One of the modern traditions of the Oscars has been how Academy Award winners such as Helen Mirren have sated their post-ceremony hunger with a burger.
This year, the celebrations are much more likely to be meat-free, with vegan dishes hitting the Hollywood party scene.
The official afterparty, the Governors Ball, will feature a substantial amount of vegan hors d’oeuvres and amuse-bouches created by the Austrian-American chef Wolfgang Puck, from wild mushroom potstickers with black truffle ponzu sauce to apple-wrapped summer rolls. A “tartare” on the menu will be made with heirloom carrots, pickled mustard seed, horseradish, and sunchoke bark. Vegan dessert options will include a coconut chocolate bar and cashew vanilla tiramisu.
Even the goody bags are going vegan, with vegan lipstick, lollipops, toothpaste and foundation for the award nominees – not to mention a toilet brush shaped like a poo emoji.
The build up to Sunday’s ceremony has been chaotic, even by Hollywood standards. Kevin Hart was to be its host, then stepped down after old homophobic tweets emerged, and now there is no named host at all. Plans to introduce a category for blockbusters – apparently to boost TV ratings, which fell 20% last year – were dropped after another backlash. And an attempt to shorten the event by dropping live performances from some of the nominees for best song led to reports that all the singers might boycott the Oscars.
Film studios remain committed to the ceremony. They spend up to $25m (£19m) per film, hiring campaign strategists and holding special screenings and other events to persuade the 7,500 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to vote for them.
Bookmakers think Glenn Close will walk away with the award for best actress for her role in The Wife, pipping Olivia Colman who is nominated for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite. Colman’s co-stars Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone have nominations for best supporting actress, but that is tipped to go to Regina King, for her role in If Beale Street Could Talk.
Richard E Grant has spent the last month celebrating his nomination in the supporting actor category for Can You Ever Forgive Me? as a victory in its own right, but he faces tough competition from Mahershala Ali.
Roma, the black-and-white drama set in Mexico City, is tipped for best picture and best director for Alfonso Cuarón, although Black Panther may become the first superhero movie to win.
