Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, the Oscar-nominated stars of “Wicked,” are among the performers slated to take the stage at the Academy Awards Sunday evening, though the Academy has not yet announced which songs from their hit musical they will sing.
"Wicked" stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo will perform at the Oscars. (Photo by Taylor ... [+]
The Academy said Grande and Erivo, who play Glinda and Elphaba in the “Wicked” musical adaptation, respectively, will put on a “spellbinding” performance, though it did not clarify which songs from “Wicked” they will sing.
The Hollywood Reporter, citing unnamed sources, reported Grande and Erivo’s performance will open the ceremony, while Puck News reported the two will perform a medley.
Rapper Doja Cat, singer Raye and Blackpink K-pop star Lisa will also perform together for a “showstopping celebration of cinema,” the Academy said, though it’s unclear what they will sing.
Though Doja Cat, Raye and Lisa released a new single last week, “Born Again,” the Academy said that song is not what the three will be performing.
Queen Latifah will take part in a musical tribute honoring Quincy Jones, the seven-time Oscar-nominated record producer and composer who died in November, Oscars executive producer Raj Kapoor said.
The Los Angeles Master Chorale, a Los Angeles-based chorus group, will make a “special appearance” at the Oscars, the Academy said.
The ceremony will also honor outgoing “James Bond” film producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson with a musical tribute featuring songs from the film franchise, six of which have been nominated for Oscars, Variety reported, though performers have not yet been named.
The Oscars broke with tradition this year by not scheduling performances of the five songs nominated in the Best Original Song category. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang said in a letter to Academy members last month the Best Original Song category presentation will “move away from live performances and will be focused on the songwriters,” stating the ceremony will “celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life.” That means the stars of “Emilia Pérez”—Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Karla Sofia Gascón—won’t perform at the Oscars, despite two songs from their film (“Mi Camino” and “El Mal”) earning nominations. Other artists nominated this year include Elton John and Brandi Carlile, who penned “Never Too Late” for John’s documentary, “Elton John: Never Too Late.” “The Journey,” written by Dianne Warren and performed by H.E.R. from “The Six Triple Eight,” and “Like A Bird” by Adrian Quesada and Abraham Alexander from “Sing Sing” are the other songs nominated.
Kramer and Yang told Academy members the ceremony will honor first responders following the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, though it’s unclear if the tribute to firefighters will be a performance or not. Comedian Conan O’Brien will host the show, while many stars, including Selena Gomez, Oprah Winfrey, Emma Stone, Cillian Murphy, Zoe Saldaña, Halle Berry and Samuel L. Jackson will present.
The 97th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 2 at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST. The show will broadcast live on ABC, and it will be available to stream live on Hulu for the first time. Viewers can also watch on the ABC app or ABC.com with their television provider credentials.
“Emilia Pérez,” the controversial musical about a Mexican transgender cartel leader, has 13 nominations at this year’s ceremony, the most of any film. “The Brutalist” and “Wicked” follow with 10 each. Those three films are up for Best Picture, the night’s biggest prize, alongside “Anora,” “Conclave,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Dune: Part Two,” “I’m Still Here,” “Nickel Boys” and “The Substance.”
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