Star Power Surprised Me at the ASTRAs

Elle Fanning on the carpet at the ASTRA Awards

One of the things people assume about awards shows that are not televised live on network TV is that the biggest names will always be somewhere else. That smaller ceremonies mean fewer recognizable faces. That the “real” talent shows up only at the largest, most televised events.

This year the ASTRAs challenged that assumption.

There was noticeably more star power in the room than I expected, and substantially more than last year. Not in a performative way. Not in a parade of arrivals. But in a steady, almost casual presence that changed the atmosphere of the night.

Seeing names like Elle Fanning, Sharon Stone, Mark Hamill, Timothée Chalamet, Marissa Bode, and others moving through the same space as critics, journalists, filmmakers, and first-time nominees shifted the energy. It raised the stakes, but it also softened the room.

From the room

Star power can change the temperature of a room before anyone speaks.

When highly recognizable talent shows up without excessive separation, it sends a signal that the event matters, and that everyone in attendance is part of something shared.

What surprised me most was not who was there, but how they were there.

Many arrived without large entourages. Some stood quietly on the carpet, answering questions, smiling, waiting their turn. Others moved easily through the room, chatting with people they clearly knew, and people they had just met. There was very little sense of hierarchy being enforced.

That kind of presence changes how everyone else feels.

I was standing by the carpet near someone who was attending this kind of ceremony for the first time. At one point she quietly asked whether she was in the right place, whether she had missed something, whether she was supposed to be somewhere else. It was a small moment, but a familiar one. Having felt that before, I was able to reassure her.

That moment stayed with me.

Because I have felt that same uncertainty before, even as an attendee, wondering if I missed an announcement, wondering if everyone else knows something I do not, wondering how people seem so comfortable navigating the room, I have a real appreciation for first-time attendees.

And I have seen that uncertainty in someone being honored, so it also reminded me how universal it is.

Star power does not eliminate vulnerability. It often reveals it.

What also stood out was how grounded many nominees were about the outcome of the evening. Several people expressed some version of the same sentiment: whether they were selected or not, this project represented their best work so far. Being recognized in the room already felt meaningful.

From the room

Confidence reads louder than recognition.

That mindset changes everything.

It shifts the night from anticipation to appreciation. It allows people to stay present, to enjoy the table, the conversations, the applause for others. It creates a shared joy that does not depend on personal outcome.

This is one of the reasons I keep coming back to events like the ASTRAs.

They show how recognition can be communal rather than competitive. How visibility can coexist with humility. How confidence often comes from feeling included, not elevated.

For anyone watching awards season from home, or preparing for a formal event of their own, this is worth noticing. Presence matters more than perfection. Confidence comes from orientation and connection, not just polish.

Star power does not always dominate the room. Sometimes vulnerability, humanity, normality dominates.