Despite a traumatic beginning of the year from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires, Los Angeles is ready to celebrate one of its largest exports: movies.
Hollywood’s biggest bash, the 97th Academy Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will air tonight, March 2, at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET. The action is taking place at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. Let’s get up to speed so you can watch like an A-lister:
How the L.A. fires impacted the 2025 Oscars
The fires delayed the Oscar nominations announcement twice and extended the nominations voting period. And though the actual awards ceremony date was not affected, the annual Oscars Nominees Luncheon was canceled out of sensitivity to the Southern California community, and the Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony had to be rescheduled from February 18 to April 29.
Notable 2025 Oscar nominees
Emilia Pérez dominates the Oscars with 13 nominations, making it the most nominated non-English movie in Oscar history. Jacques Audiard’s crime musical was once considered a tight contender for best picture, but controversy surrounding its star Karla Sofía Gascón’s raft of offensive tweets is expected to impact its chances (although it just won best film and best director at the Cesar Awards, France’s equivalent to the Oscars, on Friday in Paris). Gascón is the first openly trans actor to be nominated for an Oscar.
Tied for second place with 10 nominations is Brady Corbet’s immigrant story The Brutalist and Jon M. Chu’s musical Wicked, both nominated for best picture. This is the first time two musicals have been in the best picture category since 1969 with Oliver! and Funny Girl. (Oliver! won.)
With eight nominations each, A Complete Unknown and Conclave are also up for best picture.
You can find a complete list of the 2025 Oscar nominees on the Academy’s website.
Who is hosting the 2025 Oscars?
Comedian, former late-night host, and podcaster Conan O’Brien is taking on hosting duties this year for the first time. The two-time Emmy Awards host revealed that he’s never even attended the Academy Awards before. “I only agreed to host so that I could get invited,” O’Brien said (jokingly?) during a news conference Wednesday.
He will get backup from presenters including Oprah Winfrey, Ben Stiller, Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, John Lithgow, and Amy Poehler. Keeping with tradition, last year’s top acting winners, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Emma Stone will also present.
Who are the musical performers?
Historically, the best original song nominees were performed during the ceremony. This year, the Academy is shaking things up and having songwriters share their personal reflections instead.
That doesn’t mean the music stops. Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will open up the night with a musical performance. Lisa of Blackpink, Queen Latifah, Doja Cat, and Raye are also cooking up something special.
Who are some favorites to win this year?
There have been lots of twists and turns leading up to the big night. Some categories, such as best supporting actor and actress, feel almost inevitable. Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña will almost certainly walk away with Oscars in these categories.
Best picture, actor, and actress are more unpredictable. In the actor race, Oscar-winner Adrien Brody seemed the front-runner until last weekend’s SAG Awards upset when Timothée Chalamet took home the honor for his portrayal of Bob Dylan. Traditionally, the Oscars don’t like to honor younger artists, but the times could be a-changin’.
In the actress category, Demi Moore of The Substance and Mikey Madison of Anora have split the precursor awards. Moore’s heartfelt speeches at SAG, Critics Choice, and the Golden Globes ceremonies charmed audiences. But don’t count Madison out; she took home the BAFTA and Independent Spirit Awards trophies for best actress.
Further complicating the issue, some critics are predicting a surprise third choice, I’m Still Here’s Fernanda Torres. This is truly anyone’s race.
Best picture is also uncertain. Sean Baker’s Anora seemed to be a safe bet because of its PGA, DGA, and WGA wins, but Conclave’s SAG and BAFTA wins might make a case for Edward Berger’s papal thriller.
How can I watch or stream the 2025 Oscars?
There are many ways to see what film comes out on top. The most straightforward for those with traditional cable TV subscriptions is to tune into ABC at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m ET. You can also watch it for free on ABC with an over-the-air antenna.
For the first time ever, cord-cutters can also stream the Oscars live directly on Hulu, which is offering a free trial for new subscribers. Or catch the show on one of the live-TV streaming services that offer ABC as part of a bundle:
- Sling TV (in some markets)
- Fubo TV
- YouTube TV
- Hulu + Live TV
