Austin Butler told Ashley Graham on the red carpet that being at the Oscars "feels like a dream come true, I can't believe I'm here right now. It's just celebrating with all these beautiful people. The thing that I didn't realize ahead of time was the community that you build in these months leading up to tonight. I just feel so honored and happy to get to celebrate with everybody."
And while, obviously, he would have wanted to win the Oscar, I believe it when he says that the experience, win or lose, was a thrill unto itself. The experience was the win.
Duana just wrote about Brendan Fraser, how overwhelmed he seemed all award season, how certain actors, like Brendan, just aren’t built for these parts of Hollywood. I saw Brendan at a Canadian Oscar event on Thursday night – he was sweet and gracious to everyone he encountered, but you could also tell that this was not his scene, that the award season circuit was not his comfort zone.
On the other hand, it wasn’t an issue for the other comeback kid of the year, Ke Huy Quan, who could have done another six months of it, and nor was it an issue for Austin Butler; he seemed at ease the whole time, from November to March, Austin kinda breezed through it, almost as if he’d been there before.
He was photographed congratulating or being congratulated by what felt like everyone last night – Cate Blanchett, The Rock, Nicole Kidman, Bill Nighy, Barry Keoghan, Paul Mescal…with all the swagger of Brad Pitt minus the ick. Austin Butler is deep on the inside now.
As for his date, he was at the Oscars with his agent, James Farrell, but was joined by his girlfriend, Kaia Gerber, at the Vanity Fair party, where he changed into a silk purple shirt that tied low on his chest – pure rock star energy, sexy as f-ck, and I’m not even talking yet about her… because the combination of these two, well frankly it’s just stupid, almost to the point of offense. It is STUPID how attractive these two are on their own and grossly unfair that they somehow found their way to each other, for f-ck’s sake.
But did anyone else wonder about Vanessa Hudgens? Because she cohosted the ABC pre-show with Lilly Singh and Ashley Graham and, of course, she and Austin were together for almost a decade and she was the one who basically manifested that he would play Elvis Presley and there she is on the carpet with a microphone in her hand interviewing arrivals. I mean… more than a few of us were thinking about it, right?
Dear ABC producers… if you don’t do everything in your power to make Austin Butler stop by Vanessa Hudgens’ spot on the carpet then what is even the point of this pre-show? 😉 #Oscars
— Johanna Fuentes (@jfuentes) March 12, 2023
these cowards sent austin butler to ashley graham on the red carpet instead of vanessa hudgens i thought you people loved cinema
— ð‹ðšð«ð¢ð¬ð¡ðš (@bylarisha) March 12, 2023
They didn’t want to put Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens on screen together 💀 #Oscars pic.twitter.com/RQajLJxUNq
— Matt (@SquishySnapple) March 12, 2023
One more… and I know, I know… but I had to laugh.
austin butler and vanessa hudgens slap moment at the oscars when
— matthew (@auntyonce) March 12, 2023
Speaking of exes though, you know who might have been the happiest that Austin did not win Best Actor? Jacob Elordi. He’s playing Elvis in Sofia Coppolo’s film adaptation of Priscilla Presley’s Elvis & Me. Good luck with that.
Going back to the beginning and what I said about Austin coasting through award season, Paul Mescal is also really enjoyed the ride. He came into last night with no expectations, literally just happy to be there in his 70s style formal with the flared pant legs, and the red rose pinned to his white jacket. For the Vanity Fair party he ditched the shirt for a loose tank… it’s giving Scarface, right?
Brian Tyree Henry, like Paul and Austin, also got the most out his Oscar run. They were all at the Night Before Oscar party on Saturday, along with several other nominees, enjoying the last few moments of the little club they’ve been a part of this season:
cate blanchett with colin farrell, salma hayek, malala, ke huy quan, brian tyree henry, austin butler, paul mescal, bill nighy, and baz luhrmann at night before oscars party
— ℳári (@cakeblanchett_) March 12, 2023
brian: "we love each other!" pic.twitter.com/jhtnPe9LqE
I was expecting Brian in colour last night because he’d recently talked about his affinity for bold colours but all that colour leading up to the Oscars turned out to work for the contrast, as he showed up in a white embroidered jacket, with a patterned shirt to match, and two chains hanging from the inside. I love it. But I also love the gold choice for Vanity Fair. And the fact that he had options. Brian, clearly, loves the clothing part of award season – and this won’t be his first time. The industry is big on him. He will be back.
