Demi Moore Oscars Win Would Be 'Turning Point'; Reality Stars Won’t 'Infiltrate’ Red Carpet Says PR Expert

As awards season draws to a close with the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2, all eyes will be on Hollywood’s elite as they take to the red carpet once more.

Leading PR expert Lynn Carrat, who has more than 20 years of experience in the business, predicts who'll be the biggest winners on the night, which celebrity couples will walk the red carpet, and whether Meghan Markle will finally attend the Oscars after last year’s speculation.

Speaking to Sportsbook Review, Carratt discusses the importance of a potential Best Lead Actress win for Demi Moore, shares her take on "Emilia Pérez" star Karla Sofía Gascón’s expected attendance, and why she thinks Kylie Jenner won’t walk the red carpet.

Will Academy go in a different direction from the BAFTAs? Demi Moore could challenge Mikey Madison

"Following on from the BAFTAs, we can probably predict who is likely to be the big winners on the night for this year’s Academy Awards. Last year, with visual effects being the exception, every BAFTA winner went on to win the Oscar.

"In the main award categories, I can see the winners panning out in the same way. Mikey Madison and Adrien Brody didn’t win in the same fashion, though - Brody is looking unbeatable, whereas Madison’s victory over Demi Moore was a real shock."

In fact, Moore serves as the betting favorite by the latest Oscars odds.

"There will be a strong challenge from Moore, but if 'Anora' takes home Best (Picture), it could well be Madison’s Oscar to lose. Nothing is guaranteed though - 'Anora's' grip on the Best (Picture) award is also beginning to look slightly shaky. The Academy does love a curveball, and 'Conclave’s' huge success at the BAFTAs has made it a real contender.

"In the supporting category, I think they are almost certainly going to Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña. Having won the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and BAFTAs already, it is tough to imagine the Academy will go in a different direction.

"Many would think Mikey Madison has the most to gain from a win, as a young up-and-coming actress, but at this stage of her career, a nomination is really victory enough. We have seen with young stars such as Timothée Chalamet, Austin Butler, and Saoirse Ronan; the win isn't really necessary once you have made it this far. Just having your name in the mix is enough to catapult you to superstardom.

"The nominee who would benefit the most from a win is Demi Moore. Although her performance in 'The Substance' has certainly given her career a huge boost, bringing home the Oscar will have her name at the top of every producer’s list again and would be a wonderful acknowledgment of her amazing career. We have seen it over the last couple of years with Ke Huy Quan - although he never had Moore’s level of fame, that Oscar win made him millions, and it will do the same for Moore."

Moore winning Best Actress could be real turning point for women over 40 in Hollywood

"The last time a horror movie won an Oscar was in 2017 - 'Get Out' received four nominations and won Best Original Screenplay. Horror films are often overlooked by the Academy, but this year, 'The Substance' received several nominations, as did 'Nosferatu' and 'Alien: Romulus,' which is nominated for Best Visual Effects. It’s refreshing to see horror being taken seriously by the Academy this year. Moore has already won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of fading actress Elizabeth Sparkle, and I’m backing her to win the Best Lead Actress Oscar.

"Her career has spanned over four decades, and despite being the highest-paid actress in 1995, she didn’t receive an Oscar nomination until 2025 for 'The Substance.' This film has given her career a resurgence at the age of 62. In her Golden Globes speech, she mentioned she no longer compares herself to others' ideas of beauty and success. This recognition is a milestone for an actress once referred to as a ‘popcorn actress.’

"There's no shame in working hard and doing what you love for a long time, and now she's finally receiving the recognition she deserves, with Moore now having risen to an all-time high. This could be a real turning point for actresses in Hollywood. A win for Moore shows women over 40 can still succeed and bring home the big awards, and this should be celebrated in the industry.

"Moore is likely to make a bigger splash in Hollywood over the next year, following her career-best performance in 'The Substance.' I hope she can win another Oscar and a Golden Globe before she retires. Katherine Hepburn won an Oscar for 'On Golden Pond' at 74, and what’s to say Demi couldn’t do the same?

"I was disappointed that 'Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice)' wasn't nominated for Best Costume Design or Makeup, given that the original won in 1989 and the sequel was a box office hit. I think it deserved an award, especially considering we’re seeing the resurgence of horror movies this year."

"Emilia Pérez" star Karla Sofía Gascón expected to attend Oscars despite controversy

"Karla Sofía Gascón, the lead actress in 'Emilia Pérez,' has been notably absent from recent award ceremonies, including the Critics Choice and BAFTA Awards, following a scandal surrounding past offensive tweets, which led to widespread backlash and calls for the revocation of her nominations. In response, Gascón has issued an apology and deleted the tweets.

"The film's co-stars, including Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez, have not publicly addressed Gascón's controversy. Saldaña, who won Best Supporting Actress at the BAFTAs for her role in 'Emilia Pérez,' delivered an emotional acceptance speech. Her speech was notably cut short during the broadcast, but she is the strong favourite to win at the Oscars.

"As they approach, it remains uncertain whether Gascón's co-stars will acknowledge her during their speeches. The controversy has led Netflix, the film's distributor, to distance itself from Gascón by removing her from promotional materials, while still supporting the film's overall awards campaign. Her co-stars haven’t mentioned her after their previous wins, but the Oscars may be different as, despite the controversy, she is expected to attend.

"I don’t see 'Emilia Pérez' winning masses on the night; I think 'Anora' is looking like it will be this year's real runaway success. I think Saldaña will win Best Supporting Actress, but other than that, I think the major awards will go elsewhere."

Fellow "Emilia Pérez" actress Selena Gomez will be a presenter at the Oscars following engagement announcement

"Selena and Benny (Blanco), they’ve just announced their engagement, she is a presenter at this year’s awards and her song is up for Best Original Song. She always looks stunning wherever she goes, so I imagine she’ll be flashing off that engagement ring with Benny standing proudly by her side.

"The big couple to look out for this year on the red carpet, however, is Adrien Brody, nominated for Best Lead Actor in 'The Brutalist,' and his girlfriend Georgina Chapman. They put on a really loved-up display at the BAFTAs. She is always stunning in her fashion and always supportive of him. She’s used to these red carpet events, and they’ll make a big splash on the red carpet this year."

Meghan Markle's attendance at Academy Awards would be clever PR move ahead of Netflix release

"Meghan and Harry are no strangers to the red carpet or awards season and have both attended major ceremonies like the BAFTAs in previous years. It was previously rumored that the Academy Awards had reached out to invite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to attend the Oscars last year, but, despite the rumors, the pair were a no-show. Their speculative appearance was criticized, with Meghan and Harry having no real reason to attend at the time, and many viewed that it wouldn’t have been great optics to see the duo rubbing shoulders with Hollywood’s finest. However, could this year be the year that Meghan does attend?

"Focusing on her own brand of late, Meghan’s new Netflix release, 'With Love, Meghan,' is imminent and is set to hit the streaming platform on March 4 - two days after the Oscars take place. The Academy Awards red carpet could be the perfect place for Meghan to plug her latest project, especially with the film featuring many of her A-list pals from her days on screen.

"Her appearance at the Oscars - the pinnacle of awards season - would definitely have people talking, putting all eyes on her and generating widespread attention at a key moment for her. With only one project left as part of her and Harry’s five-year deal with Netflix, attending the Oscars would be a clever PR move by Meghan to boost viewing figures and ensure these final projects are a success. It would show that not only is she focused on building her own brand away from the royals - especially if she attends solo - but make a statement that she has every intention of reinserting herself back into the world of entertainment in a nod to her past life."

Kylie Jenner unlikely to walk red carpet with boyfriend Timothée Chalamet

"Obviously, a lot was made of Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner at the BAFTAs. I think he’s in with a very good chance of winning the Oscar; he will want his girlfriend there to support him. I don’t think Kylie will want to take all the attention from him on the night. She won’t walk the red carpet with him; she’ll meet him inside, as she did at the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes. She won’t want the attention to be focused on her walking down the red carpet."

This remains one of the few ceremonies not "infiltrated" by influencers and reality stars

"While the Kardashians did start off as reality TV sensations, their whole brand is much more than that. This was first really evident when Kim was invited to the Met Gala in 2013. They’re now regulars there every year. Kendall (Jenner) has become a top model, walking for the likes of Dior and catwalks around the world. While Kylie is a reality star, she is a billionaire from her business, which ultimately she started from reality TV.

"The Oscars is one of those awards ceremonies where social media influencers and reality stars haven’t managed to infiltrate yet. You don’t see the Kardashians on the red carpet there. They’ve never attended the ceremony. This year, if Kylie is to be photographed with Timothée, it’s likely to be at the Vanity Fair party. He’s likely to be photographed on the red carpet alone, but we will see them inside together. The Oscars shouldn’t be a ceremony for people who are not bona fide actors and actresses, movie industry professionals. That is what it is there to celebrate, and they won’t want to 'lower the tone.'"

Rare for reality TV stars to be invited to Oscars

"It’s also worth noting that while the Oscars doesn’t normally invite reality stars, there are a couple who did start off in reality TV and are now making waves at award ceremonies. Jennifer Hudson is a good example - she started off on 'American Idol,' she didn’t win the show but went to the Oscars for her role in 'Dreamgirls.' Hard to imagine, but Emma Stone started off in reality TV and won a role as part of the 'Partridge Family'; that was her first gig. They have gone from reality stars to bona fide actors, and it can happen, but it is quite rare."