It is the starriest night time in Hollywood when the world’s most well-known actors collect to rejoice the most effective films and performances of the earlier yr.
A-list celebrities together with Demi Moore, Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Zoe Saldana and Kieran Culkin are set to attend this yr’s Academy Awards.
The race has been totally chaotic and unpredictable to date – so what can we count on from the night time itself?
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Pic: Reuters
When and the place?
The 97th Academy Awards will likely be held in the present day on the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
The crimson carpet will start at 3.30pm Japanese time, which is 8.30pm UK time, adopted by the ceremony at 7pm Japanese time, which is midnight within the UK. It is going to be a late night time for the UK’s film lovers, however price staying as much as see who takes house a gong on the night time.
Historically the final awards ceremony of awards season, this yr’s Oscar ceremony follows the devastating wildfires which tore by means of Los Angeles in early January.
The Academy twice prolonged their voting interval, suspending the announcement of nominations, however remained steadfast on the two March ceremony, arguing that the present should go on as an emblem of resilience.
Accordingly, this yr’s Oscar theme is “celebration of connection”, and can goal to unite the worldwide movie group following scenes of destruction so near house.
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Conan O’Brien. Pic: AP
Who’s internet hosting?
Comic and late-night present host Conan O’Brien will current for the primary time.
Earlier stints writing for The Simpsons and Saturday Evening Stay stand him in good stead, and whereas he is unlikely to roast any of the esteemed A-listers in attendance, his irreverential type gives scope for some potential off-the-cuff enjoyable.
He follows within the footsteps of Jimmy Kimmel, three-for-one trio Regina Corridor, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes and several other years of hostless Oscar ceremonies.
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Cynthia Erivo (L) and Ariana Grande on the Golden Globes. Pic: AP
Who’s performing?
Often, the most effective unique track nominees carry out on the night time – however not this yr.
The Academy have stated they needed to “move away from live performances”, and as a substitute deal with songwriters.
Some marvel if final yr’s Kenergy-filled I am Simply Ken efficiency – fronted by Ryan Gosling, and so good it actually broke greatest actress winner Emma Stone’s gown – was merely not possible to observe.
Others have instructed criticism across the clunkiness of some Emilia Perez lyrics (two of the narco-musical’s numbers have made it into the class) could have led to a efficiency re-think.
Plus, the songs from Depraved weren’t even eligible for greatest track as a result of they had been inherited from the Broadway musical and so not unique to the film.
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Flying the flag for the UK, Raye. Pic: AP
However whereas there’s a bit of confusion across the selection, there’s one factor everybody agrees on: It will be felony to have Depraved stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the home and never having them belt out a quantity – so that they’re scheduled to sing on the night time.
Different performances embody singer Doja Cat, Blackpink and White Lotus star Lisa, rapper Queen Latifah and British singer Raye.
There will even be a musical tribute to late producer and composer Quincy Jones and a particular look by the Los Angeles Grasp Chorale.
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(R-L): Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone, Da’Vine Pleasure Randolph and Robert Downey Jr. Pic: Reuters
What awards are given out?
There are 23 classes to award throughout the three-hour ceremony (this may go as much as 24 subsequent yr when a casting class is added).
No marvel winners are inspired to maintain to 45 seconds of their acceptance speeches, after which level music is performed to subtly encourage them off-stage.
Here is the total checklist of nominations.
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Rachel Zegler will current an award. Pic: Retuters
Who’s presenting?
The newest stars to be introduced as presenters embody Dave Bautista, Harrison Ford, Gal Gadot, Andrew Garfield, Samuel L Jackson, Margaret Qualley, Alba Rohrwacher, Zoe Saldana and Rachel Zegler.
Final yr’s 4 greatest actor class winners Robert Downey Jr, Cillian Murphy, Da’Vine Pleasure Randolph and Emma Stone will return handy out awards.
Beforehand introduced presenters embody Joe Alwyn, Halle Berry, Sterling Ok Brown, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Ana de Armas, Lily-Rose Depp, Elle Fanning, Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Goldie Hawn, Scarlett Johansson, John Lithgow, Connie Nielsen, Amy Poehler, June Squibb, Ben Stiller, Oprah Winfrey and Bowen Yang.
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Pic: Neon
Who will we reckon will win?
It is one of the vital hotly contested competitions in years, and clear front-runners few and much between.
Many really feel the most effective supporting actor classes are the closest to being locked in, with Kieran Culkin the favorite to take greatest supporting actor and Zoe Saldana the most definitely Emilia Perez star to take house a gong following the film’s self-destructing marketing campaign.
Finest actor is essentially seen as a combat between Adrien Brody for The Brutalist (it will be his second Oscar win) and Ralph Fiennes for his flip as an affable cardinal in Conclave.
Finest actress is anticipated to be a battle between Demi Moore for The Substance and Mikey Madison for Anora.
Finest director may nicely be handed to Anora’s Sean Baker or The Brutalist’s Brady Corbet, whereas essentially the most prestigious gong of the night time – greatest image – is anticipated to go to Anora or Conclave.
If you wish to remind your self of the ten films up for greatest image, and the place to look at them, take a learn right here.
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Fernanda Torres stars in I am Nonetheless Right here. Pic: Altitude
Any surprises on the playing cards?
In greatest actor, Timothee Chalamet, in his ongoing pursuit for greatness, may swoop in and take the prize over Brody and Fiennes. At 29 he’d develop into the youngest ever winner.
In greatest actress, Brazilian star Fernanda Torres – regardless of being beforehand just about unknown within the US – has develop into the title on everybody’s lips for her lead position in I am Nonetheless Right here.
With many citizens not watching the movie till late within the day, it is prone to have been contemporary of their minds come voting week, and as a word-of-mouth hit may need swayed voters of their remaining hours.
If Torres had been to win, she’d obtain a feat that evaded her mom, actress Fernanda Montenegro, who was up for the prize in 1999. Montenegro was pipped to the put up by Gwyneth Paltrow, who famously sobbed her means by means of her emotional acceptance speech.
I am Nonetheless Right here may trigger an upset in greatest image too. Up for greatest worldwide function, greatest actress and greatest image, if it took the latter prize – historically the largest win of the night time – it will be a Parasite-like shock coup for the international language movie, and solely the second time a non-English language movie has ever taken the gong following Bong Joon-ho’s shock win.
