Scarlett Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow were the star attractions at the Oscar rehearsals.
Paltrow breezed into LA’s Dolby Theatre almost 20 minutes early for her rehearsal and walked back out a minute later.
Wearing a colour-block sweater, black tulip skirt and booties, the actress came in without make-up, her blond hair imperfect, naturally wavy and parted down the centre.
She strode to her mark onstage, read through her lines, snapped a couple of quick selfies and marched out.
“OK, we’ll see you Sunday,” she said.
Amazed at her efficiency, a stage manager told her: “You just set a record for the quickest rehearsal.”
“Dude,” she replied, “you know, you gotta make it easy.”
Johansson, on the other hand, took her time in Oscar land, laughing with stage hands and smiling at everyone.
Wearing an ivory blouse over slim black trousers, her blond crop freshly shaven on one side, she apparently recited her lines perfectly.
“Wow, that was fantastic,” the show director’s disembodied voice boomed over a loudspeaker in the theatre. “Thank you very much.”
The actress checked with a stage manager, then feigned drama as she said to the audience of show workers: “I guess I’ll go now.”
Waving and flashing a movie-star smile, she said: “So, bye!”