How to De-Age the Oscars with Amelia Dimoldenberg

Summary of How to De-Age the Oscars with Amelia Dimoldenberg

by The Ringer

29m•March 13, 2026
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Overview of How to De-Age the Oscars with Amelia Dimoldenberg

This episode of The Town (The Ringer) — recorded March 13 — features Matt Bellany interviewing Amelia Dimoldenberg (host of Chicken Shop Date), who is in her third year as the Oscars’ social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent. The conversation explores how the Academy is trying to reach younger viewers, Amelia’s role and interview approach on the red carpet, her business as a creator, and ideas for making the Oscars feel more relevant to Gen Z and young millennials.

Key takeaways

  • Amelia thinks young people still care about movies and actors; the Oscars can serve as a useful cultural “steer” in a crowded media landscape.
  • Her red carpet role leverages clip culture: short, personality-revealing moments that travel online and introduce stars to new audiences.
  • She prepares extensively for interviews (watches films, writes and memorizes nominee-specific questions) despite making conversations feel off-the-cuff.
  • She prioritizes authenticity: Chicken Shop Date avoids on-show sponsorships, and she retained ownership of the IP for the show.
  • Business model: YouTube ad revenue plus commercial/brand deals; small team (employees, managers, agents, publicists, stylist).
  • She’s developing a rom-com feature inspired by her show and is working with traditional industry partners — she didn’t self-fund.
  • The Academy’s move to stream the Oscars on new platforms (Hulu previously; YouTube exclusively in 2029) is a big shift that could attract younger viewers but risks confusing long-time viewers.
  • Success metrics for Amelia: high-quality interviews with nominees that reveal new sides of them — not necessarily chasing viral hits.

Topics discussed

  • Amelia’s role as Oscars social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent (third year)
  • How to make the Oscars appeal to Gen Z and young millennials
  • The changing relationship between creators and publicists — creators are now part of the promotional circuit
  • Amelia’s interview prep process and style (research-heavy, memorized questions, conversational delivery)
  • Examples of creator-led interviews that reshaped public perception (Andrew Garfield, Jack Harlow)
  • Her business structure and revenue streams (YouTube, brand deals, team)
  • Owning IP: why that mattered for Chicken Shop Date
  • Her rom-com film in development based on her show’s format
  • The Academy’s platform strategy (streaming moves, YouTube in 2029) and the possible audience friction that entails
  • The Oscars’ strengths (live musical performances) and opportunities (more creative staging/presentation to make diverse films resonate)
  • Personal favorites/Who she’s rooting for among nominees (mentions Hamnet, Jesse Buckley, Rose Byrne, Timothée Chalamet, Wagner Moura)

Notable quotes & insights

  • “Young people care about movies and they care about actors.” — Amelia’s core thesis about the Oscars’ relevance.
  • “I prep like I’m revising for my exams.” — on how much work goes into red carpet interviews.
  • “Owning your IP is one of the best things I ever done.” — advice to creators about retaining rights.
  • “I’m not looking to make something viral — that’s never been my mo.” — her interview goal is to reveal personality, not chase virality.

Amelia’s business & creative approach (summary)

  • Platform footprint: Chicken Shop Date (YouTube) — ~3.34 million subscribers; 115 episodes.
  • Revenue: YouTube ad revenue for Chicken Shop Date (no on-show sponsorships to preserve authenticity) plus commercial and branded work outside the show.
  • Team: a few employees, managers, representation (CAA mentioned), publicists in the U.K. and U.S., stylist.
  • Creative expansion: developing a studio-backed rom-com film based on her Chicken Shop Date format; she prefers traditional media opportunities alongside digital work.
  • Relationship with talent/publicists: has gone from cold outreach early in her career to being a recognized part of the promotional circuit; publicists now more open to creator-led interviews.

Practical recommendations (for the Academy or similar awards shows)

  • Keep investing in creator-driven red carpets and social ambassadors who can produce short, sharable moments tailored to online audiences.
  • Expand in-show creative elements (musical/pop performances, inventive staging) to make diverse or art-house nominations more broadly engaging.
  • Use creators to translate films’ emotional hooks into short-form clips that resonate on social platforms.
  • Prepare a robust marketing/education campaign well before platform switches (e.g., YouTube-exclusive broadcasts) to minimize friction for older audiences.
  • Include creators not only on the red carpet but in promotional campaigns and main show elements to build cross-demographic bridges.

Quick episode metadata

  • Show: The Town (The Ringer)
  • Guest: Amelia Dimoldenberg (Chicken Shop Date)
  • Host: Matt Bellany
  • Episode date: March 13 (year implied by context)
  • Main subject: De-aging the Oscars / creator-red carpet strategy / Amelia’s career and business

Why this episode matters

If you follow awards shows, creator culture, or talent marketing, this conversation illustrates how legacy institutions like the Oscars are trying to adapt to short-form, clip-driven attention economies — and the practical role creators can play in bridging legacy prestige and viral-first platforms while maintaining authenticity and creative control.