With a peek at sweet reunions, cuddly couples and unexpected encounters, EW is taking you inside the room of Hollywood’s biggest night.

Inside the room at the 2026 Oscars: Biggest moments you didn’t see during the Academy Awards telecast

With a peek at sweet reunions, cuddly couples and unexpected encounters, EW is taking you inside the room of Hollywood's biggest night.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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March 16, 2026 1:10 p.m. ET

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Michael B. Jordan and Leonardo DiCaprio at the Academy Awards. Credit:

John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty

Whew. After months of anticipation, speculation and excitement, Hollywood's biggest night has finally passed. But the fun isn't over just yet.

In an epic showdown,* One Battle After Another* and *Sinners* duked it out and both won big at the 2026 Oscars. Meanwhile, the room was packed to the brim with stars old and new, acclaimed filmmakers, craftspeople, creatives and, of course, plenty of cameras. Still, not every moment could be captured for the live telecast— which is where ** comes in.

Inside the room of Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre, there were plenty of enthralling moments that didn't make the cut or nearly went unnoticed. Below, we've highlighted the memorable snippets that reporters and attendees got to witness firsthand.

A warm welcome from Conan O’Brien

Attending the Oscars is not for the weak of mind… or the empty of stomach. The awards show tends to stretch across four hours, and that's not even accounting for glam time or the red carpet walk. So naturally, host Conan O'Brien decided to welcome guests with a box full of snacks and a letter playfully promising a fun night to come.

"Dear nominee/plus one/seat filler, welcome to The Oscars! I hope you enjoy this Conan O’Brien 'Moderately Happy Meal.' These snacks may not look like much but in any movie theater they would run you $85. Good luck tonight, have fun, and remember that loud, enthusiastic laughter is good for your health and my ego."

Placed under every seat, the boxes included a bag of popcorn, a bottle of water and a box of candy (either Mike and Ike’s or Junior Mints). ** Editor-in-Chief Patrick Gomez notes that the selection was "very appropriate for Hollywood; health conscious but filling." Of course, that didn't stop several attendees from rushing to In-N-Out once the ceremony ended.

Romance was in the air

Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner at the 98th Academy Awards.

John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty

Several stars walked the red carpet with their significant others: Paul Mescal sprinted over to girlfriend Gracie Abrams to plant a kiss on her cheek and Timothée Chalamet stood smiling on the sidelines while partner Kylie Jenner posed for the cameras. But what was it like once all the couples were packed into the Dolby Theater?

Turns out, still very sweet! Rose Byrne and husband Bobby Cannavale were spotted walking around hand-in-hand (no bearded dragon in sight). Leonardo DiCaprio was seated beside his girlfriend, Vittoria Ceretti, marking the couple's first awards show together.

Jesse Plemons played the part of a dashing gentleman, linking arms with wife Kirsten Dunst as they walked through the theater. Meanwhile, Chalamet and Jenner gabbed with surrounding guests, while cuddling together in their seats.

Hudson Williams got social

Hudson Williams attends the Academy Awards.

Disney/Eric McCandless

*Heated Rivalry* It-boy Hudson Williams doesn't just draw crowds while out in the wild — he also had Hollywood's elite lining up for a chance to chat with him. The TV heartthrob was spotted holding court throughout the night with everyone from *One Battle *star Chase Infiniti and *F1*'s Damson Idris to *Hamnet* stars Mescal and Joe Alwyn.

Commercial breaks often caught Williams surrounded by a crowd or smiling for selfies. In one endearing moment, the actor was spotted heading to the bar after the emotional and extended segment honoring many of the Hollywood stars who died in the past year. While wiping tears away, he told a friend, "I don't think I can ever sit through an in memoriam again."

Commercial breaks made way for plenty of showtime chatter

What do the stars get up to when the telecast cuts to commercial? Lots and lots of gabbing.

Connections were made in the Dolby lobby bar where *Bugonia* costars Emma Stone and Alicia Silverstone reunited. Mikey Madison and Demi Moore proved that battling for Best Actress doesn't have to be hostile by posing for photos one year after Madison's big win for *Anora*. Elsewhere, Mescal and Abrams chatted with Shaboozey and Gwyneth Paltrow was photographed smiling during a chat with her *Great Expectations* co-star and former boyfriend, Ethan Hawke.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Leonardo DiCaprio at the 98th Annual Oscars.

Roger Kisby/The Academy via Getty

Leonardo DiCaprio basked in the glow of Gwyneth Paltrow

One commercial break led to an extremely photographable moment between Paltrow and DiCaprio, who were all smiles as they crossed paths in the aisles and paused for a conversation. Though the Hollywood stars are from the same era, they've actually never shared the screen before — though you wouldn't know it from the easy chemistry they shared while chatting at the Academy Awards.

Jacob Elordi loved having his mom by his side

Jacob Elordi and mom, Melissa Elordi.

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Jacob Elordi attended the Oscars with his No. 1 gal on his arm: his mom Melissa Elordi, who he promised to bring to the show when he was just 15-years-old. Making good on that oath, the *Frankenstein* star and Best Supporting Actor nominee spent much of the night at his mother's side. They were spotted enjoying a drink together at the bar during a commercial break and at one point, Elordi declined to pose for photos, explaining, "I'm actually just enjoying my time with mom right now."

The *Wuthering Heights* actor still made time to connect with other stars, sharing an embrace with fellow nominee Stellan Skarsgård, posing for pics with Chalamet and shaking hands with Channing Tatum.

Emma Stone strategically stepped away to the bar

Two-time Academy Award winner Emma Stone has become an awards show pro. While the actress did step out of the Dolby Theater to grab a drink at the bar — joined by husband Dave McCary and Pauline Chalamet — she didn't make the same mistake as last year by leaving at a pivotal moment for her movie.

Timothée Chalamet was a gracious loser after Michael B. Jordan’s historic Best Actor win

One of the night's biggest moments — and loudest rounds of applause — came when Michael B. Jordan's name was called for Best Actor. The entire room jumped to their feet — including his competitor in the category, Chalamet. Plenty of cameras were pointed at the *Marty Supreme* star as the room anticipated a winner and though he wasn't the one to snag gold, the actor looked thrilled all the same.

Like the rest of the crowd, Chalamet immediately put his hands together and was up on his feet in seconds. The euphoria was palpable in the room: Jordan shared an emotional embrace with his mother and then with director Ryan Coogler before heading up to the stage. As everyone sat down to hear his speech, Elle Fanning, sitting behind Chalamet and Jenner, gave her *A Complete Unknown* costar a pat on the bat.

Michael B. Jordan shared a sweet moment with fellow nominee Leonardo DiCaprio

Speaking of being a good sport, there were no hard feelings on DiCaprio's part after watching Jordan beat him out for Best Actor. On the steps of the Dolby Theatre stage, the duo shared a sweet embrace while Jordan had his Oscar in hand. As photographers surrounded, they leaned in close for a private conversation before sharing another hug.

Ryan Coogler revealed that Michael B. Jordan was ‘upset’ with him before they started making ‘Sinners’

Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler at the 98th Annual Oscars.

Mike Coppola/Getty

After a big night for *Sinners* — which picked up Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Original Score — Coogler made a surprising revelation in the press room. Jordan, his longtime pal and collaborator, was a little pissed at him right before accepting the dual role of Smoke and Stack in the vampire thriller.

"As soon as I imagined what those 2 characters were going to be, I knew I had to call Michael," Coogler shared. "I waited a little bit, though. He ended up calling me before I got to him and asking me if I would be interested in something he was working on independently. And I told him, it wasn't the right time."

Coogler recalled that Jordan got "a little upset" when he passed on his project, prompting him to reveal Sinners while it was still in progress.

"Thankfully, he said yes," Coogler added, "I wanted the script tight for him before, but he jumped the gun a little bit, so I had to jump it back."

Michael B. Jordan and Jessie Buckley joyously watched their Oscars get engraved

At the official Oscars after-party attended by EW's Editor-In-Chief, Jordan and Best Actress winner Jessie Buckley were beaming as they watched their Oscars getting engraved with their names. In the press room after accepting his Best Actor win, Jordan emphasized just how much it means to be the sixth Black actor to snag the award.

"It was timely," Jordan said of his win. "I'm here because of people that came before me."

He added, "I've always focused on trying to do the work. My father always told me don't expect anything to [be] handed to you. Do the work and it will figure itself out. And there is a selfishness in understanding that in your craft and your industry, this is a pinnacle."

Meanwhile, Buckley shared that she was already heaving a big day before getting onstage to accept her Oscar. "It feels like some kind of crazy alchemy that all of these things are colliding on a day like today," she shared. "My daughter got her first tooth this week. Lying on my chest smuggling me and I feel like what a gift to get to, you know, explore motherhood through this incredible mother that I guess is and was and then to become [one] myself."

*Additional reporting by Patrick Gomez and Daniela Avila.*

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