The 97th annual Academy Awards are set to take place this upcoming weekend, March second. With so much to discuss, it’s only fitting that one has a map to navigate such a historic night.
97 years is a long time, and The Oscars as it’s known hasn’t been without its fair share of controversy. This year will be no exception. While hopefully there will be no on stage misreads, poorly timed jokes or slaps heard around the world this year, the topic of AI in film-making is one that has impacted this year’s selections. With the Academy not sure if such a thing can be permitted to win awards, films will be placed under heavy scrutiny to prove themselves to be art, especially if they contain AI in any form.
Besides that however, there’s also the topic the awards. In terms of films themselves, the highest nominated film is Emilia Perez, with 13 nominations, followed closely by The Brutalist and Wicked tied at 10. Oddly enough, neither of these are front runners for Best Picture, with those spots seeming to lean towards Anora, Conclave, and A Complete Unknown based off of polls and social media threads. In terms of the acting category, things seem to be a little more straightforward, with each category seeming to be cut and dry. Demi Moore is favored best actress for her role in The Substance, Adrien Brody for best actor for his performance in The Brutalist, Zoe Saldana for her performance in Emilia Perez, and Kieran Culkin for his performance in A Real Pain, are all front runners.
Finally to cap off the survival guide, it’s important to know who will be heading up the event. Hosting for the first time ever is Conan O’Brien, who by most accounts will be a great pick for hosting. Performing a medley from their box office smash Wicked will be Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Also performing will be Lisa from Blackpink, as well as Doja Cat and Raye, believed to be performing their new single Born Again. Finally, what will likely be the last spectacle set for the evening will be Queen Latifah’s tribute to Quincy Jones.
With so much excitement built, and plenty of wonderful films competing for a gold statue, this year’s Oscars Celebration is sure to be one to remember.
