Cynthia and Ariana Celebrate, Conan Steals a Trophy: A Peek Backstage With Oscar Photographer John Shearer – Hollywood Reporter
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 02: (EDITORIAL ONLY, NO BOOK COVERS) (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been converted to black and white.) (L-R) Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are seen backstage at the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by John Shearer/97th Oscars/The Academy via Getty Images)
Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood ReporterSubscribe for full access to The Hollywood ReporterThe veteran photographer, working in-house for the Film Academy on Sunday night, captured scenes you wouldn’t see on TV.
By
Nicole Fell
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sharing a moment of triumph after a crowd pleasing opening performance. Conan O’Brien jokingly trying to steal Adrien Brody’s Oscar. These moments from the 2025 Oscars didn’t make the ABC broadcast, but John Shearer — who this year served as an in-house, all access photographer for the Academy and Getty Images — captured them and many more.
“I like to just be a fly on the wall, my goal is for them [stars] to not notice me because the second they think there’s a photographer or media in the room or the dressing room, everything changes,” Shearer told The Hollywood Reporter Monday morning, mere hours after Hollywood finally took its post-Oscars slumber. “I try not to interrupt people or pose people or even let know that I was there because I don’t want to interrupt the moment at all. I want people to feel like they were there in the moment with me.”
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Shearer is no stranger to award shows — he joked that he has shot virtually every star-studded ceremony in the country except this one. Some of his past credits include the SAG Awards, the Grammys and the CMA Awards. The veteran photographer is also behind one of the most recognizable pop culture photos of the last year: the poster for Taylor Swift:The Eras Tour film.
For Shearer, the most memorable photos of the night were of Wicked’s Grande and Erivo. He notes that his wife worked on Victorious, the Nickelodeon show where Grande got her onscreen start. “I love the photos of them with their glam team, preparing to take the stage just minutes before the show, and then seeing the excitement and everything after the performance when they ran down to the dressing rooms,” he said.
Below, Shearer shares photos and insights from Hollywood’s biggest night featuring Grande, Erivo, O’Brien, Brody, Colman Domingo and more.Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every daySign up for THR news straight to your inbox every daySubscribe for full access to The Hollywood ReporterSend us a tip using our anonymous form.
