Friday, March 1, 2013

The Oscars: Red Carpet Secrets


The oh-so handsome Bradley Cooper.  we've loved you since ALIAS. 

Today we have another very special post from guest blogger, Emily Fox, about what goes on behind the scenes on the red carpet. She added in her fabulous photos from Sunday. Her previous post on waiting for the stars is here. 




Jessica Chastain and Ryan Seacrest, surrounded. 



After having the amazing experience of witnessing the red carpet at the Oscars, it dawned on me that I now have some information to crack mysteries surrounding this annual event. These are things that red carpet veterans probably don’t even think about, but those of us who watch the event at home wonder about and have no way of knowing. So here are five Oscar red carpet myths debunked:


Les Mis Co-Star Amanda Seyfried in-between shots, not looking so happy. Rumor has it that this beautiful gown was too much like Anne Hathaway's leading Anne to change into the now infamous pink Prada gown.  Anne has since issued an apology but I can't believe she knew this gown would cause such a stir.  I think she was just trying to be gracious and not duplicate gowns with her co-star. 

1) How do the celebrities keep their gowns or tuxes from being wrinkled after a ride in a limo to the red carpet?

Many of the celebrities stay at the hotel located in the same complex as the Dolby Theatre where the Oscars are held. By staying there, they can get ready and walk to the red carpet, or take a ride for half a block. If they don’t do this, there’s someone with a a steamer in the building between the limo drop-off point and where they are visible to cameras for last-minute touch-ups.



Dustin Hoffman and Sally Field yuk it up pre-awards. Sally's in the red with her back to us in case you couldn't tell.

2) How do the stars look so great from the red carpet all the way to their seats in the Dolby Theatre?

There are probably more makeup artists and hair stylists on the red carpet than stars, helping to primp and adjust as the stars walk. They’re only outnumbered by security people.



The stunning Charlize Theron. 

3) Who are all the people on the red carpet?

There are two sides of the red carpet….one side where the interviews with the media take place with the stars who are up for awards, presenting awards, are performing during the show or are with someone in one of those categories. The other side, away from the cameras, is for everyone else, including stars who are previous Oscars winners, producers, directors, etc. Add in a large contingent of security people in tuxes and gowns with ear pieces who stay in one place the whole time, others who roam and the support people like makeup artists, hairstylists and people working to make the red carpet show successful and the red carpet becomes just like an L.A. freeway about an hour before the show begins inside the Dolby Theatre.



This is where the stars enter the red carpet... Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones. 



      4) Why didn’t I see my favorite star on the red carpet when they were in the Dolby Theatre for the show?

If your favorite star isn’t one of the A-listers for this year’s Oscars, they are generally part of the throng of people on the other side of the red carpet, easily missed during the red carpet shows. Also, not all stars who attend the Oscars show walk the red carpet – mostly those who are up for awards, presenting awards, are performing during the show or are with someone in one of those categories. One of the mysteries I didn’t crack while sitting in the bleachers is how “others” get in if they don’t walk the red carpet, but there were definitely people in the Dolby Theatre who didn’t flow past the bleachers on the red carpet. Maybe next year I’ll figure that one out.


Reese Witherspoon looking beautiful in a gown that matches her eyes. 


5) What are the stars doing on the red carpet?

Stars don't just walk the red carpet, they interview their way down the red carpet. Some actually come onto the red carpet, have their photo taken at the beginning, are quickly moved by a handler down the red carpet through the crowd for an interview halfway down the red carpet and then brought back to the beginning of the line to meet with all the other reporters. It can take some stars more than an hour to get into the building. This year the star who was most gracious with his time with interviewers was George Clooney. That man was interviewing with one outlet or another for well over an hour, and was one of the last to head into the Dolby Theatre for the Oscars show. Having observed this, I know that the real reason Clooney didn’t say anything when accepting the award for Best Picture for Argo was simply because he had already used all of his words on the red carpet.

Jane - you look so fabulous. I think I have one of those workout videos around here somewhere...

If you’re curious how to get a seat in the bleachers to witness the red carpet next year, what I learned from other bleacher sitters was that there is a lottery process one can enter around September the year before the next Oscars show. This year’s bleacher experience was sponsored by People Magazine, but different sponsors are involved each year. If you want to sit on the bleachers at next year’s Oscars, keep a watch on the Dolby Theatre.com site for more information about this in about six or seven months from now.



Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban -- they held hands all the way down the red carpet, it was so sweet. 
Hand holding.



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