Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper, Rose Byrne, Wendi Mclendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig in ‘Bridesmaids’ PEOPLE was in the building as preparations for the 2026 Oscars took place on Saturday, March 14<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n During rehearsals for the 98th Academy Awards, Bridesmaids stars reunited, Javier Bardem cracked jokes and more<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n The Oscars will air live on ABC and Hulu on Sunday, March 15<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Hollywood’s biggest night is almost here \u2014 and PEOPLE had an inside look as preparations are underway.<\/p>\n The day before the Oscars<\/a>, which will air on Sunday, March 15, PEOPLE was in attendance during rehearsals, with a front-row seat as producers readied the storied telecast.<\/p>\n Late on Saturday afternoon, Javier Bardem<\/a> walked off the glittering stage at the Dolby Theatre, having completed a flawless rehearsal for his moment as a presenter at the 98th Academy Awards.<\/p>\n \u201cAm I fired?\u201d grinned the F1 star, 57, sharing a warm hello with producers while dressed casually in a black tee and matching pants. \u201cI\u2019m going to learn the lines!\u201d he quipped with a laugh.<\/p>\n The actor was one of many A-listers utilizing the weekend to run through their lines, including Adrien Brody<\/a>, Kieran Culkin<\/a>, Mikey Madison<\/a>, Will Arnett<\/a>, Bill Pullman, Lewis Pullman<\/a> and Wagner Moura<\/a>.<\/p>\n Adrien Brody at Oscars rehearsals on March 14 But perhaps no one was having more fun than the reunited Bridesmaids<\/a> cast. Melissa McCarthy<\/a>, Kristen Wiig<\/a>, Rose Byrne<\/a>, Ellie Kemper<\/a> and Maya Rudolph<\/a> assembled on March 14 for their much-anticipated Oscars reunion, each wearing a credential around their neck.<\/p>\n Dressed casually \u2014 Byrne, 46, wore a black jumpsuit, and Wiig, 52, appeared in jeans and a black tank \u2014 each wore what appeared to be their show-day sky-high heels.<\/p>\n The same magic that drove Bridesmaids to box office glory was evident from the get-go. As the room full of producers, technicians, crew and camera operators applauded, McCarthy, 55, and Byrne walked onstage with their arms jokingly outstretched, blowing kisses and hamming it up.<\/p>\n Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for <\/strong>PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/strong><\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n Practicing a particularly funny bit, Wiig stopped at one point to refine the timing of the camera cutting between her costars and the audience.<\/p>\n After announcing the faux winner (and watching a stand-in make a thank-you speech), McCarthy danced as the group exited stage left.<\/p>\n Kieran Culkin at Oscar rehearsals on March 14 “It’s a stacked show,” Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said inside the theater on March 14. He added that a Sinners<\/a> performance during the Oscars is “going to blow your mind.”<\/p>\n It was also confirmed that Nicole Kidman<\/a> and Ewan McGregor<\/a> will appear together during the broadcast for a Moulin Rouge!<\/a> reunion ahead of the film’s upcoming 25th anniversary.<\/p>\n Mikey Madison at Oscar rehearsals on March 14 Producers of the 98th Academy Awards, to be hosted again by comedian Conan O’Brien<\/a>, previously teased “huge reunions” destined for the broadcast. One includes a Marvel reunion, which executive producer Katy Mullan said is “for the superhero fans.”<\/p>\n “So we\u2019re going to have superstars and superheroes,\u201d she added during a March 11 press conference<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd there is also going to be an extraterrestrial on the stage, so you can figure that one out,” Mullan also teased.<\/p>\n Sources previously told PEOPLE that a Devil Wears Prada<\/a> moment is in motion for the show, where Anne Hathaway<\/a> has previously been confirmed as a presenter.<\/p>\n The moment is said to draw from the upcoming sequel<\/a> (in theaters May 1), which reunites Hathaway, 43, Meryl Streep<\/a>, Emily Blunt<\/a> and Stanley Tucci<\/a>.<\/p>\n An expanded In Memoriam segment is also expected following a year that saw the loss of many stars, including Diane Keaton<\/a>, Robert Redford<\/a> and Rob Reiner<\/a>.<\/p>\n O’Brien, 62, told Extra<\/a> that the segment honoring his late friend Reiner was “hard to sum up,” but added, “It’s going to be a very powerful part of the show.”<\/p>\n A total of 10 films were nominated this year for Best Picture:\u00a0Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners\u00a0and\u00a0Train Dreams. Stars nominated this year include\u00a0Michael B. Jordan<\/a>,\u00a0Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet<\/a>,\u00a0Leonardo DiCaprio<\/a>,\u00a0Ethan Hawke<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Wagner Moura<\/a>\u00a0in the Best Actor category, and\u00a0Jessie Buckley<\/a>,\u00a0Emma Stone<\/a>,\u00a0Kate Hudson<\/a>,\u00a0Renate Reinsve<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Byrne\u00a0for Best Actress.<\/p>\n
Credit: Universal Pictures\/Entertainment Pictures\/ZUMA Press Wire\/Shutterstock<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\nNEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n
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Sinners\u00a0cemented its place in history with a whopping 16 nominations, making it the most nominated movie of all time.<\/p>\n