Inside Critics Choice: Emma Stone's heart-to-heart, Bradley Cooper sings happy birthday

SANTA MONICA, Calif. − The critics may have done the choosing, but chaos seemed to be calling the shots at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards.

From loud airplane sounds interrupting speeches (sorry, Ayo Edebiri) to hungry stars ravenously munching pizza from a bag (yes, really), the 29th annual awards show, which honors critically acclaimed television shows and movies, seemed to have no rules when it returned Sunday night at the Barker Hangar.

Paul Giamatti gave a touching tribute to his late father after winning best actor for "The Holdovers," and Harrison Ford gave a sweet shout-out to his wife Calista Flockhart while accepting the Critics Choice Career Achievement Award.

Still, tons of juicy moments didn't make it on your TV screen. Here's everything else that went down inside that star-filled room.

Bill Hader sits beside Ali Wong, Reese Witherspoon brings along daughter Ava Phillippe

In Hollywood, there's no better night to share with loved ones than an awards show. "Barry" creator and star Bill Hader sat beside "Beef" star Ali Wong, after the two stepped out together for the Golden Globes last week. The two stood beside each other, fielding conversation with different people by their table, close to the front of the stage.

Reese Witherspoon also brought a special guest: her lookalike, 24-year-old daughter Ava Phillippe. Witherspoon walked down the red carpet with Phillippe, and the two sat side by side at "The Morning Show" table, which also included Jennifer Aniston, for most of the night, conversing with each other during commercial breaks.

Natasha Lyonne, a nominee for best actress in a comedy series for "Poker Face," brought her best friend of 25 years to the show, telling USA TODAY on the red carpet she doesn't know where the night will take them.

"I'm sure it will evolve and emerge into something unexpected," Lyonne said of her post-show plans.

Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling bro it out, more celebs schmooze

In typical Critics Choice fashion, the second the telecast hit a commercial break, stars jumped up from their seats to move to other tables, chatting each other up and posing for pictures.

Bradley Cooper, a nominee for "Maestro," made his way over to the "Barbie" crew's table, dropping down to one knee to chat with a seated Ryan Gosling. The two greeted each other with a hug and quickly became locked in conversation, with Cooper flashing a beaming smile at his fellow A-lister.

Cooper's co-star Carey Mulligan did the same with "Poor Things" star Emma Stone, patiently standing behind Stone as she finished taking a photo with an attendee. Mulligan then dropped to her knees to give Stone a long hug, and the two spoke quietly into each other's ears during the embrace as an announcer counted off the seconds to the end of the break.

Fantasia Barrino from "The Color Purple" bent down to give a congratulatory kiss to Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who won best supporting actress in a movie for her role in "The Holdovers." Barrino's co-star Taraji P. Henson also seemed to sing Randolph's praises and gave the winner a loving squeeze on the hand before getting pulled elsewhere in the bustling venue.

And leave it to the "Maestro" squad to bring the music. Over at their table, Cooper, Mulligan and more attendees burst into a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" for a woman in a green dress seated near them. Will Ferrell, who sat at the next table over, seemed curious about the commotion, craning his head to look at the birthday girl and joining in on the applause when the song ended.

Emma Stone, Greta Gerwig, more enjoy pizza from a bag

Still, something important was missing from the event: a real meal. And the loss seemed to be felt among stars, who only had tortilla chips from Baja Fresh and a box of prosciutto, salami, crackers, fruit and cheese to graze on − plus plenty of Fiji water, wine, champagne and tequila. A Cold Stone ice cream bar was also set up right outside the telecast, but real food was nowhere in sight.

That is, until the tail end of the show, when stars got a surprise: mini-flatbread pizzas served in paper bags. Celebrities seemed grateful to finally get some sustenance.

Stone chowed down on her pizza at the "Poor Things" table, and "Barbie" mastermind Greta Gerwig held her half-eaten flatbread in one hand while gesticulating with the other in an animated conversation with Hader.

Stars get real on their ins and outs for 2024

On the red carpet, attendees gave their verdict to USA TODAY on what was in, and what was definitely out, for 2024.

"In is taking at least 30 seconds to make a decision," "Bottoms" star and writer Rachel Sennott said. "Out is ordering food. I'm going to drive and leave my house."

Danielle Brooks of "The Color Purple" said haters are definitely out this year.

"I'm guarding my space. I'm guarding what has been anointed and what is full of goodness," she said. "Anybody who ain't really supporting: Deuces!"