It’s lonely at the top.
While the red carpet cameras were focused on the stars, there was nearly some Hollywood exec microdrama inside the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos arrived within minutes of each other to the Academy Awards, we noticed.
David Zaslav arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscars party after the Academy Awards. REUTERS
The execs didn’t cross paths as they entered the theater’s lobby moments apart — just over two weeks after Netflix’s deal to acquire WBD fell apart. (The two execs posed for photos together at the Golden Globes in January.)
Zaslav — who will soon be $800M richer thanks to the winning rival bid by Paramount — arrived with his wife. To the mogul’s credit, when we congratulated him, he took it to mean we were talking about Warners’ nominated films, saying “knock wood” that “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” would do well. (What does it say about us that we meant his new billionaire status?)
We also appreciated Zas telling us that as a transplanted New Yorker, the Post is his daily first read! He even pumped his fist for exclamation.
Perhaps tellingly though, as Zaslav entered the lobby, no one greeted the mogul.
When Sarandos walked in with his wife, prominent Democratic fundraiser and Hollywood scion Nicole Avant, they were almost immediately swarmed by folks rushing over to say hi and take pics.
Either way, Warner Bros. won the night with 11 Oscars, while Netflix followed with 7. (And Conan O’Brien picked on streaming boss Sarandos in his monologue, by saying, “It’s his first time in a theater!” Zaslav was spared after the WBD sale was the butt of a joke in Nikki Glaser‘s Golden Globes monologue this year.)
Later at the Governors Ball, Zaslav was seen congratulating Leonardo DiCaprio, who was holding court with Benicio Del Toro and Warner Bros.’ Pam Abdy.
Perhaps reflecting that it was Warners’ year, we saw another studio boss scrolling on his phone during the show for an extended period of time. He looked more like he was scheduling a dental appointment than making his next big deal, and he was also overheard lamenting he foresaw the broadcast running four hours. (It ran 3-hours-40.)
Anna and Anne
Also arriving within moments of each other were Anna Wintour and Anne Hathaway, who were both among the last guests to show up at the Dolby Theatre as a PA announcer told attendees they only had minutes to make it to their seats.
Wintour — the inspiration for Hathaway’s 2006 smash, “The Devil Wears Prada,” and its upcoming sequel — arrived with her BFF and former Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin as her date.
Anna Wintour and Anne Hathaway present the Oscar for Makeup and Hairstyling. ZUMAPRESS.com
The Vogue legend and the wife of Alex Soros later attended the Vanity Fair party as a duo following the awards, changing into different outfits and posing together on the (now-silver) carpet for the Condé Nast mag.
Earlier, Hathaway walked into the theater solo with a fashion aide helping her with her dress before she and Wintour met up on stage as presenters.
If anyone’s keeping track, or made some whacko Kalshi bet, seemingly the last guests to make it through the door as they closed were Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra.
Nick of Time
While Hathaway had someone help carry her dress’ overflowing material into the Academy Awards, nominee and goth rock icon Nick Cave had some on-the-spot tailoring at the show.
As Conan O’Brien was on stage delivering his opening monologue, dashing Cave watched the action outside the theater on a monitor.
Nick Cave and Susie Cave pose on the red carpet REUTERS
As he checked out the giant TV stone-faced, his wife, fashion designer Susie Cave, lifted the back of the singer’s jacket and started expertly sewing one of his vents!
We’re not sure what caused the fashion emergency. He was nominated for Best Original Song for the film “Train Dreams.”
Potty Mouths
It may sound creepy, but the bathroom at the Oscars always plays a big role in the awards show.
Stars can end up in there at the wrong moment when their category’s announced or a colleague wins. And the outfits can make it all a true feat of engineering. (Julianne Moore, Judy Greer, Rita Wilson and more have publicly cataloged their Oscars bathroom wardrobe malfunctions.)
So it makes sense that when one star entered the awards on Sunday night, with their category early on in the show, they very loudly asked the Oscars’ greeters if they had time to use the loo.
“I don’t have time?” they exclaimed when a staffer warned time was too short. “I’m going to pee in my pants!”
That seemed to do the trick, and they were shown to the restroom. They later appeared on stage flawlessly. Phew!
Power pairings
The Oscars always provide some of our favorite mash-ups — and this year we saw “Clueless” star Alicia Silverstone, 49, in deep conversation with “Bring It On” star Kirsten Dunst, 43. If only their characters Cher Horowitz and Torrance Shipman had a film of their own!
We also liked seeing the old school duo of Nicole Kidman talking to “Shutter Island” and “Black Swan” producer Mike Medavoy, who co-founded famed Orion Pictures.
Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal mingle with Shaboozey at the Oscars. Ian Mohr
Also new ish power couple Paul Mescal and Gracie Abrams were truly the mayors of Hollywood — happily schmoozing with everyone, including Shaboozey, and staying together most of the night as a social unit.