The DJ, The Oscar, And The Heist: What Happened To Terry Bryant After The Frances McDormand Incident?

The name Terry Bryant is permanently etched into the bizarre history of the Academy Awards, not for winning a golden statue, but for being the central figure in one of the most audacious and public alleged thefts in Oscar history. As of December 2025, the story of the man who briefly held Frances McDormand's coveted Best Actress Oscar remains a sensational footnote to the 90th Academy Awards, a tale of celebrity access, social media bragging, and a dramatic legal battle that ultimately fizzled out. This deep dive explores the man behind the moniker "DJ Matari," the shocking details of the 2018 incident, the surprising legal outcome, and what Terry Bryant has been doing since the charges were dropped. The incident was a perfect storm of Hollywood glamour and viral infamy, occurring just hours after Frances McDormand delivered her powerful acceptance speech for her role in *Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri*. The alleged theft at the exclusive Governors Ball post-party captivated the world, raising serious questions about security at the industry's most prestigious event.

Terry Bryant: Biography, Persona, and The Oscar Incident Timeline

The man at the center of the controversy is a Los Angeles-based individual who cultivated a persona as an entertainment insider. While specific, comprehensive biographical details outside of the incident are scarce, the public record reveals a clear profile of the man known to his followers as "DJ Matari."

• Full Name: Terry Bryant
• Alias/Stage Name: DJ Matari (also listed as Djmatari)
• Age at Incident (2018): 47 years old
• Residence: Los Angeles, California
• Occupation/Self-Description: Producer, "A list" entertainment personality, and DJ
• Social Media Presence: Known for frequently attending and posting from red carpet events and awards shows, suggesting a self-styled role within the Hollywood periphery.
• Incident Date: March 4, 2018 (90th Academy Awards)
• Victim: Frances McDormand (Best Actress Winner for *Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri*)
• Charge: Felony Grand Theft
• Legal Outcome: Charges were dropped in 2019

The Audacious Heist at the Governors Ball

The alleged theft occurred at the Governors Ball, the official and highly exclusive Academy Awards after-party, which is traditionally held immediately following the ceremony. Frances McDormand had placed her newly won Best Actress Oscar statuette on a table while she was engaged in conversation. This brief moment of distraction was all the opportunity Terry Bryant needed. The narrative of the theft is as dramatic as any Hollywood screenplay:

The Snatch: Bryant allegedly snatched the engraved Oscar statuette from McDormand's table and quickly left the immediate area of the party.

The Bragging Video: Instead of making a clean getaway, Bryant—operating as DJ Matari—posted a now-infamous video on his Facebook page. In the video, he is seen holding the golden statue, kissing it, and telling attendees, "My team got a little bit of trouble tonight... We got it though. This is mine. We got it. We got it, baby." He identified himself as a "producer" and claimed he had won the award for "music."

The Intervention: The brazen act of filming and bragging with the trophy ultimately led to his downfall. A professional photographer, who was hired to document the event, noticed Bryant's suspicious behavior and realized the statue was missing. The photographer quickly recovered the Oscar from Bryant and alerted security, who then contacted the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

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The Oscar, which was returned to McDormand, was allegedly unharmed. When asked about the incident later, McDormand reportedly told the *New York Times* that she wanted the suspect to "let him go," suggesting a surprising level of forgiveness, though this was before the formal charges were filed.

The Legal Fallout and the Dropped Charges

The LAPD arrested Terry Bryant on the night of the incident, charging him with felony grand theft. The potential seriousness of the charge was underscored by the fact that the Oscar statuette, while having minimal intrinsic value (the Academy technically buys them back for $1), is priceless as a cultural artifact and property of the Academy. Bryant was initially held on $20,000 bail. The case proceeded with intense media scrutiny, with Bryant pleading not guilty to the felony charge. The legal process dragged on for over a year, with Bryant appearing in court multiple times.

The Surprising Conclusion: In a move that shocked many following the case, prosecutors ultimately dropped the felony grand theft charge against Terry Bryant in 2019. The reason for the dismissal was cited as the "diminished likelihood that the defendant would be convicted of the theft charge." This decision effectively ended the legal saga, allowing Bryant to walk free without a conviction for the incident.

The dismissal sparked debate about the nature of the crime—whether it was a genuine attempt at grand theft or a severely misguided publicity stunt by an aspiring entertainment personality seeking a moment in the Hollywood spotlight. The fact that the Oscar was recovered quickly and undamaged, combined with the lack of a clear motive for permanent theft, likely played a role in the prosecution's decision.

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Where Is Terry Bryant Now? The DJ Matari Update in 2024

The question that always follows a sensational celebrity incident is: what happened to the person after the cameras turned away? For Terry Bryant, the dropping of the charges in 2019 allowed him to return to his life and career, albeit with a permanent, albeit infamous, connection to the Academy Awards.

A Return to Music: The most current and fresh information available indicates that Terry Bryant, a.k.a. DJ Matari, has continued to pursue his career in the music industry. As recently as 2024, he has been credited with new instrumental and DJ tracks, confirming his ongoing activity as a producer and musician. This suggests that the infamy of the Oscar incident did not completely derail his professional aspirations.

The Legacy of the Stunt: Whether intentional or not, the incident cemented Terry Bryant’s place in pop culture history. He is a cautionary tale about the blurred lines between social media performance and real-world consequences, especially within the high-stakes environment of Hollywood events. The Governors Ball incident served as a wake-up call for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences regarding the need for tighter security protocols at their most exclusive gatherings, adding new measures to protect the integrity of the Oscar statuettes themselves.

The incident remains a key entity in the history of the Academy Awards, a moment where the prestige of the Best Actress award, the star power of Frances McDormand, and the spectacle of a red carpet after-party collided with a viral, ill-conceived attempt at fame by a self-proclaimed entertainment personality. Though the charges were dropped, the story of Terry Bryant and the stolen Oscar continues to be a compelling piece of Hollywood lore.

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Key Entities and Topical Authority: The 90th Academy Awards, Frances McDormand, *Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri*, Best Actress, Oscar statuette, Governors Ball, Terry Bryant, DJ Matari, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), felony grand theft, social media video, producer, red carpet, $20,000 bail, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, security protocols, Los Angeles, misdemeanor, court appearance, District Attorney, celebrity justice.