The 2025 Oscars Will Have Conan O’Brien, Lots of Former Winners, and No Songs

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The honor for the longest awards season is set to go to … 2025! We’ve already experienced our fair share of postponements, debates, and surprises, and there’s still a month remaining before the Oscars. Here’s hoping it’ll all pay off in the end. Conan O’Brien will make his debut as host for the Academy Awards, with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences inviting several previous winners to present. Emilia Pérez leads the pack with 13 nominations, but don’t anticipate any live performances of Best Original Song tunes this year. As for an appearance from controversial nominee Karla Sofía Gascón? That’s yet to be decided. Here’s what we currently know about the 97th Academy Awards.

They really got Conan O’Brien to host?

Without a doubt, the esteemed comedian is set to make his debut as the host of the Oscars in 2023 and 2024, replacing Jimmy Kimmel. Fresh from receiving the 2025 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, he also starred in last year’s Max travel series titled “Conan O’Brien Must Go.” At this point, we don’t have any updates regarding Sona Movsesian’s role in the event.

Who is nominated?

Emilia Pérez boasts a leading tally of 13 nominations across various categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, Best International Feature, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress. Close behind are The Brutalist and Wicked with ten each, although the latter’s director, Jon M. Chu, was surprisingly overlooked for the Best Director award. In the Best Picture category, you’ll find A Complete Unknown, Anora, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, and The Substance. Interestingly, all five contenders for Best Actress hail from Best Picture–nominated films, with Emilia Pérez’s Karla Sofía Gascón being the first transgender actress to receive an acting nomination in decades. Lastly, the Succession brothers, Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong, are both in the running for Best Supporting Actor. It’s worth noting that three films competing for Best Visual Effects feature monkeys, which is one fewer than at the BAFTAs.

Who is presenting?

I’m thrilled to share that several previous award recipients, including Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr., and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, are set to return for this year’s Oscars ceremony, as reported by Variety on February 5. This implies that the Oscars might revert to an old tradition, where last year’s acting winners present opposite-gender awards this year. Last year saw the introduction of the “Fab 5” format, where five past winners from a category each introduced a nominee in their category. However, Variety suggests that this year, the Fab 5 format will be employed for Best Director and some craft awards, rather than acting categories.

Who is performing?

To date, there’s been no announcement that any of the Best Original Song nominees will be performed on the show. However, the CEO and president have shared that they plan to honor the artists by sharing personal reflections from the teams behind these songs. As for a “Wicked” number, it seems that won’t be included in the performances this time around.

Will Karla Sofía Gascón be there?

In light of the controversy surrounding racist posts from Gascón’s past on social media, Variety reported that Netflix, producer of Emilia Pérez, has ceased funding her attendance at precursor events. However, despite being dropped from the film’s promotional materials and some instances of the movie title itself for Oscar consideration, Gascón is still invited to the Academy Awards ceremony due to her nomination. Previously, we have observed that she doesn’t shy away from breaking rules.

How can I watch the Oscars?

Typically, the show goes on ABC. However, this year’s Oscars will be streamed live on Hulu for the first time – no need for late-day replay or a regular TV subscription. The event kicks off at 7 p.m. ET, with the red carpet streaming 30 minutes prior. You already know where to tune in!

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2025-02-06 01:55