Every year, ahead of the biggest night in Hollywood, Academy Award nominees get invited to a special luncheon party.

It’s become an annual tradition, the unofficial start of the countdown to the ceremony, with the stars mingling, eating a fancy meal, having their photos taken, and generally getting to know each other before the big night – kind of like a big Oscars hen or stag do, sans fancy dress and budget airline flights.

Tom Cruise, celebrating a best picture nomination for his Top Gun return, was among the stars in attendance, along with 182 nominees including Bill Nighy, Colin Farrell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Angela Bassett, Brendan Fraser, Austin Butler and more.

The luncheon, held at a Beverly Hills hotel, is also a chance to highlight the work of some of the less well-known nominees, including those who worked behind the scenes on this year’s biggest film contenders.

Here are some of the photos from the glitzy shindig.

Everyone wants a bit of Cruise

No one wants a boring portrait

The Irish contingent

A big year for newbie nominees

And the accessories award goes to…

This year’s Oscars ceremony takes place on Sunday 12 March. Madcap multiverse sc-fi Everything Everywhere All At Once and dark comedy The Banshees Of Inisherin are the favourites to win the best picture prize, with Top Gun: Maverick, The Fabelmans, All Quiet On The Western Front, Tar, Elvis, Avatar: The Return Of Water, Women Talking and Triangle Of Sadness also in the running.

Last year’s event infamously saw eventual best actor winner Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock on stage – an “unprecedented” incident that Academy president Janet Yang addressed at the luncheon, saying the organisation’s response was “inadequate”.

Read more on the Oscars:
Why British star’s nod has sparked controversy
The full list of nominees
Blockbusters, first-timers and snubs – all the talking points this year

She said the organisation had learned from what happened, telling the attendees that the Academy “must be fully transparent and accountable in our actions, and particularly in times of crisis we must act swiftly and compassionately and decisively for ourselves and for our industry. You should and can expect no less from us going forward”.

Surely everyone will be on their best behaviour this year, no?

You can watch the Oscars exclusively on Sky Showcase on Sunday 12 March from midnight. Sky News will be live on the red carpet at the ceremony in Hollywood on Sunday 12 and live with the winners at the Vanity Fair party on Breakfast with Kay Burley, Monday 13 March

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