After devastating wildfires tore through Los Angeles, the 97th Academy Awards are going forward.
Like the Grammys and other awards shows this year, the ceremony will be transformed by the fires and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has pledged to help its members and the broader film community recover.
Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s show:
When are the Oscars?
The Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The show, to be broadcast live by ABC, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. For the first time, the Oscars will be streamed live on Hulu. You can also watch via Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and FuboTV. With authentication from your provider, you can watch on ABC.com and the ABC app.
Who’s hosting the Oscars?
For the first time, Conan O’Brien is hosting the Academy Awards. O’Brien, the late-night host turned podcaster and occasional movie star, said upon the announcement: “America demanded it and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars.”
How have the wildfires altered the show?
The wildfires that consumed large parts of Los Angeles in early January led some to call for the cancellation of the Academy Awards. The academy twice postponed the announcement of nominations but never pushed the March 2 date of the ceremony. Academy leaders have argued the show must go ahead, for their economic impact on Los Angeles and as a symbol of resilience.
Organizers have vowed this year’s awards will “celebrate the work that unites us as a global film community and acknowledge those who fought so bravely against the wildfires.”
Still, the fires have curtailed much of the usual frothiness of Hollywood’s awards season. The film academy canceled its annual nominees luncheon.
For many involved in the Oscars, the fires have been felt acutely. O’Brien’s Pacific Palisades home survived but his family has been unable to go back to it. O’Brien’s assistant and podcast co-host Sona Movsesian lost her home.
“I know so many people who lost their homes and I’m just, was ridiculously lucky,” O’Brien told The Associated Press. “So we want to make sure that that show reflects what’s happening and that we put a light on the right people in the right way.”
Who’s presenting at the Oscars?
The academy announced Wednesday that last year’s acting winners — Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph Joy — will all return to the Oscar stage. Though the academy initially said it would bring back the “fab five” style of presenting the acting awards, with five previous winners per category, organizers have reportedly abandoned those plans for this year’s ceremony.
Will there be any performances?
The academy has announced that unlike previous years, the original song nominees will not be performed this time. That doesn’t mean there won’t be music, though. “Wicked,” one of the biggest box-office hits of 2024, could feasibly figure into the Oscar plans. (Its songs weren’t eligible for best song since, hailing from the Broadway musical, they aren’t original to the movie.)
What’s nominated for best picture?
The 10 nominees for best picture are: “Anora”; “The Brutalist”; “A Complete Unknown”; “Conclave”; “Dune: Part 2”; “Emilia Pérez”; “I’m Still Here”; “Nickel Boys”; “The Substance”; “Wicked”
Who are the favorites?
More than most years, that’s a tricky question. The best picture race is seen as unusually wide open, with “Conclave,” “The Brutalist,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Anora” and “Emilia Pérez” all with legitimate hopes of winning. In the acting categories, Demi Moore (“The Substance”) is favored for best actress, Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”) is most likely in best actor, Zoe Saldaña (“Emilia Pérez”) is the supporting actress frontrunner and Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”) is the favorite for best supporting actor. None of those awards, however, are considered definite locks.
