Los Banos native selected to attend this year’s Oscars red carpet
Los Banos High School graduate Emilio Huerta is crossing his fingers, hoping he’ll get to snap a selfie with some of his favorite Hollywood stars at this year’s Oscars.
Huerta, 19, was one of the selected winners to take part in the Oscars Fan Experience, which awards movie fanatics with a spot on the red carpet to watch their favorite celebrities stroll into the 87th Academy Awards.
Huerta, who is now a second-year premedical student at UCLA, said he is still in disbelief that he’ll be feet away from actors and actresses he enjoys watching on the big screen.
“You never expect to win contests like these,” Huerta said. “It’s really exciting.”
Huerta said he will be taking his mom, who still lives in Los Banos, with him as an early birthday present to her.
“I love that I get to bring my mom,” he said. “She doesn’t get the opportunity to leave Los Banos much, so I’m glad I can bring her to Los Angeles.”
Out of all the big names that tend to make appearances on the red carpet, Huerta said he would be most excited to see Jennifer Lawrence. “I love J. Law; she’s my favorite,” he said.
And his mom is just as excited. “She’s been texting me every day since we found out,” Huerta said. “She’d probably like to see Channing Tatum.”
Huerta said the event will be more than just a “Hollywood experience” for him because film and the arts have always been a passion of his. Although most of his time is spent in classes, he spends his spare time making videos for his YouTube channel and taking part in his school’s a capella group.
During his time at Los Banos High School, he took part in an independent film project titled “The Fight.” The feature film – a drama that featured mainly other classmates – debuted in a midnight showing in 2012 at the Premiere Cinemas in Los Banos.
Huerta said he is still waiting on further directions in regard to what his day at the Oscars red carpet will be like. He does know that winners will not enter the awards show, but instead be taken to a separate screening of the event.
Winners are selected from all over the world to take a seat on the red carpet bleachers. According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, winners are selected by a lottery system. This year’s winners include fans from England, Ireland and Portland, Ore.
This year’s Academy Awards will take place on Feb. 22 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
This story was originally published January 28, 2015 at 6:56 PM with the headline "Los Banos native selected to attend this year’s Oscars red carpet."