Alongside the celebrities, the designer gowns and the swarms of paparazzi, this weekend’s Oscars will see another red carpet staple: bleacher creatures.
Eager fans armed with cameras, autograph books and colourful attire (making them easier to spot on TV) will fill the bleachers alongside the red carpet, securing some of the best seats to take in Hollywood’s biggest night.
Among the fans at this year’s event are Toronto couple Judy Anglin and Bob Arsenault.
Some 20,000 Oscar buffs applied for a chance to win the coveted seats bracketing the red carpet into the Dolby Theatre – and much to Anglin’s delight, she was one of the lucky 300 to win a pair of tickets.
"I could hardly read the email because I was so excited," Anglin recently told CTV Toronto.
But other than the coveted seats along the 500-foot walkway, bleacher winners don’t receive much else from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Fans pay their way to Los Angeles and for their accommodations, though they do receive a gift bag. While celebrities typically begin gracing the red carpet at 3 p.m., the fans must arrive by 8 a.m. to pass through security, making for a long day under the California sun.
Regardless, Anglin and Arsenault say the view will be a lot better than where the devoted film fans typically watch the big show.
Once the last of the stars walks into the theatre, the entire bleacher crew will be hosted at a nearby theatre for a catered dinner to watch the Oscars on the big movie screen.
Arsenault said he’ll be sporting his England football hat in hopes of capturing Oscar nominee Adele’s attention. He said he’ll also show his hometown pride with a Canada scarf.
Meanwhile, Anglin is bracing herself for an onslaught of celebrity sightings.
"If I get a kiss from George Clooney, I’m not sharing him with anybody," she says.
