In a glittering return to tradition, the 98th Academy Awards nominees gathered on February 10, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills for the annual Oscars luncheon.
After last year’s event was derailed by devastating California wildfires and replaced with a private dinner, this year’s celebration brought back the familiar mix of excitement, camaraderie, and star power, with nearly 200 nominees in attendance.
The luncheon served as a rare moment of unity in the competitive awards season, where rivals became colleagues under one roof, mingling over lunch and posing for the iconic class photo.
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The event kicked off with arrivals on the red carpet, where nominees showcased understated yet chic fashion choices. Emma Stone, nominated for Best Actress in “Bugonia,” turned heads in a black Julie de Libran blazer dress with a plunging neckline.
Timothée Chalamet, up for Best Actor in “Marty Supreme,” opted for an electric blue suit that added a pop of color to the proceedings.
Other standouts included Kate Hudson in a red Lanvin ensemble with black leather opera gloves, marking her return to the Oscars spotlight 25 years after her nomination for “Almost Famous,” and Wagner Moura in a plum shirt and trousers, making history as the first Brazilian lead actor nominee.
Leonardo DiCaprio, nominated for “One Battle After Another,” arrived looking dapper in a subdued double-breasted suit, while “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan represented the film’s record-breaking 16 nominations.
Inside the Wilshire Ballroom, the atmosphere was electric as Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor welcomed the crowd, emphasizing that everyone present was already a “winner.”
She offered practical advice for the upcoming Oscars ceremony on March 15, urging winners to keep speeches heartfelt, authentic, and under 45 seconds, with a countdown clock to enforce the limit.
Actors branch governor Lou Diamond Phillips handled the roll call, announcing nominees one by one, starting with supporting actor Delroy Lindo for “Sinners” and ending with Teyana Taylor for “One Battle After Another,” who quipped, “They saved the best for last.”
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The loudest applause erupted for Coogler, whose name drew cheers for his multiple nominations, and for the newly recognized casting directors, highlighting the Academy’s inaugural award in that category.
Heartwarming interactions dotted the afternoon, turning the luncheon into a hub of reunions and support.
Jessie Buckley and Rose Byrne shared a tender embrace, complimenting each other’s work, while Ethan Hawke and Chalamet hugged Sony Pictures Classics co-president Michael Barker, crediting him for boosting their careers.
Stone and Chalamet held court at Table 3 with an extended conversation, and Brazilian nominees like Moura and Adolpho Veloso cheered for their compatriots at Table 23. Steven Spielberg chatted with Paul Thomas Anderson in the lobby, and Jacob Elordi embraced Warner Bros. executive Pam Abdy.
The room buzzed with enthusiasm for films like “Sinners,” “Frankenstein” (featuring Elordi and Guillermo del Toro), and “Hamnet” (produced by Spielberg), underscoring the diversity of this year’s contenders.
A highlight was the traditional class photo, where nominees posed together in a massive group shot flanked by Oscar statues.
Organizers adjusted seating for visibility, moving shorter attendees forward and accommodating taller ones like Elordi and Stellan Skarsgård. Guillermo del Toro’s humor helped loosen up the group during the setup.
Notable absences included composer Ludwig Göransson, actress Renate Reinsve, and actor Sean Penn, who were tied up with other projects.
Yet, the event celebrated milestones, such as 10 women nominated for producing Best Picture and first-time nods for behind-the-scenes talents from films like “The Ugly Stepsister.”
As the luncheon wrapped, it reinforced the communal spirit of the Oscars, a brief respite before the intensity of the final voting push.
With “Sinners” leading the pack and stars like DiCaprio, Stone, and Chalamet in the mix, anticipation builds for the ceremony, where dreams will be realized—or, as one cynical nominee put it, “all my dreams die.”