Oscar nominees gather for a chummy night of cocktails, dinner and the annual class picture

Five days before the Academy Awards, nearly every nominee gathered for a cocktail reception, dinner and class picture shoot that served as an Oscars orientation.

The event Tuesday night at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures was a stand-in for the annual Oscars luncheon usually held about a month earlier but scrubbed because of the Southern California wildfires.

With the voting over and winners determined, contenders got chummy and the mood was cheerful. Best actress favorites Mikey Madison and Demi Moore hugged and chatted. So did best actor front-runners Timothée Chalamet and Adrien Brody.

“Everyone say Oscar nominee!” best actress nominee Cynthia Erivo shouted gleefully from the front row of the museum’s David Geffen Theater, where the dozens of nominees sat for their group picture.

Clustered in front with Erivo were three best supporting actress nominees: her “Wicked” castmate Ariana Grande, Monica Barbaro of “A Complete Unknown” and Zoe Saldaña of “Emilia Perez” along with Madison, nominated for “Anora.” 

The five women stood in a circle