A special night, beautiful people, a glamorous setting … how could you not fall in love? Though the highly coveted Oscars’ plus-one invite is sometimes reserved for stars’ family members or best friends, a number of couples have made their red carpet debuts at the Academy Awards. Even more so, the special night has become the perfect setting for A-list couples to profess their love for each other — whether in acceptance speeches or with a sweet comment at a party after the fact. There are worse places to bring a date, huh?
At the 2021 Oscars, Riz Ahmed and his wife, Fatima Farheen Mirza, stepped out for the first time as a married couple. Ahmed wrapped his arm around his wife on the red carpet, stopping to perfect her sleek hairstyle along the way.
“I’m the official groomer!” the Sound of Metal star told the cameras during E!s pre-show.
That same year, fans were excited to see Paulina Porizkova and Aaron Sorkin make their debut as well, just days after their relationship was confirmed.
While a cheek kiss, deep gaze or handhold is usually the chosen display of affection for stars at the Oscars, some couples — such as Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos — have been bold enough to smooch a little more seriously in front of the cameras.
But it’s not just couples! After winning best supporting actress at the 2014 Academy Awards, Lupita Nyong’o planted a kiss on her golden statue. That same year, Spike Jonze kissed his friend Alfonso Cuarón on the cheek after the pair won Best Original Screenplay and Best Director, respectfully. Sandra Bullock and Halle Berry, on the other hand, opted for an air kiss in 2011 so as not to mess up their glam.
Unlike the MTV Movie and TV Awards, the Oscars don’t have a specific category for best onscreen kiss. Still, Hollywood is eager to show that they care just as much about their costars off camera as they do on. Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, who starred together in Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight, struck an affectionate pose in 2014 — a special treat for fans of their movie romance.
Scroll to see celebrities’ best PDA moments at the Oscars over the years:
