DJ Matari: The bizarre life of alleged Oscars thief
Terry Bryant, aka DJ Matari, posted an awards night snap with Jimmy Kimmel on February 12. Photo: Instagram
The man accused of stealing Frances McDormand’s Best Actress Oscar is an awards show red carpet regular who has previously been photographed with other trophies.
Terry Bryant, who goes by the name DJ Matari on social media, describes himself to his 1188 Instagram followers as a producer, “A list” entertainment journalist, actor, TV host and United Nations ambassador.
His social media profiles shows him posing chummily at glitzy events with stars including Kristen Stewart, Boy George, Robert Pattinson and Paris Hilton.
He has called Beyonce a “lifelong friend” and beamed while standing beside Tom Cruise and Jimmy Kimmel, whose name he misspelled.
“I am a highly favoured of God,” Mr Bryant said of his high-flying lifestyle.
Any divinely-granted luck ran out when he was allegedly nabbed by police with McDormand’s statuette at the Governor’s Ball, the official Oscars after-party.
Bryant was arrested for felony grand theft and released on $US25,700 bail.
His access to red carpet events may now be curtailed, but before his ill-fated Oscars outing Bryant had posed on the red carpet at the Grammy, SAG and MTV Video Music awards.
Days before the Oscars, he hit up a Swarovski and Cadillac party in Los Angeles on March 2, wearing a grey suit with grey tie which, from his social media feeds, appeared to be a favourite signature outfit for big occasions.
“Thank you my dear friend Nadja Swarsoski [sic] for having me at your amazing party at the London Hotel In West Hollywood,” he wrote.
The Beverly Hills resident has also shared his attendance at exclusive movie premieres including Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Black Panther.
In several of the posts, he’s hoisting award statues he claims “In Jesus’ name”, including ones from the SAG Awards in 2016 and 2018, as well as last year’s VMAs.
So, how does he get access to the hottest tickets in town?
Heavy.com reported Bryant does have a music business called DJ Matari Music. His Your All I Need music video was uploaded to ‘GodTube’ and another song Greatness is available for streaming on Spotify.
Bryant recently claimed on Facebook and Instagram he had been named a United Nations goodwill ambassador for peace while receiving an award from a group called the Golden Rule International.
The group is reportedly not affiliated with the UN.
Until now, Bryant, 47, didn’t say any of the trophies he had been snapped with were his, but at the Governor’s Ball he posted to Facebook a live video of him boogeying around with McDormand’s prized statuette.
According to Variety and The Verge, “My team got this tonight,” Bryant says in the video, which is no longer available on Facebook.
“This is mine. We got it tonight, baby.”
When people surrounded him to touch the Oscar — which The Verge claimed Bryant repeatedly said he got “for music” — he can be heard asking people where the parties are happening. Another report claimed he specified that it was for “best producer”.
Parts of the video were posted to Twitter.
Terry Bryant Djmatari facebook video:
Frances McDormand's Oscar?
"This is mine. I got this tonight baby." pic.twitter.com/5Tro0m7ima— Livingston Frost (@LivingstonFrost) March 5, 2018
A tearful McDormand, who had left the Oscar on a table, hunted unsuccessfully for it, as the alarm was raised by New York Times culture reporter Cara Buckley.
Security at the Governors Ball are looking for this guy, who grabbed Frances McDormand’s Oscar and ran out with it. Wolfgang Puck’s photographer stopped him, got the Oscar back, and the guy disappeared back into the ball. Apparently Frances has said to let him go. #Oscars #Drama pic.twitter.com/5tlsx4Ulwt
— Cara Buckley (@caraNYT) March 5, 2018
Shortly after Bryant was intercepted, the Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri star was handed back her prized Oscar.
It had already been engraved with her name at a special station at the Governor’s Ball.
“Fran and Oscar are happily reunited and are enjoying an In-N-Out burger together,” the actress’ representative Simon Halls told USA Today in an email.
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