I attended the Oscars 2026 – here’s what you didn’t see on TV

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to one day go to the Oscars, I can now confirm that your wildest dreams would be more than satisfied – whether a nominee or not.

Over nearly 100 years, the annual Academy Awards have cemented their reputation as the very pinnacle of showbiz, and no one does it bigger, bolder, and better than the Americans.

You can see the glamour oozing off the screen when you’re watching from your sofa at home, but being in the room brings a whole new level to proceedings.

And there is so much that goes into pulling off a night like this every year with the slickness and care that the Academy does – and so much you don’t see from home.

It’s a military-level operation that starts weeks before, and while it was hired security protecting the carpet before the day, it was the LAPD performing thorough vehicle searches upon arrival after the long drive up Wilcox Ave and down Hollywood Blvd (Oscars access only) to get to the approved drop-off point at the show’s entrance.

Arriving just after 1:30pm to walk the carpet without rushing (photos were necessary, of course) – the same time as Rafe Spall and man-of-the-moment Hudson Williams – took around 25 minutes, culminating in a sweeping staircase flanked by two giant Oscars statuettes.

The pre-ceremony reception was no expense spared, from champagne and cocktails to beer, wines and soft drinks – complete with particularly tiny (but absolutely delicious) hors d’oeuvres.

A free-flowing mingle situation across four floors of the Dolby Theatre allowed for plenty of chatting, where I also met a producer and Academy member who had nabbed a ticket through the members’ ballot system for $400 a pop (and that’s discounted), as well as a 2026 nominee and eventual winner (congrats to the team behind All the Empty Rooms).

While the nominees get to enjoy a $350,000 swag bag filled with luxury holidays, designer luggage and cosmetic procedures, the goody bag under the seat for the rest of us was just a little bit more down to earth: namely water, popcorn, chocolate-covered raisins and a note from host Conan O’Brien. All guests were also given a commemorative programme featuring all the nominated films as we entered the building.

Chat show legend O’Brien was a consummate compere for the evening, met with a lot of goodwill and easy laughs in the room, which is no mean feat in a 3,500-seat theatre and with a billion people tuning in across the world.

He also jumped straight into skewering the former Prince Andrew and Timothée Chalamet in his opening monologue, with ballerina Misty Copeland later dancing directly in front of Chalamet during Miles Caton’s performance of I Lied to You from Sinners, after calling out the actor for his ill-advised comment on opera and her ‘dying’ dance form. 

So Chalamet made sure to stay on his feet throughout the applause until well into the commercial break, while Jack O’Connell, in his vampire fangs, enjoyed getting up to join in from the front row during the performance. Even from my seat high above, the Marty Supreme actor’s white suit and girlfriend Kylie Jenner in red were easy to keep track of as they animatedly chatted with the rest of the front row.

Rachel McAdams’ heartfelt tributes to Catherine O’Hara and Diane Keaton and Barbra Streisand’s spoken and warbled one for Robert Redford (people were excited she was even there) marked a particularly lengthy in memoriam section for the past year.

It was kicked off by Billy Crystal remembering director Rob Reiner – and his casts from major films like Misery, When Harry Met Sally and Stand By Me taking to the stage in a truly touching and silent (bar the thunderous applause) moment of support, holding hands.

During the ceremony, the bars remain open for refreshments – I needed a Diet Coke revival two hours into the 3.5 hour affair – with the savoury food switching to Hershey’s Kisses (no thank you) and homemade trail mix. You can dart in and out during the copious ad breaks, with a giant digital clock and patient floor manager counting you down and ushering you back to your seat each time.

As a member of the press with the correct wristband, I was able to mingle on the bottom floor and in the Dolby Lounge with the A-List nominees, having a cocktail next to Jacob Elordi and his Frankenstein cast and celebrating Michael B. Jordan’s win by Kieran Culkin.

Later, as we left, it was with the likes of presenter and two-time best actor Adrien Brody and Bridesmaids star Ellie Kemper.

Witnessing Jordan’s win in the Dolby Lounge was quite special, with guests calling for the volume to be turned up over the clamour of others chatting so his acceptance speech could be heard. Making it back inside the auditorium by the skin of my teeth for Jessie Buckley’s win meant getting to witness the culmination of an awards season fairytale with her typically charming reaction.

One Battle After Another was the biggest triumph of the night with six trophies, including best picture, which it won over other favourite Sinners.

Perhaps not the ending I would have chosen, but there was no doubt that Paul Thomas Anderson’s time had finally come, going into the evening as a 14-time nominee with zero wins, and leaving with best picture, director and adapted screenplay. What can I say, the Academy likes to reward patience, same as Amy Madigan finally winning 40 years after her previous acting nomination.

Once the ceremony was done, it was a relaxed filing out of the auditorium – with multiple fresh Oscars in the wild – and Leonardo DiCaprio being stopped by industry fans every few feet for a selfie, to which he obliged.

The exit strategy was a work of art by the Academy, gently coaxing guests out back down the carpet to the entrance to be picked up via limo or shuttle for an after-party hosted by the likes of Netflix, Apple or Warner Bros.

With a remarkably smooth call system for the waiting limos, a little like bingo, guests could meanwhile enjoy a freshly brewed coffee by baristas in the waiting area, now furnished with seats. And for those of us not limo-worthy, it was a quick shuttle bus out to the carpark of the Hollywood Bowl, from where we could safely call for Ubers in rather less glamorous surroundings.

But despite the incongruousness of sitting on a folding chair in a sequin gown with a train at the very end, quite removed from the action, the Oscars was truly an occasion that covered every detail to make all guests, showbiz industry icons and the rest of us alike feel treated like Hollywood royalty.

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