seeing these was the first time I've felt hopeful that she might actually win the documentary Oscar. How could you be in the same room with her -- even a 2D version of her -- and not feel delight?
THREE CUTOUTS INSIDE BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA (2018) pic.twitter.com/qbifogMPFC
Which nominee this year would you mingle right towards at a luncheon?