Taylor Swift could finally get an Oscar nomination this year and playing the Academy Museum Gala — an increasingly important stop on the awards circuit — could have put her in the driver’s seat.
After goosing MTV’s VMA ratings with her appearance, to make the show the most watched since 2015, Swift played the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala on Saturday, and the night raised an eye-watering $14 million. That was $2 million up from last year’s $12 million-plus haul.
The gala is increasingly a big stop on the road to the Oscars — and Swift’s angling to land her first nomination this year for Best Original Song. Though the superstar has landed multiple Golden Globes noms, and won a Grammy for best movie ditty, the Oscars has proven tougher to crack.
But the stars seem to be aligning: Her original tune for “Toy Story 5,” “I Knew It, I Knew You,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June. While a massive hit isn’t required for an Oscar nomination from the Academy’s music branch, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Forbes previously reported of the category, “The more ubiquitous a tune becomes, the more likely Academy voters are to recognize it before campaigning even begins.”
Also in Swift’s favor: Every previous “Toy Story” film has produced a Best Original Song nominee.
Swift performed “The Life of a Showgirl” tune “The Fate of Ophelia” live for the first time at the Academy Museum Gala, and also played hits including “Blank Space” and “Love Story,” plus “I Knew It, I Knew You.”
Introducing Swift, Conan O’Brien, a star of “Toy Story 5” said, “It’s an insane unprecedented honor to introduce a cherished member of our little ‘Toy Story 5’ family… She’s John, Paul, George and Ringo all in one.” (We won’t even guess what Peter Asher would say to that on his SiriusXM show on The Beatles Channel!)
Attendees at the gala also Kim Kardashian, Sabrina Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Rami Malek, Cara Delevingne, Seth Rogen, Jessica Alba, Kristen Dunst, Kate Hudson, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Dakota and Elle Fanning, Demi Moore, Jon M. Chu, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, Elliot Grainge, Teyana Taylor and Olivia Munn.
The event honored Charlize Theron, horror directing legend John Carpenter and Colman Domingo, and was co-chaired by designer Tom Ford, directors Robert Rodriguez and Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw.
Also on the scene was potential Oscar nominee Inde Navarrette from “Obsession” as well as the film’s director Curry Barker.
Pop stars who have nailed down Oscar nominations include Rihanna, Lady Gaga and SZA.