LOS ANGELES, March 12 (Portal) – Hollywood stars will walk a champagne-colored carpet at the Oscars on Sunday, when organizers aim to keep ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and other nominated films in the spotlight that brought the Crowds back to the cinemas.
In the event of an unexpected turn of events, a Crisis Response Team is on standby at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. The group was formed after Will Smith beat Chris Rock on stage last year, marring the film industry’s most prestigious ceremony.
At this 95th Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences hopes to ditch the slap in the face and stage a dazzling show with new elements to attract younger viewers and boost dwindling TV ratings.
The show begins at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (2400 GMT on Monday) and will be broadcast live on the Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N) ABC network. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel returns as host for a third time.
Producers said they plan to celebrate last year’s theatrical release, which some feared might never happen as streaming took off amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Several of the multiplex’s biggest hits of 2022 have been in the running for best picture, from “Top Gun” and “Everything Everywhere” to “Elvis” and “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
“Among our nominees are films that not only hit the heart but also made box office hits,” said producer Glenn Weiss. “We’re trying to really raise that point.”
Last year, television viewership for the Oscars was the second-lowest ever, at 16.6 million viewers.
The big films on Sunday’s poll could help attract more viewers rather than some of the little-watched films nominated in recent years. The musical performances can also increase audience numbers.
Lady Gaga showed up at the last minute, according to Hollywood publication Variety, which said she will be singing her Top Gun nominated song, “Hold My Hand.” Oscar producers said last week that Gaga couldn’t make it because she was in the middle of filming a sequel to the 2019 movie Joker.
Pop superstar Rihanna will also take the stage and perform “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
A novelty in the show: Before commercial breaks, QR codes flash on TV screens with links to two- to three-minute videos about the nominees. The organizers hope that sharing information about the candidates will give viewers a heart and encourage them to watch.
To change the look, organizers swapped out the traditional red carpet for the first time since 1961, opting for a champagne color instead. The stars’ entrance will be covered by a dark tent that will give the appearance of nocturnal glamour.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” an unconventional story about a Chinese-American laundromat owner struggling to pay her taxes, is a Best Picture Favorite. The dimension leap kung fu adventure has been winning top Hollywood awards in the weeks leading up to the Oscars.
Star Michelle Yeoh competes in the Best Actress category against Cate Blanchett, who played a devious orchestra conductor in “Tar.” The best actor could be a duel between “Elvis” star Austin Butler and Brendan Fraser, who played a severely overweight man in “The Whale.”
Ke Huy Quan is leading the supporting actor race for his role as Yeoh’s disgruntled husband on Everything Everywhere. As a child star in a 1984 Indiana Jones film, Quan stopped acting for two decades because he saw little opportunity for Asian actors.
Angela Bassett is considered the supporting actress favorite for her portrayal of Queen Ramonda in the superhero film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The approximately 10,000 actors, producers, directors and filmmakers at the Film Academy decide on the winners.
All awards for filmmakers will be presented live. Last year some were announced ahead of airtime to try and limit the show to three hours. That caused a backlash from workers behind the scenes and didn’t result in a shorter show. The show ran for three hours and 40 minutes.
Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Mary Milliken, Howard Goller and Bill Berkrot
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