Oscars: From Colman Domingo’s Toast To Lap Dogs To Selfies, What TV Cameras Didn’t Catch

Live awards telecasts like the Oscars air with commercials that take up about 15 minutes every hour, which means that we see those attending for about three quarters of the ceremony. During the remaining quarter when the cameras are not rolling, they tend to mingle and have fun.

During the 2025 Oscars Sunday, nominee Colman Domingo jumped on stage during one of the commercial breaks, tequila in hand, offered a toast and engaged the audience to stand up and dance.

He came into possession of tequila after small Don Julio bottles were passed out to every member of the audience — even those who don’t drink.

Domingo was at the center of multiple behind-the-scenes happenings at the Oscars.

This may not top Ellen DeGeneres’ epic selfie from the 2014 Oscars but would come close. The five Best Actor nominees, Domingo, Timothée Chalamet, Sebastian Stan, Ralph Fiennes and Adrien Brody, had become chummy during awards season and commemorated its end by gathering together to take a photo during an Oscar break.

It was a big night for dogs — and that’s not only because Flow won in the Best Animated Feature category. Porcelain War co-director Slava Leontyev arrived with his little dog, a Yorkie named Frodo, who had accompanied him at other award shows. Best Actress nominee Demi Moore also had her award season staple dog, micro Chihuahua Pilaf, with her in the audience.

Minutes before he took his place behind the microphone as the voice of the Oscars, Nick Offerman went on stage to greet the audience, giving them “a brief and wondrous opportunity to feast your glamorous eyes upon my sturdy form.”

Former Academy CEO Dawn Hudson is one of many in Hollywood who lost their homes in the Palisades fire. While her wardrobe burnt down, Hudson showed up for the Oscars wearing a beautiful gown. “I borrowed it from Laura Dern”, she told Deadline in the lobby of the Dolby Theatre.

Speaking of the lobby, that was an area where many of the stars spent the commercial breaks and some of the telecast, watching the proceedings on monitors while getting drinks and snacks. Here are Gal Gadot and Sebastian Stan:

Natalie Sitek contributed to this report.