You don’t must be a pop star to attend the Grammys. Typically all you want is a vivid smile, a proper costume, and just a little ambition. That’s all it took for Julie Phan, a UCLA scholar majoring in cognitive science, who took a break from finding out to cosplay as a star at Sunday’s awards present.
Phan, who’s from Santa Ana, California, attended as a seat filler, which is the identify for an individual who occupies empty chairs in the course of the broadcast.
This wasn’t Phan’s first time at an awards present. She beforehand attended the 2021 Individuals’s Selection Awards and the 2022 MTV Film & TV Awards within the fan pit. Nevertheless, Sunday was her first time sitting among the many stars, together with Jennifer Lopez, Olivia Rodrigo, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
In January, Phan utilized to attend the present via Seatfillers and Extra, a corporation that brings folks to Hollywood’s greatest occasions, and discovered her utility was accepted simply 10 days earlier than the present.
In an interview with BuzzFeed Information, Phan relived her Grammys expertise, together with simply how affectionate J.Lo and Ben Affleck regarded IRL.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
How excited had been you to go to the Grammys?
I used to be past excited. I instantly searched up who’s going to be there, who’s performing, the nominees. To my luck, a number of the those who I’ve grown up listening to, they had been going to be there. In order that was actually thrilling for me.
Who’re a few of your favorites that you just received to see?
Taylor Swift, Harry Types, Adele, Beyoncé. I might have cherished to have seen BTS final yr; nonetheless, they’re not collectively proper now.
I didn’t even know seat fillers had been a factor till right now. Mainly, you progress round to the place you are wanted?
Yeah, just about. It is a sport of musical chairs, actually.
What number of occasions did you progress?
Initially, I began off on the aspect within the stands. Then I made my approach right down to the ground. I used to be primarily within the seat or rows for more often than not. Then I used to be moved round rather a lot. Instantly, at any time when somebody requested me to maneuver, I simply needed to stand up and go. I could not say no.
Throughout [a] business break, I took the chance to stand up and transfer in the direction of the entrance, which is the place the tables had been. I used to be capable of be positioned proper subsequent to Jennifer Lopez. Proper in entrance.
After that, I used to be moved again to the holding space, which was within the again for the [seat fillers] who didn’t have a seat for the time being. The entire course of began once more. Proper after the holding space, I used to be again on the seated rows.
Have been you normally within the entrance of the present?
Primarily the center. That one time I used to be with Jennifer, that was the one time I used to be within the entrance.
How lengthy had been you subsequent to J.Lo?
Proper earlier than Sam Smith’s efficiency was after I took the seat. Proper after the efficiency, I used to be booted. I really feel 10ish minutes.
