Instead, most of Sunday night’s winners accepted from their own homes or hotel rooms in laidback settings unheard of for Hollywood's biggest awards shows. Friends watching on television downstairs raised a delayed shout when she was announced as the winner for supporting actress in a motion picture drama. “It was really fun,” said Aaron Sorkin, winner for motion picture screenplay. Their daughters, Sunday and Faith, both wore white dresses while making a rare appearance. Known for her singing career, Day became the second Black woman to win for actress in a motion picture drama in her acting debut.

Tom Cruise knows how to make an entrance! I'm standing at the door making sure people who aren't supposed to be at the party aren't coming in," she recalls. "There's like 400 people in my parents' house, and I'm kind of freaking out a bit. "I see someone scaling, literally scaling, an eight-foot gate at my parents' house. I'm about to yell at this guy, and it's Tom Cruise!