Judy Garland. Fred Rodgers. Jimmy Hoffa. Pope Francis.
Those are just a smattering of names who could very well be receiving a shout-out during the 2020 Oscars this Sunday. I mean, it's likely that Renee Zellweger, Tom Hanks, Al Pacino and Jonathan Pryce would thank their people first, the cadre of agents, managers, publicists, directors, producers and cinematographers who keep their careers humming along, plus the spouses, partners, children and close friends that make up their support groups.
But, then, yeah, they'll probably be expressing their gratitude to the real-life people they portrayed for having an existence rich enough to really pop on screen.
Because it's an open secret in the film industry that keeping it real is a good way to get recognized, the Academy tending to appreciate when well-known stars disappear into another person's likeness.
Eddie Redmayne was rewarded for his work as theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, Reese Witherspoon for embodying June Carter Cash and Julia Roberts may have never had the chance to scold music conductor Bill Conti ("Sir, you're doing a great job, but you're so quick with that stick. So why don't you sit, 'cause I may never be here again,") if not for legal clerk turned activist Erin Brockovich.
And just last year Rami Malek's interpretation of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury bested Christian Bale as Dick Cheney, Willem Dafoe as Vincent Van Gogh and Viggo Mortensen as bouncer Tony "Lip" Vallelonga.
So no surprise that this year artists leaned in hard, with everyone from popes to mob bosses to Fox News anchors receiving the Hollywood treatment. Before your favorite stars start spreading their appreciation this weekend, study up on those who helped them earn Oscar gold.