The 98th Academy Awards are set to air on Sunday at 7 p.m. EDT on ABC and Hulu from Ovation Hollywood's Dolby Theatre, hosted by Conan O'Brien. This year's Oscars season is marked by artistic controversies and industry upheaval, with Timothée Chalamet facing backlash for comments about ballet and opera during a CNN-Variety town hall hosted with his 'Interstellar' co-star Matthew McConaughey. Meanwhile, the film 'Sinners' has gained momentum in the awards race following a racial slur incident at the BAFTAs involving its stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo.
Key Takeaways
The 98th Academy Awards are set to air on Sunday at 7 p.m. EDT on ABC and Hulu from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. This year's Oscars season is marked by controversies involving Timothée Chalamet, a surge in support for 'Sinners' following a racial slur incident, and industry upheaval due to a potential merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery.
- The 98th Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan O'Brien and feature performances from EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami.
- 'Sinners' leads with a record-breaking 16 nominations, while 'One Battle After Another' received 13.
- Timothée Chalamet faced backlash for comments about ballet and opera during a CNN-Variety town hall.
- The racial slur incident at the BAFTAs involving Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo boosted support for 'Sinners'.
- Hollywood is focused on potential job losses following the Paramount Skydance merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
The controversy began when Chalamet mentioned that he didn't want to work in ballet or opera because they are struggling to stay alive, as reported by salon.com. His comments were taken out of context, but the backlash was swift, with several esteemed opera houses and ballet companies publicly criticizing his remarks. The incident has added to the drama surrounding this year's Oscars season.
'Sinners' has seen a surge in support after Jordan and Lindo handled the BAFTA incident with grace, leading to warmly received victories for the 'Sinners' cast at the Actor Awards. This has positioned 'Sinners' for potential upset wins in key categories at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. The film's journey from critical acclaim to facing unflattering headlines and snubs highlights the complexities of awards season.
The Oscars will feature performances from EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, according to latimes.com. 'Sinners' topped nominations with a record-breaking 16 nods, while 'One Battle After Another' received 13. Other contenders for Best Picture include 'Bugonia,' 'F1,' 'Hamnet,' 'Frankenstein,' 'Marty Supreme,' 'The Secret Agent,' 'Sentimental Value,' and 'Train Dreams'. The upcoming merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery is creating uncertainty in Hollywood, with fears of a looming bloodbath after the deal closes.
The full legal name of the Oscar is 'Academy Award of Merit', designed by Cedric Gibbons ahead of the first annual awards banquet in 1929. George Stanley sculpted the Oscar statuette, which stands 13.5 inches tall and weighs 8.5 pounds, as reported by npr.org. The Academy officially adopted the nickname 'Oscar' in 1939.
The Oscars race has become harder to predict due to increased diversity among nominees following the #OscarsSoWhite movement, which led to a shake-up in the Academy's voting base. Best picture is chosen by ranked choice voting, requiring a film to get over 50% of voters.
Hollywood is focused on potential job losses in the C-suites following the Paramount Skydance merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, according to nypost.com. Paramount CEO David Ellison has told staffers that he intends to keep WBD’s crown jewel HBO independent, but speculation suggests HBO boss Casey Bloys may be at risk.
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