Do You Know Who Fills the Seats at the Grammys? These Mystery Stand-Ins Jump In When Celebs Hit the Bathroom

A seat-filler at the 2026 Grammy Awards has shared what it’s really like to be behind the scenes at one of music’s biggest nights. Seat-fillers are people hired to temporarily take a celebrity’s spot when they step away, making sure the audience always looks full on camera.

The woman, who was chosen from around 32,000 applicants, described the experience on Reddit. There were 350 seat-fillers in total, and they were moved around the venue depending on where they were needed.

She explained that the process can be chaotic. “It’s absolute chaos during the commercial breaks. The second they go to commercial, people are up and moving and then about 60 seconds before it goes live again, they start making announcements to clear the aisles and take a seat and everyone’s scrambling (which is where the seat-filling comes in!),” she said.

The woman arrived fourth in line at the awards and was immediately seated front and center with three other seat-fillers, surrounded by celebrities including Justin and Hailey Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Miley Cyrus. “About 30 seconds before the show went live, Lady Gaga’s guests got there and said it was their table so we moved,” she recalled.

She ended up on the floor near Sza’s parents for a while and later secured a front-row spot between Sabrina Carpenter and Lady Gaga’s tables, where she watched Harry Styles present and Bad Bunny accept an award.

The seat-filler also shared that the stage setup was fascinating. Some performances were actually filmed elsewhere and shown on monitors. She spent most of the night moving around to wherever a seat was needed.

Her outfit, a full-length green velvet dress, caught attention, including from Jamie Foxx. “One of my first experiences on the floor was Jamie Foxx saying ‘looking beautiful tonight,’” she said. She admitted she felt a little anxious that morning but wasn’t nervous once she arrived.

The selection process is strict. Applicants must provide a headshot, and the organizers warned it’s basically a lottery. Some seat-fillers are recruited from casting agencies and chosen for their “super LA” appearance, though people of all types were selected. She added that some were considered “preferred seat-fillers” to avoid making celebrities uncomfortable, following an incident at a previous event.

The 2026 Grammys were hosted by Trevor Noah, with big wins for Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Dean, among others. Even though seat-fillers aren’t paid and must surrender their phones, the experience gives a rare glimpse of the awards show up close.

Being a seat-filler sounds like a crazy, exciting way to experience Hollywood up close. It’s a side of the Grammys most people never see, and it shows how much effort goes into making the show look perfect on TV. What do you think about the idea of seat-fillers at big events? Share your thoughts in the comments.