See those unrecognizable people sitting with the elite at the Oscars? Ever wonder who they are? Julie Miller has your back:

• Some of them are nominees for the technical categories as well as friends and families of the celebrities.
• However the organizers also hire about 300 ‘seat fillers’ whose sole purpose is to fill empty seats when guests go to the bar or washroom, or if there’s an unappealing seat behind technical equipment.
• To become a seat filler one must submit a passport and job application with photos of the evening wear they have purchased and will wear to the event.
• It’s mostly those who have connections with somebody at the Oscars who get the position.
• Unlike the real guests, seat fillers have to show up for the evening ceremony at 9 am.
• Seat fillers aren’t allowed to talk to any of the stars, and aren’t allowed to use the open bar.
• If the camera happens to pan to them then seat fillers must be stoic and there must be no indication that the stars surrounding them don’t know them.
• The 14 hour experience is considered volunteer work and thus is unpaid.

Read more about the experience of one fake guest, why some seat fillers can be abusive, and how the rules are bent over here.

Source: Vanity Fair