Hello, and welcome to Oscars Deadline Week. Tonight we gather as another long awards season draws to a close, and it’s a strange one. Before the year started, who would have thought of a pic like A24’s Everything Everywhere Everything at once, a cheeky sci-fi comedy adventure about an Asian-American family, from outside underdog to odds-on front-runner? The film debuted last year at SXSW but has stuck around, gracing screens around the world and earning top honors from all four major guilds – a sweep that four other films have ever achieved . But can it win Best Picture? That’s probably the biggest question still playing out tonight.
The season is dominated by fresh faces, with 16 of the acting nominees being first-timers. Included in this list EEAAO matriarch Michelle Yeoh, who became the first Asian actress to be nominated for Best Actress. Elvis Breakout Austin Butler is up for Best Actor, and music superstar Rihanna is up for Original Song for him Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ballad “Lift Me Up.” Academy organizers even replaced the traditional red carpet for a new contemporary mat with a unique champagne color.
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That said, industry stalwarts like Tom Cruise (who won’t be attending) and multi-Oscar winners like Cate Blanchett and John Williams remain strong contenders for career best work. Jimmy Kimmel will also return to the Dolby Theater this year to headline the ceremony for the third time, replacing Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall. Kimmel’s success earned him a rare group of people, including Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, Johnny Carson and Bob Hope, to host the Oscars alone at least three times.
There’s also a stacked lineup of musical performances, with a full sweep of Original Song nominees set to take the stage, including Lady Gaga, who will perform her song from Top Gun: Maverick in a late addition to the program. Lenny Kravitz will deliver the In Memoriam performance.
So, join us below as the winners are announced, and be sure to add your own voice in the comments.