Pictured is a rendering of the completed ballroom decor, which is being produced by Cheryl Cecchetto and the Sequoia Productions team for the 31st consecutive year.Rendering: Courtesy of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences
LOS ANGELES—On Friday morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted a media preview to reveal details for its official after-party, which will take place at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland immediately following the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony on February 9.
The star-studded event, known as the Governors Ball, annually draws some 1,500 Oscar winners and nominees, show presenters, and others from the entertainment industry. Academy governor Lois Burnwell, a makeup artist and the chair of the academy's awards and events committee, will oversee the party for the third time; she will once again work with Cheryl Cecchetto of Los Angeles-based Sequoia Productions on the ball's decor and production. Cecchetto and her team have been producing the Governors Ball for 31 consecutive years.
This year's eye-catching event design will be inspired by the concepts of "harmony and relaxation," with a color palette of copper and bronze metallics and accents of eggplant and amethyst. Overhead will be a floating chandelier made from 2,000 tubes of light, all constructed from recycled materials in varying finishes and textures. Eighty individual strings of Edison incandescent light bulbs will add to the lighting design.
In fact, sustainability will be a recurring theme throughout the event. The academy has eliminated the use of plastic bottles at all its Oscars-related events, including the Nominees Luncheon and the award show itself. And the Governors Ball menu from Wolfgang Puck Catering will be 70-percent plant-based—in keeping with recent award-season trends—and menus will take into account a number of food allergies and specialty diets. All fish being served is listed on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommendation list.
In addition, all lighting, audio, rigging equipment, and furniture will be repurposed for future events, while almost 50 percent of fabricated materials will be reused (and the rest recycled). A portion of the carpet will be donated to Habitat for Humanity, while linens will also be donated to charitable causes.
For flowers, longtime floral designer Mark’s Garden is staying away from Oasis floral foam this year for sustainability reasons. The Sherman Oaks-based company is creating 400 arrangements using more than 12,000 blooms, mostly in varying shades of purple; about 40 floral designers will work on the arrangements for five days leading up the event. Afterward, the florals will be donated to the Jewish Center for the Aged.
Linens from Resource One, meanwhile, will complement the ceiling decor, using 2,000 yards of shimmering fabrics in amethyst and champagne colors, plus eggplant sequins, copper satins, linear stripes, and soft gray velvet. The fabrics are custom-made for the Governors Ball and take six weeks to manufacture. Hire Elegance and Blueprint Studios will provide the furniture, while ShowPro will handle audiovisual production.
Wolfgang Puck Catering will handle the event's food for the 26th consecutive year. Led by chef Puck, vice president of culinary Eric Klein, and a team of 200 chefs, the night's menu will be a mix of one-bite hors d’oeuvres, tray-passed small-plate entrées, and action stations, with vegan offerings including sweet potato tempura with mint cilantro aioli; maitake mushroom salad with eggplant baba ghanoush; and campanelle pasta with preserved lemon, artichokes, and English peas. New dishes include beet macarons with herb goat cheese, cacio e pepe macaroni and cheese, and french toast with pumpkin crème brûlée.
The dessert menu will have more than three-dozen offerings, including the catering company's signature Oscars statue-shape chocolates dusted in 24-karat gold, plus a variety of Guanaja vegan chocolates. Drinks will come from Piper-Heidsieck Champagne, Francis Ford Coppola Wines, and Tequila Don Julio
The 92nd annual Academy Awards take place February 9 at the Dolby Theatre, and will air live on ABC. Joker leads with 11 nominations, and Lynette Howell Taylor and Stephanie Allain will produce for the first time. The award show will once again forego a host, after the hostless 2019 ceremony saw a 12 percent uptick in viewers.
Scroll down for a sneak peek at the decor and catering for this year's Governors Ball.
