The 2020 AACTA Awards use bizarre cardboard cut-outs of A-list Aussie stars

The organisers behind the 2020 AACTA Awards went to extreme lengths to make sure every seat was filled at this year’s ceremony on Monday.

With the coronavirus pandemic proving to be a headache for large-scale events, this year’s AACTA’s featured cardboard cutouts of A-listers instead.

While stars like Chris Hemsworth, Russell Crowe, Andy Lee and Hamish Blake were all absent from the ceremony, their cutouts had front row seats.

Social distancing restrictions meant this year’s ceremony at The Star in Sydney was decidedly scaled back.

In addition to fewer attendees, the tables in the auditorium were all carefully spaced out to maintain a safe distance between guests.

But bizarrely, they opted to use cardboard A-list Aussie celebrities to fill out the gaps.

Actual people were forced to sit at tables alongside the cut-outs, which would have undoubtedly made for some interesting conversations.

Oddly, they opted to use a cutout of Russell from his 2003 movie, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

The 56-year-old appeared in full period costume, complete with the blonde ponytail he wore in the film.

Elsewhere in the auditorium, a cardboard cutout of Chris sat at a separate table.

The 37-year-old Thor star fared much better than Russell, with his featuring him in a grey suit with an open-collar light grey shirt.

Seated at a table behind Chris were cutouts of Andy and Hamish, 38, who were both dressed in tuxedos.

Unfortunately for Andy, 39, his shirt had been ripped open on his chest, with his two hairy nipples on display.

The funnyman pulled a resigned face, with fingers belonging to an absent arm seen creeping over his right shoulder.

Strangely, place settings had been laid out in front of them, with an uneaten bread roll sitting on a small dinner plate in front of Hamish.