Why Aren't Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga Sitting Next to Each Other at the Oscars?

In case you haven't heard, the 2019 Oscars (opens in new tab) are currently happening in Los Angeles, and your faves Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are performing "Shallow" together later in the evening. Within minutes of the show, the camera panned on the A Star Is Born co-stars in their seats, but fans immediately wondered why the pair aren't sitting next to each other. Instead, Cooper's girlfriend and mother of his child, Irina Shayk (opens in new tab), is sitting right in the middle of them.

The internet is convinced Lady Gaga and Bradley have romantic feelings for each other (opens in new tab) after Gaga recently ended her engagement with fiancé Christian Carino, and fans are wondering if the seating arrangement is on purpose.

Spoiler: It has nothing to do with the rumors, and everything to do with the Oscars' notoriously strict seating chart (opens in new tab). A whole lot actually goes into the planning—the biggest stars go in the front rows and those expected to win are usually placed near the aisles. Politics and relationships are also taken into account—"ex-spouses, ex-lovers and ex-friends are never to be placed anywhere near each other," The New York Post explains. "You always find out ahead of time where your clients are sitting and who they’re sitting with or near," one Hollywood publicist told the Post. "If there’s a problem, the academy is very accommodating." But in this case, it seems like a simple case of The Very Normal Rules keeping the co-stars apart.

So, no, there's no drama between Gaga and Shayk, and she isn't sending a message to Gaga/Cooper stans...so we think.

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

SUBSCRIBE HERE (opens in new tab)

[editoriallinks id='7110b4b8-10d9-4cdb-88ce-3ca9e76753e5'][/editoriallinks]