The Best Unseen Moments from the 2024 Oscars

The Oscars 2024 returned to the Dolby Theatre on Sunday for Hollywood’s biggest night of the year. The awards ceremony began with an emotional win for Da’Vine Joy Randolph and ended with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer taking home the top prize, as well as six other awards. But there was plenty going on off-camera as well. From Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence hugging backstage to how John Cena went from practically naked to donning a toga, here are some of the things the cameras missed during the 96th annual Academy Awards.

Snack Boxes for All

As per usual, Jimmy Kimmel brought his A-game to his Oscar-hosting gig — and some snacks. This year, the late night host provided snack boxes that included Shappy Pretzel and mustard, Mike & Ike’s, water and a note from the host that, “to keep the karma flowing,” they would be providing a donation to St. Joseph Center. This year marks the second time Adam Shapiro’s Shappy Pretzels were included in the Oscars snack boxes, as Kimmel is said to be a longtime fan of the soft pretzels that became a phenomenon in Hollywood following the brand’s launch in 2020.

Protest Leads to Late Attendees, Arriving on Foot

Ahead of the 2024 Oscars telecast, a protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza began at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles and made its way toward the Dolby Theatre. The protest — organized by Writers Against the War on Gaza LA (WAWOG), Film Workers for Palestine, SAG-AFTRA Members for Ceasefire and more groups — came to a halt at the intersection of Sunset and Highland, where cars were stuck in standstill traffic for more than 30 minutes. As a result, people began leaving their cars at the intersection, knowing they’d likely get towed, and walking toward the event.

The LAPD, which noted it knew the protest would be happening and was prepared for it, attempted to disperse the blockage, but the cars were still stuck ahead of the awards ceremony, which delayed the broadcast six minutes. As attendees got out of their cars to head to the venue, some demonstrators started yelling at them.

Politics Was on People’s Minds

Inside the Oscars 2024, talk of the Israel-Hamas war was more subdued, but celebrities like Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Ava DuVernay, Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell and more wore red Artists4Ceasfire pins on the carpet. The red pins, featuring an outstretched hand with a heart on them, show the artists’ support for an end of fighting and humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. “We’re calling for the safety of everyone involved, and we really want lasting justice and peace for the Palestinian people,” Youseff told The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet. “We really wanna say, let’s just stop killing children.”

Another war was on the mind of the 20 Days in Mariupol filmmakers, who won best documentary feature for their film about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Director Mstyslav Chernov explained that he was honored for the award but is probably the first director to wish he never made their film. “I wish to be able to exchange this for Russia never attacking Ukraine and never occupying our cities,” he said. “I would give up all the recognition for Russia not killing tens of thousands of my fellow Ukrainians. I wish for them to release all the hostages, all of the soldiers who are protecting their lands, all of the civilians who are now in their jails. But I can’t change history; I cannot change the past.”