There\u2019s a reason why the AFI Awards draw pretty much every A-lister on its annual honor roll: The intimate private luncheon, which took place this year at the Four Seasons, is the most celebratory occasion on the long, windy Oscars circuit, with 10 films and TV shows apiece all named winners\u2014and no losers in sight. This is especially useful\u2014maybe, even ironic\u2014when the event falls in the thick of Oscar nominations voting and campaigning is at its most intense. So everyone in attendance is a winner, yes\u2014and also working very hard to make the final cut with the Academy.<\/p>\n
Entrances started before noon on a chilly, sunny Friday in Beverly Hills, and pretty quickly you could play mix and match with different honorees catching up. I walked in to find May December<\/em>\u2019s Natalie Portman<\/strong> posing with the Reservation Dogs<\/em> cast just before the red carpet. Beef<\/em>\u2019s Steven Yeun<\/strong> approvingly exclaimed at The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019s Pedro Pascal<\/strong> in another striking wardrobe choice. Oppenheimer<\/em>\u2019s Robert Downey Jr.<\/strong> was among the first to make his way into the ballroom, where he moved toward the front of the stage with American Fiction<\/em>\u2019s Erika Alexander.<\/strong><\/p>\n I caught up with Maestro<\/em>\u2019s Carey Mulligan<\/strong> at one point as the crowd started filling out, and she quipped, \u201cThis is a great place to get a job.\u201d And indeed, think of a writer or director in the running for Emmys and Oscars right now, and they were probably within a quarter-mile radius. Some powerful executives, too. Disney chief Bob Iger<\/strong> was busy making the rounds, pulling aside The Bear<\/em>\u2019s Ayo Edebiri<\/strong> and Abbott Elementary<\/em>\u2019s Quinta Brunson<\/strong> for a chat, and later introducing himself at Reservation Dogs\u2019<\/em> table.<\/p>\n