NEW YORK (AP) — The Academy Awards have always loved a comeback story. This year, the Oscars are attempting to star in one, too.
On Sunday, the Academy Awards will try to bounce back from a 2021 ceremony that was plagued by pandemic restrictions, a botched ending and record-low ratings. The 94th Academy Awards will return to their usual home, Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre, and be broadcast live on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. EDT. (It's also possible to stream it live on services like Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV and on ABC.com with provider authentication.)
How much of the Oscars' downturn should be chalked up to COVID-19? How much is it the new normal? These are just some of the questions that hang over an Academy Awards that feels like a crossroads for one of America's most enduring pop-culture institutions, and still the most-watched annual show outside the Super Bowl.
Can the Will Packer-produced awards shrug off the pandemic, reverse years of declining ratings for network TV award shows and coalesce a big-tent event for a fast evolving movie landscape? In the interminable run-up to the springtime Oscars, many in the industry have been skeptical. Which leads us to the first of five questions heading into the show.
WILL THE OSCARS' LATEST MAKEOVER WORK?
The biggest drama heading into Sunday revolves around a broadcast that has been substantially retooled to stem the ratings slide. As if making up for several host-less years, this time there are three: Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes. Will their combined star power move the needle at all?
Facing pressure from ABC, the academy will also first present eight categories — production design, editing, sound, score, makeup and hairstyling, and the three short film awards — before the telecast begins. Clips of their wins and speeches will be edited into the show. Critics throughout the industry, though, have lined up to decry the change. The largest union representing behind-the-scenes workers, IATSE, on Monday called the decision detrimental to the “fundamental purpose” of the Oscars.
So what will Packer do with the extra time? Beyoncé and Billie Eilish will perform their nominated songs. An eclectic group of presenters has also been announced, including some unexpected names like DJ Khaled, Tony Hawk, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Shaun White — so this could finally be the year that Judi Dench learns how to perform a “McTwist.”
WILL A STREAMER TAKE HOME BEST PICTURE?
The two favorites both hail from streaming services, which have ever won best picture. The lead nominee, Jane Campion's “The Power of the Dog,” up for 12 awards, had long been the presumed frontrunner, and possibly Netflix's best chance yet to win Hollywood's top award. But after back-to-back wins with the Screen Actors Guild and the Producers Guild, Sian Heder's deaf family drama “CODA” may have the edge. The film's deep-pocketed backer, Apple TV+, has spent big to push a feel-good underdog indie to the front of the pack. If “CODA” wins, it will be the first time since 1932's “Grand Hotel” that a film with fewer than four nominations ("CODA" has three) took best picture. Some predictions this year have been wildly off, though, so other nominees like Kenneth Branagh's “Belfast” could still pull off an upset.
HOW MUCH WILL COVID DRAG DOWN THE PARTY?
Last year's Oscars decamped to Union Station for an intimate show with a small number of attendees and lots of social distancing. This year, a full stage show and red carpet is planned, albeit with uneven COVID-19 protocols. Attendees are required to submit two negative tests and proof of vaccination. Those presenting or performing don't have to be vaccinated but need recent negative tests. Masks will be in the mix, too, for attendees sitting outside the orchestra at the Dolby and for media on the red carpet. After numerous attendees contracted the virus after attending the March 13 BAFTAs in London, several nominees have been quarantining, including Branagh and “Belfast” co-star Ciarán Hinds. With infection and hospitalization rates way down, Los Angeles County is set to lift many virus restrictions for indoor events on April 1, five days after the Oscars.
WILL WILL SMITH WIN HIS FIRST OSCAR?
Nominated twice before for best actor (for “Ali" and “The Pursuit of Happyness”), Will Smith appears a lock to win his first Academy Award. Smith's performance as Richard Williams, father to Venus and Serena, in “King Richard” has remained the most likely choice throughout the season. And the speech by the exuberant 53-year-old star should be one of the most lively of the night. A win, though, will have to come over some formidable competition — including the actor who bested Smith's “Ali” performance 20 years ago: Denzel Washington, a winner then for “Training Day” and a threat this time for “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”
WHO'S SET TO MAKE HISTORY?
Many of the top awards could feature some major milestones. Ari Wegner, cinematographer of “The Power of Dog,” may become the first woman to ever win that award. Her director, Jane Campion, is also poised to make history. Campion, the first women ever nominated twice for best director, is set to become only the third woman to win the category. It would mark the first time the directing award has ever gone to women in back-to-back years, after “Nomadland” filmmaker Chloé Zhao won last year.
Troy Kotsur of “CODA” is in line to be the first deaf male actor to win an Oscar. His widely expected win would make him and his “CODA” co-star Marlee Matlin the only deaf actors to land Academy Awards. And supporting actress, which Ariana DeBose seemingly has sewn up for her breakthrough role in Steven Spielberg's “West Side Story,” may see the first Afro-Latina and openly LGBTQ actor win in the category. A win for DeBose would come 60 years after Rita Moreno won for the same role, Anita, in the 1961 original. That would be the third time that two actors have won for playing the same role, following Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, and Marlon Brando and Robert DeNiro as Vito Corleone. But we'll have to wait and see if DeBose's “West Side Story” co-star Rachel Zegler is there to cheer her on.'
Full list of the nominees is below.
Best Picture:
Belfast
Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik and Tamar Thomas, Producers
CODA
Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger, Producers
Don’t Look Up
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, Producers
Drive My Car
Teruhisa Yamamoto, Producer
Dune
Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter, Producers
King Richard
Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith, Producers
Licorice Pizza
Sara Murphy, Adam Somner and Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers
Nightmare Alley
Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Bradley Cooper, Producers
The Power of the Dog
Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Roger Frappier, Producers
West Side Story
Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
Actor in a Leading Role:
Javier Bardem
Being the Ricardos
Benedict Cumberbatch
The Power of the Dog
Andrew Garfield
tick, tick…Boom!
Will Smith
King Richard
Denzel Washington
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Actress in a Leading Role:
Jessica Chastain
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Olivia Colman
The Lost Daughter
Penélope Cruz
Parallel Mothers
Nicole Kidman
Being the Ricardos
Kristen Stewart
Spencer
Actor in a Supporting Role:
Ciarán Hinds
Belfast
Troy Kotsur
CODA
Jesse Plemons
The Power of the Dog
J.K. Simmons
Being the Ricardos
Kodi Smit-McPhee
The Power of the Dog
Actress in a Supporting Role:
Jessie Buckley
The Lost Daughter
Ariana DeBose
West Side Story
Judi Dench
Belfast
Kirsten Dunst
The Power of the Dog
Aunjanue Ellis
King Richard
Directing:
Belfast
Kenneth Branagh
Drive My Car
Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Licorice Pizza
Paul Thomas Anderson
The Power of the Dog
Jane Campion
West Side Story
Steven Spielberg
Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
CODA
Screenplay by Siân Heder
Drive My Car
Screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
Dune
Screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth
The Lost Daughter
Written by Maggie Gyllenhaal
The Power of the Dog
Written by Jane Campion
Writing (Original Screenplay):
Belfast
Written by Kenneth Branagh
Don’t Look Up
Screenplay by Adam McKay; Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota
King Richard
Written by Zach Baylin
Licorice Pizza
Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
The Worst Person in the World
Written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
Documentary Feature:
Ascension
Jessica Kingdon, Kira Simon-Kennedy and Nathan Truesdell
Attica
Stanley Nelson and Traci A. Curry
Flee
Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein
Writing with Fire
Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh
Animated Feature Film:
Encanto
Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer
Flee
Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie
Luca
Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Kurt Albrecht
Raya and the Last Dragon
Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho
International Feature Film:
Drive My Car (Japan)
A C&I Entertainment/Culture Entertainment/Bitters End Production
Flee (Denmark)
A Final Cut for Real/Sun Creature/Vivement Lundi !/MostFilm/Mer Film/VICE/Left HandFilms Production
The Hand of God (Italy)
A The Apartment Production
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan)
A Dangphu Dingphu: a 3 pigs Production
The Worst Person in the World (Norway)
An Oslo Pictures/MK Productions/Film iVäst/Snowglobe/B-Reel/Arte France Cinéma Production
Cinematography:
Dune
Greig Fraser
Nightmare Alley
Dan Laustsen
The Power of the Dog
Ari Wegner
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Bruno Delbonnel
West Side Story
Janusz Kaminski
Film Editing:
Don’t Look Up
Hank Corwin
Dune
Joe Walker
King Richard
Pamela Martin
The Power of the Dog
Peter Sciberras
Tick, Tick…Boom!
Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum
Live Action Short Film:
Ala Kachuu – Take and Run
Maria Brendle and Nadine Lüchinger
The Dress
Tadeusz Łysiak and Maciej Ślesicki
The Long Goodbye
Aneil Karia and Riz Ahmed
On My Mind
Martin Strange-Hansen and Kim Magnusson
Please Hold
K.D. Dávila and Levin Menekse
Animated Short Film:
Affairs of the Art
Joanna Quinn and Les Mills
Bestia
Hugo Covarrubias and Tevo Díaz
Boxballet
Anton Dyakov
Robin Robin
Dan Ojari and Mikey Please
The Windshield Wiper
Alberto Mielgo and Leo Sanchez
Documentary Short Subject:
Audible
Matt Ogens and Geoff McLean
Lead Me Home
Pedro Kos and Jon Shenk
The Queen of Basketball
Ben Proudfoot
Three Songs for Benazir
Elizabeth Mirzaei and Gulistan Mirzaei
When We Were Bullies
Jay Rosenblatt
Music (Original Score):
Don’t Look Up
Nicholas Britell
Dune
Hans Zimmer
Encanto
Germaine Franco
Parallel Mothers
Alberto Iglesias
The Power of the Dog
Jonny Greenwood
Music (Original Song):
“Be Alive” from King Richard
Music and Lyric by DIXSON and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
“Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto
Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda
“Down To Joy” from Belfast
Music and Lyric by Van Morrison
“No Time To Die” from No Time to Die
Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell
“Somehow You Do” from Four Good Days
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
Production Design:
Dune
Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Zsuzsanna Sipos
Nightmare Alley
Production Design: Tamara Deverell; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau
The Power of the Dog
Production Design: Grant Major; Set Decoration: Amber Richards
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Production Design: Stefan Dechant; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
West Side Story
Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo
Costume Design:
Cruella
Jenny Beavan
Cyrano
Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran
Dune
Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan
Nightmare Alley
Luis Sequeira
West Side Story
Paul Tazewell
Makeup and Hairstyling:
Coming 2 America
Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer
Cruella
Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon
Dune
Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh
House of Gucci
Göran Lundström, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras
Sound:
Belfast
Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri
Dune
Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett
No Time to Die
Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor
The Power of the Dog
Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb
West Side Story
Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy
Visual Effects:
Dune
Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer
Free Guy
Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis and Dan Sudick
No Time to Die
Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner and Chris Corbould
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick
Nominations By Film
(2 or more)
The Power of the Dog (Netflix) – 12
Dune (Warner Bros/Legendary) – 10
Belfast (Focus Features) – 7
West Side Story (Disney/20th Century) – 7
King Richard (Warner Bros) – 6
Don’t Look Up (Netflix) – 4
Drive My Car (Sideshow and Janus Films) – 4
Nightmare Alley (Searchlight) – 4
Being the Ricardos (Amazon Studios) – 3
CODA (Apple Original Films) – 3
Encanto (Disney) – 3
Flee (Neon/Participant) – 3
Licorice Pizza (MGM/United Artists Releasing) – 3
The Lost Daughter (Netflix) – 3
No Time to Die (MGM/United Artists Releasing) – 3
The Tragedy of Macbeth (Apple Original Films/A24) – 3
Cruella (Disney) – 2
The Eyes of Tammy Faye (Searchlight) – 2
Parallel Mothers (Sony Pictures Classics) – 2
Tick, Tick…Boom! (Netflix) – 2
The Worst Person in the World (Neon) – 2