The Oscars Through an Assistant’s Eyes: What Cameras Cannot Capture

By Lucy Stover, Talent Coordinator at MoreMedavoy & your Co-EIC at The Hollywood Assistant

Justin Max (left) and Owen Hananel (right)

For many Hollywood assistants, the Academy Awards represent the ultimate validation. The incomparable shimmering, once-in-a-lifetime moment that whispers: You made it. That you weren’t crazy to choose this path. It was all worth it.

Each year, we watch from our couches, ballots in hand, making predictions & critiques in between bites of takeout, and dream of the day our own names might be called. It all feels impossibly distant.

But for two Hollywood assistants, that dream came early. Not a nomination or even an invitation, per say, but a chance to sit in the Dolby Theatre immersed in the industry’s night of nights. Thanks only to the magic of seat filling, and a bit of fate. 

I sat down with two of my pals from college, Justin Max (Gotham) and Owen Hananel (87North), for a pre- and post-Oscars interview to bring you the most intimate narration of the 2025 Academy Awards. Only from The Hollywood Assistant. Let’s pull back the curtain. 

Getting the Golden Ticket

Like anything else in Hollywood, your connections are the key. Justin and Owen’s golden opportunity came courtesy of a fellow Syracuse alum who works at the Academy Museum (go Orange!). Each year, employees can submit names to a lottery for the chance to be a seat filler*. When two spots opened up, they jumped at the chance.

The duo has been best friends for over five years, now roommates and writing partners, too. They both grew up watching the Oscars, “treating it like the Super Bowl.” Justin particularly noted how important the tradition was to his family– his mom, sister, and him pretending to be judges on the famous Red Carpet.

Their fascination with the awards only grew as they went through college, gaining better understanding of Hollywood’s key players. So, as you could imagine, they were both absolutely thrilled to be in the room where it happens, experiencing the Academy Awards with no training wheels. No phones. No Twitter. No distractions from the history unveiling in front of them. 

They might catch “the Will Smith slap in real life or Al Pacino stumble over the Best Picture.” There was no telling what would happen, particularly in the two minute commercial breaks when the cameras were off. 

The Campaign, of sorts…

The guys had a few short weeks to mentally prepare, learn the seat filler guidelines, and pack in as many nominated films as they could. Oh, and humble brag to as many people as possible.  

When Justin’s mom heard the good news, “she said it feels like fate, like a sign from the Universe that this was meant to be, maybe to show me that I made the right decision.” Meanwhile, Owen’s college roommate had a slightly different reaction, saying, “If I see you on TV talking to Scarlett Johansen, I am going to kill myself.” Valid.

But there’s more rules than you’d think. More barriers between Owen and Scarlett than he may have liked, so to speak. 

Seat fillers have to arrive at the crack of dawn for orientation, surrender their phones, move at the whim of coordinators, and keep their yap on lock around the A-list attendees. Networking? A bit out of the question. No elevator pitches in front of Spielberg, no whispering your script idea to Scorsese.

If, by some miracle, they got a chance to chat with someone like Sean Baker, their game plan was simple: Talk to them like a person. No gushing. No fanboying. Just a casual default, So, what was your favorite film this year? Introduce themselves as a seat filler or aspiring nominee, rather than an assistant. Not because it’s shameful! But to present yourself as the person you want to be. That you will be.

Pre-show jitters

The most anxiety for both assistants came from the thought of being seated next to an industry legend. Both assistants have worked in representation and are used to being around Hollywood bigwigs, but sitting next to a filmmaker who inspired your career? That’s different.

“I get flustered speaking to non-famous people on a daily basis. I’m not someone who can shoot the shit with Jon Hamm,” Owen quipped.

And then there was the imposter syndrome and the intrusive thought that they weren’t invited, for real. “I feel like a Make a Wish kid, a little bit,” he joked. He tried to temper his expectations, just in case he ended up in the hallway for most of the show. There was no guarantee of how much they’d get to see or how close they’d be to the action. 

But, at the end of the day, it was a strong reminder of how close they are to their dreams. “One step closer toward being invited and actually belonging in that room. I feel like everything I’ve been working towards the last several years is going somewhere. The dream is so much closer,” Owen said. “And there’s no one else I’d rather go with,” Justin added.

But first, a few predictions!

Just for fun…

Best Picture

Justin: I hope it’s Nickel Boys, it’s heavy but has great moments of levity. But I think Anora will actually win, which would be amazing and indicative of a more progressive Academy. It would be beautiful to see more subversive voices highlighted after being silenced for so long.

Owen: I think it’s down to Conclave, The Brutalist, or Anora. The Brutalist was my favorite, but is maybe a bit too long for some people and the conversation about AI could have alienated some voters. If I was gonna put money on it, I’d say Conclave.

Best Actor

Justin: I saw A Complete Unknown the other night and was sort of shocked at how good Timotheé was. But it’s tough because Adrien Brody is so good, too. I think Brody. I hope Brody.

Owen: I’m rooting for Adrien Brody, but I think it’ll be Timothée ultimately.

Best Actress

Justin: Demi Moore is a much deserved win. She truly deserves it after all these years.

Owen: I would love to see Fernanda Torres win but it likely won’t happen. But it’s so deserved. Very pressing in the US considering our own political situation and crumbling democracy.

Tux rentals & espresso shots

Then they were on their way! After an extensive orientation, shuttle ride, phone drop off, and 3.5 hours of waiting, their red carpet moment arrived. Sort of. 

After trading ID cards with a fellow seat filler, Justin & Owen hacked the system so they could be in the same group and have a better shot of being seated together all evening. 90 minutes before showtime, while we were at home judging dresses worth more than our salaries, they emerged onto the Red Carpet and stepped inside the Dolby.

From the back of the theatre, they witnessed the first celebrities trickle in– Demi Moore, Sebastian Stan, and Jeff Goldblum. 

They even saw Rachel Sennott scrolling through her own red carpet photos on Instagram, just moments before the press misnamed her as “Rachel Zegler” on live TV. Justin & Owen’s eyes glued to the star as she reacted to the moment in real time and snapped a pic for her Instagram story. Now if that’s not history, I don’t know what is. 

The “pinch me” moment

The first, of many, came when Justin & Owen realized they were sitting in front of the VFX team from Dune 2. They listened as Denis Villenueve, one of Justin’s idols, personally congratulated the team before the show began. There was a quiet, electric energy in the room, a sense that something monumental was about to unfold.

80 minutes of heaven

For the first 80 minutes of the show, the two best friends sat side by side without interruption. Adam Sandler walked right by them and high fived their fellow friendly seat filler during his bit. They saw the camera setup for the cut to John Lithgow– yes, even those are choreographed. Every part of the show from jokes to teleprompted speeches “are a performance, to an extent.”

Yet, they were one step ahead of the TV. One step ahead of history.

Then, the shuffle began. Owen was miraculously sat in the same seat the entire show, but Justin, inevitably, had to move during the second hour. In the bowels of the Dolby, he was shepherded by the seat filler coordinator into a line to get back out on the floor. Justin’s face dropped when he saw the massive line and he thought, “Man, I’m never getting back out there.” 

But just a few minutes later, he was sent back into action. To the very front row. 

The view from the front row of the Academy Awards

For a few fleeting moments, Justin sat among Hollywood’s elite. And the view was pretty damn good: Jeremy Strong & Ed Norton networking. Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner canoodling in the seat over. Rachel Zegler being prepped for her award presentation. 

Then Sebastian Stan himself came out of the bathroom and reclaimed his seat without a word exchanged. As Justin scampered out of the camera’s eye before the huge clock on the wall hit zero, he shockingly saw two more of our college friends seated for the big show. Syracuse mafia goes hard, yet again. Then, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco exit backstage giggling. 

Justin was bounced around a few more times then ultimately ended up seated behind none other than his favorite director, Villenueve, and his family. He observed as the director leaned over and whispered into his son’s ear before each award winner was announced. Perhaps giving his last minute predictions.

The emotions cameras can’t capture

1. The energy before Anora won best picture. A moment of catharsis for independent film. Perhaps the most inspiring moment for those of us hoping to become filmmakers ourselves.

2. The almost animalistic bear hugs of the Latvian crew of Flow as they won Best Animated Film. Their shock. That was not only a win for Latvia, that was a win for the world.

3. The hush over the room when Adrien Brody took the stage. The unseen embrace between Brody and Chalamet afterwards—the passing of the torch.

Social media vs IRL

When the two assistants logged back online, they were surprised to see how differently social media reacted to the ceremony. There was one moment in particular…

Adrien Brody's speech. AKA the longest acceptance speech in Academy history at 5 mins 31 seconds, but did it feel that way to the audience in-person? Justin & Owen say no. 

“I was shocked at the Twitter/X reactions calling it narcissistic. In the room, we were hanging onto every word,” Owen said. “Hearing the youngest Best Actor winner admit he thought his career was over—and proving it’s never too late to come back—was powerful.”

“Brody highlighted the fickle part of this industry that’s uncomfortable to talk about. We can all lose it in a moment. Same thing that The Substance explores thematically, in a lot of ways. The story of second chances. Brody proved it’s really never too late to change,” Justin agreed.

Watching from home, I’ll admit, the weight of it didn’t fully translate. But that’s the beauty of the Oscars—some moments you just have to experience live.

Final Takeaways

It’s easy to view the Oscars as the pinnacle of success, but our conversations were a humbling reminder of just how much work it takes to get into that room–not as a seat filler, but as a nominee.

Justin & Owen agreed they won’t attend again. At least, not until they’re nominated themselves. 

Notice how I didn’t say if they’re nominated? That’s the mindset we need to survive Hollywood. As twenty-somethings facing a contracting industry and more than one existential threat to our careers, we’re allowed to be optimistic and inspired. Let’s be motivated by Zoe Saldaña and “No Other Land” and even Conan O’Brien, if that’s your thing. Let’s continue to rise through the ranks and, more importantly, rise together as a community. 

So that one day, when you are standing up on the Dolby stage and rambling off your list of people to thank, you remember those who have been by your side from the very beginning.

And, hopefully, your assistant.