Kamala Harris Skips Oscars 2025 After Rumors of Her Attendance

Hours before the 2025 Oscars red carpet began, rumors circulated online that former Vice President Kamala Harris could be attending the awards ceremony. However, less than an hour before the show, her husband, Doug Emhoff, revealed that she had much different plans for the big night.

“Oscars watch party prep,” Emhoff wrote on X, alongside a post of Harris pouring chips into a bowl. The politician had a big smile on her face as she looked right at the camera while performing the party prep in her kitchen.

Emhoff’s post came after Deadline reported that there was “heavier than usual” security at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, leading to speculation that the enhanced security measures were due to Harris’ potential appearance. While one Academy source told the outlet that rumors of the former vice president’s attendance were “not true,” another insider said that her “decision not to attend was made earlier this afternoon for a variety of reasons.”

Oscars watch party prep. pic.twitter.com/vOU3D1jubQ

— Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) March 2, 2025

One federal official told Deadline that “we now live in a new evolving security environment… The expected attendance of the former vice president is a major factor in the added security.”

There will, of course, still be plenty of star power in attendance at the Oscars, which are being hosted by Conan O’Brien. Among the attendees are nominees Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Demi Moore, Timothée Chalamet, Adrien Brody, Kieran Culkin, Zoe Saldaña, and more, along with presenters Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Andrew Garfield, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Poehler, Whoopi Goldberg, and many others.

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Grande and Erivo will also be taking the stage for a performance, as will BLACKPINK’s Lisa with Doja Cat and Raye, as well as Queen Latifah, who will be performing a tribute to the late Quincy Jones.

The Oscars 2025, Sunday, March 2, 7/6c, ABC