Steven Spielberg turned a big awards night into a family moment at the 2026 Oscars, bringing his 13-year-old granddaughter to her first red carpet. The ceremony, hosted by Conan O'Brien, took place at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on March 15.
Outfits and firsts
For the occasion, Spielberg, 79, wore a traditional black tuxedo and bowtie. His granddaughter, Poppy Gavigan, stepped onto the carpet in a light blue satin dress with a corset, carrying a red clutch and wearing a matching beaded necklace. It was her debut on the Oscars red carpet.
Family ties
Poppy is the daughter of Spielberg's stepdaughter Jessica Capshaw and her husband Christopher Gavigan. This was not the first time Spielberg made the Oscars a family outing. In 2024 he brought Poppy’s older sister, Eva, then 15, for her red carpet debut.
Work and parenthood
Spielfeld was at the ceremony as a producer nominated for Best Picture for Hamnet. He has spoken before about how becoming a parent was not part of his early plans. While working on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, he said he began to feel protective of his cast, especially a young Drew Barrymore, and realized the idea of being a dad made sense. That shift in perspective eventually led to him having seven children and now six grandchildren.
Other celebrities and designers also dominated the red carpet that night, but for a few moments the spotlight was on a grandfather and his teenager making a memorable entrance together.
