The Oscars are nearly two weeks away but have already begun honoring late sports icon Kobe Bryant.
Ahead of the 2020 Academy Awards, the annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon began on Monday with a solemn moment of silence for the former NBA legend. Just one day earlier, Bryant passed away alongside 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif.
The tragedy left fans reeling across the country and beyond, with many Los Angeles residents paying tribute to the former longtime Lakers player with memorials throughout the city.
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Stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Renee Zellweger, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Cynthia Erivo, Robert De Niro, Florence Pugh and more were on hand for the Academy’s event, which recognizes the film industry figures up for trophies on Hollywood’s biggest night.
Despite the soiree’s celebratory nature, Fortune reporter Stacey Wilson Hunt tweeted that there was “palpable grief” in the Dolby Theatre as attendees commemorated Bryant’s memory. The 41-year-old was part of the prestigious invite list two years ago when he was nominated for producing the animated short “Dear Basketball,” inspired by the love letter he wrote to his beloved sport upon retiring in 2016. He went on to win the Oscar, a first for any professional athlete.
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DiCaprio was among the A-listers who remembered Bryant on social media amid news of his shocking death.
“Kobe was truly larger than life, a legend,” the actor tweeted. “May he and all those who lost their lives today rest in peace. Love and condolences to his family. LA will never be the same.”
Prior to his Academy Award, Bryant took home five NBA Championship titles with the Lakers and was a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He and Gianna are survived by Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, and their three other daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months.
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