While Sunday night’s Academy Awards were viewed as a bit predictable – as “Oppenheimer” expectedly blew up with seven Oscars including best picture – most of the fun surprises happened off camera.
The real action at the Dolby Theatre went down away from the venue’s stage as stars and execs swarmed the lobby to head to the bar, or just take breaks to schmooze during commercials.
Here are some of the best moments the cameras didn’t catch – but Page Six did.
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Emma Stone may have won best actress for “Poor Things,” but the star wasn’t in the audience when the edgy film won three Oscars in a row in other categories earlier in the broadcast.
Stone, 35, was spotted taking a break from the show in the lobby with her husband, Dave McCary, only to run into pals Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons.
As the couples gabbed, Stone suddenly realized what category was up inside the theater, and was seen rushing over to one of the TV monitors in the lobby of the Dolby Theater to watch away from her seat.
“I should be there!” Stone yelled out multiple times.
When “Poor Things” won for best makeup and hairstyling, the “La La Land” star screamed with delight and teared up. Her movie then won two more Oscars back-to-back, for best production design and best costume design – also without the star in the crowd.
She then rushed to head back into the theater, but was so overcome in the moment that she dropped her phone on the way. She couldn’t bend down to pick it up in her custom mint Louis Vuitton gown.
Of course, a well-wisher kindly picked it up and handed it to Stone, and she headed back into the theater with her hubby to then win her own Oscar. (As fans witnessed during her acceptance speech, her dress had already been through the ringer from all the rushing around).
Meanwhile, one star who wasn’t rushing was Matthew McConaughey.
The “Dallas Buyers Club” actor and presenter was the last star to make it into the theater as the awards show began. Naturally, he played it cool as a cucumber.
It’s always a mad dash for straggling stars on the red carpet to make it in on time for the start of the show. This year, celebs were delayed even further thanks to protestors causing chaos outside.
Rushing in at the last minute just as an announcer warned attendees they had minutes till the show began were “Barbie” star Margot Robbie, “Maestro” actress Carey Mulligan and her rocker husband, Marcus Mumford.
Moseying in after was McConaughey, 54, in a burgundy colored tux, accompanied by wife Camila Alves.
The “Dazed and Confused” star was so chill, he even leisurely stopped to grab a program for the show before heading to his seat after the opening monologue had begun.
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On the stage, Ryan Gosling, 43, blew away the Oscars in a hot pink Gucci suit as he performed “I’m Just Ken” from the “Barbie” soundtrack with a bevy of backup dancers.
But off camera, the audience was so into the number that even after it ended, there were chants of “Ken! Ken! Ken!” in the hallways outside the theater in an upper mezzanine.
Later in the show, Gosling’s Ken backup dancers were spotted bellying up to the theater’s lobby bar, ordering drinks while still in their black cowboy hats and bedazzled Western gear.
Also behind the scenes, chef Wolfgang Puck – who does the food at the annual Governors Ball afterparty – greeted celebs as they entered the Dolby Theatre before the awards.
The storied Spago toque was seen chatting with Steven Spielberg, Roger Federer, Florence Pugh and other stars.
Speaking of Pugh, 28, the “Hawkeye” star should have won the night’s award for best social butterfly.
The kickass action hero was spotted schmoozing more than any other star in the lobby, jovially greeting pals and making new friends.
Perhaps unsurprisingly behind the scenes, Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show sidekick, Guillermo Rodriguez, was spotted double fisting two drinks after giving a toast inside the awards with tequila.
