The 94th edition of the Academy Awards is preparing to return to its traditional home, Hollywood's Dolby Theater, this weekend. With the ceremony just around the corner, here's everything you need to know about the 2022 awards, including where to watch the live show, who's expected to win and this year's big controversies.
The Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 27, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET (12 a.m. GMT) and will be broadcast live on ABC.
Actors Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes are taking the stage to co-host the ceremony, which has been without an emcee for the past three years. Producer Will Packer said each woman brings something different to the show.
Show producers will continue adding names throughout the week, but at the moment stars expected to hand out awards Oscar night include Bill Murray, Lady Gaga, Kevin Costner, Samuel L. Jackson, Zoe Kravitz, Anthony Hopkins, Lily James, Daniel Kaluuya, Mila Kunis, John Leguizamo, Simu Liu, Rami Malek, Lupita Nyong’o and Rosie Perez. On Wednesday, the academy squashed one pre-show controversy by confirming that "West Side Story” star Rachel Zegler will be a presenter, a reversal that came after several days of an uproar when the actor noted on social media she didn't have an Oscar invite. Also added as presenters are Jason Momoa, Serena and Venus Williams, J.K. Simmons, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jacob Elordi and Jill Scott. Other performers will be Chris Rock, Naomi Scott, Wesley Snipes, Uma Thurman, John Travolta, Yuh-jung Youn, Ruth E. Carter, Halle Bailey, Sean "Diddy” Combs, Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, Shawn Mendes, Tyler Perry, Tracee Ellis Ross, Stephanie Beatriz, DJ Khaled, Jennifer Garner, H.E.R., Tiffany Haddish, Tony Hawk, Elliot Page, Kelly Slater and Shaun White.
The 10 movies competing for best picture this year are: "Belfast,” "CODA,” "Don’t Look Up,” "Drive My Car,” "Dune,” "King Richard,” "Licorice Pizza,” "Nightmare Alley,” "The Power of the Dog” and "West Side Story.” (Here's the full list of 2022 Oscar nominations.)
There were a lot of surprises in the Oscar nominations.
Some exclusions that stood out include Denis Villeneuve, whose "Dune” got the second most nominations (10) behind "The Power of the Dog” (12) including best picture but who failed to get a directing nomination for himself.
The best actress category was especially brutal this year, leaving out Lady Gaga for "House of Gucci,” Jennifer Hudson for "Respect,” Caitriona Balfe for "Belfast” and Renate Reinsve for "The Worst Person in the World.”
"The Power of the Dog” is the presumed frontrunner for best picture and best director, for Jane Campion, but there is also the possibility that "CODA” will take best picture, especially after it won at the Producer's Guild Awards. Either way, it’ll be the first time a streaming service has won best picture. Other likely winners include Will Smith for best actor ("King Richard”), Jessica Chastain for best actress ("The Eyes of Tammy Faye”), Troy Kotsur for best supporting actor ("CODA”) and Ariana DeBose for best supporting actress ("West Side Story”).
Organizers have promised that they will keep the broadcast to three hours and Packer (whose films include crowd pleasers like "Girls Trip”) wants to make it as entertaining as possible while still honoring the nominees and winners.
"The show will flow, not unlike a movie, in that there will be different themes and a different feel and different energy throughout the night,” Packer said in an interview with IndieWire. "It will not feel or look or sound like one show for three hours. It’s taking you through the course of this cinematic journey.”
Best song nominees like Beyonce, Van Morrison and Billie Eilish are also in talks to perform.
The Oscars are so high profile that every year someone is upset about something (especially when changes are involved) but this year the biggest controversy is over the decision to present some awards before the live broadcast begins and edit them into the show later.
The eight awards are for shorts (live action, animated and documentary), editing, score, hair and makeup, sound and production design. The decision has its defenders, but also an army of high-profile detractors, including Campion, Villeneuve, Steven Spielberg, Chastain and Penelope Cruz.
