Robert Downey Jr, from left, Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy, arrive at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Feb 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (PHOTO / AP)

LOS ANGELES - Stars of Barbie, Oppenheimer and other Oscar-nominated films came together on Monday at the annual nominees luncheon, a celebratory event where actors, directors and behind-the-scenes artists mingled and posed for a group photo.

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Ryan Gosling, nominated for playing Ken in the Barbie movie, stood out in the hotel ballroom in a lilac-colored suit. He stopped to greet Messi, a dog that played a key role in best picture nominee Anatomy of a Fall.

Ryan Gosling arrives at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (PHOTO / AP)

Emma Stone, a best actress contender for her role in dark comedy Poor Things, and Maestro stars Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan, also chatted with colleagues and studio executives.

Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr. - all nominees for atomic bomb drama Oppenheimer - also worked their way through the crowd. Director Steven Spielberg, a nominee as a producer for best picture nominee Maestro posed for selfies.

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Along with A-list stars, the crowd included sound mixers, costume designers and other craftspeople. At the end, the dozens of nominees were called to the stage for a group photo.

Margot Robbie arrives at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (PHOTO / AP)

The mood was overwhelmingly upbeat as nominees celebrated their achievements and no one had to worry about losing, or making a speech, as they do on Oscar night.

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"I wish I could bottle the excitement in this room," said Janet Yang, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the group that hands out the Oscars.

This year's Oscars will take place on March 10 and be broadcast live on Walt Disney's ABC network.