From Emma Stone's shock to Ryan Gosling's fan moment, ET caught some fun action inside the Dolby Theatre on Sunday.
The 96th annual Academy Awards went out with a bang on Sunday, offering a star-studded spectacle that included epic performances, heartfelt speeches, and a few big surprises.
Oppenheimer won big, Ryan Gosling brought the Kenergy, and John Cena dropped trou. There was Emma Stone's subtle Taylor Swift shout-out, a laundry list of fun co-star reunions, and a handful of epic performances. But cameras still didn't quite catch all the action inside the Dolby Theater on Oscars night.
ET had eyes and ears on the red carpet and inside the venue to bring you some of the fun off-camera moments that went down behind the scenes. Here's what we saw.
'You Gotta Be F**king Kidding Me'
Emma Stone didn't mince words when she caught sight of John Cena in his birthday suit. She was standing at the bar with Florence Pugh and Eva Longoria when the Ricky Stanicky actor took the stage to present the award for Best Costume Design seemingly in nothing but a pair of sandals.
Pugh was the first to notice the bit, pointing at a screen and saying, "What is happening?" Stone observed, "John is naked" and followed up with, "You gotta be f**king kidding me." Longoria, meanwhile, wondered whether the actor had on anything at all.
In actuality, backstage photos revealed that Cena was donning a skin-colored covering over his manhood and backside.
Snacks at Hand
In an effort to keep any hanger at bay, guests were given a box of snacks under each seat that featured a cartoon depiction of host Jimmy Kimmel. Inside was a soft pretzel, chocolate candy and a bottle of water, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher shared on Instagram.
Smoke Break and a Near Miss
Pugh was spotted adjusting her dress and having a chat with Kristen Dunst in the ladies room, with the latter sharing her plans to grab a drink at the bar followed by a cigarette outside. The Dune 2 star was heard telling Dunst that she looked "amazing" and that she'd tag along for the smoke break.
Later in the evening, Pugh prevented Oppenheimer co-star Josh Hartnett from nearly bumping into someone by the bar as he was busy texting on his phone. After she stopped him, the two caught up for a few moments.
Cuddling Co-Stars
In a candid shot from backstage, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga co-stars Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy shared a sweet moment together while Hemsworth enjoyed his drink.
The duo took the stage early on in the Academy Awards broadcast to present statues to the winners of the Best Animated Short Film and Best Animated Feature Film. The first award went to War Is Over: Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko while the second went to Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron.
Best Actresses Unite
A tearful Stone had an up close and personal backstage moment with Sally Field after winning the Best Actress award for her performance in Poor Things. In the sweet snap, Stone holds Field's face in her hands with their heads close together, and Field wraps her arms around Stone's waist, as fellow former winners Jennifer Lawrence and Michelle Yeoh look on.
Later, in the press room, Stone told reporters "I think I blacked out" when she won. As for her wardrobe malfunction, Stone noted in the press room that she was able to zip right back into her dress once she got off stage. She also echoed her on-stage statement that she thought the dress broke during Ryan Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" performance, which served as a mini La La Land reunion for the former co-stars when Gosling adorably offered her the mic to sing along from the front row.
Supporting Actors Selfie
Robert Downey Jr. flashed a funny face as Ke Huy Quan snapped a selfie with fellow former Best Supporting Actor winners Christoph Waltz and Mahershala Ali.
'Tell Them What's Up!'
Danielle Brooks had a passionate response to American Fiction writer Cord Jefferson's plea that the studios take on more lower budget projects.
"I understand that this is a risk-averse industry, I get it," he said while accepting the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. "But $200 million movies are also a risk. And it doesn't always work out, but you the risk anyway. Instead of making one $200 million movie, try making 20 $10 million movies. Or 50 $4 million movies."
Brooks, who was watching his remarks on a monitor from the bar, yelled out in response, "Tell them what's up!" The Color Purple actress enjoyed some low-key time with her husband as they munched on snack mix and sipped their drinks. She also exchanged pleasantries with Da'Vine Joy Randolph and America Ferrera.
Hugging It Out
Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish shared a hug and a few words backstage after the former presented the latter with the award for Best Original Song.
Fan Love
At the end of the show, Grande was stopped on her way toward the exit by a fan who told her she looked "beautiful" in her pink gown by Giambattista Valli. The "Yes, And?" singer appeared to receive and appreciate the compliment gracefully.
Gosling was also stopped by a fan asking for a photo in the lobby as he chatted with Barbie director Greta Gerwig. The Ken actor obliged before his sister, Mandi, grabbed his hand to make their way out. On his way through the crowd, Gosling was treated to rapturous cheers.
The 2024 Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, aired live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 10, at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET on ABC. Follow along at ETonline.com for full Oscars coverage, including red carpet arrivals, the complete winners list and more.
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