LEE, AVANT, ROTHAMN, LANGLEY, SHELL: ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAGES. BAY, LABEOUF: ERIC MCCANDLESS/ABC. HANKS, WEAVER, RONAN, METZ, ALI, DERN: STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE.A (Meatless) Double-Double With
Fries for Joaquin Phoenix
After this year’s Oscars, Joaquin
Phoenix’s most avid fan base may be
bovine. Thanks largely to Phoenix’s
activism behind the scenes, several
key awards season events went wholly
vegan, including the Golden Globes,
Critics’ Choice and SAG Awards, and
Phoenix devoted a significant portion
of his best actor acceptance speech to
animal rights activism. As Phoenix was
speaking onstage about a cow’s “cries
of anguish” upon being separated from
her calf, waiters were passing trays of
taro root tacos in the Dolby Theatre’s
bar, while chef Wolfgang Puck’s menu
for the evening and for the Governors
Ball later had a heavy plant-based
tilt. Some attendees were grousing
about the options — one studio exec
complained about still being hungry
from the vegan pre-Oscar party held
by Phoenix’s agency, WME, two nights
before, and no one looked lonelier than
the Governors Ball caterer stationed
behind the vegan cheese. Phoenix
himself finished the night with a plant-
based twist on that old Oscar winner’s
staple, a trip to In-N-Out, stopping
instead at Monty’s Good Burger in
Koreatown with fiancee Rooney Mara
and picking up two double vegan burg-
ers and a side of fries to bring with
them to Netflix’s afterparty at the San
Vicente Bungalows.A Spike Lee Joint ... at the Future
Academy Museum
Spike Lee has always had a compli-
cated relationship with the Oscars.
Last year, even after winning a best
screenplay trophy for BlacKkKlansman,
he spent his time backstage throwing
shade at best picture winner Green
Book. But Lee, who attended Sunday’s
ceremony in a custom purple and gold
Gucci suit bearing Kobe Bryant’s jersey
number, seems to be warming up to the
Academy. Not only will the 62-year-
old director be curating a space at
the future Academy Museum — more
details will be coming in an official
announcement in a few weeks — but he
made a point of stopping by Parasite’s
table at the Governors Ball to congratu-
late this year’s best picture winners,
mingling with star Song Kang-Ho and
financier Miky Lee before seeking out
director Bong Joon Ho. “Where’s the
boss at?” he asked before posing for
pictures with the table.Rambling Reporter
Oscars Edition!
By Rebecca Keegan
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