Pop the champagne, it’s Oscar time! Each year, the most glamorous stars don their finest black ties and ball gowns and head to Los Angeles for Hollywood’s most anticipated award show: The Academy Awards. The red carpet is rolled out and millions tune in to see which of our favorite actors and actresses will take home one of those revered little gold statues. here’s everything you need to know about this year’s extravaganza.
Host with the Most
For the second-year running, resident funnyman Jimmy Kimmel will play host for the evening. Despite last year’s Best Picture faux pas – an envelope mix up resulted in the embarrassing announcement of the wrong winner – Jimmy is set to return to keep A-listers and the folks back home entertained.
The Shape of Success
Guillermo Del Toro’s critically acclaimed fantasy romance leads the elite pack of nominees with 13 nominations. To name a few; Sally Hawkins is a strong contender for Best Actress, Del Toro is up for Best Director, Octavia Spencer is recognized for her supporting role, while the movie itself is up for Best Picture.
First Time Jitters
This year has honored a few newbies who will flock to the Dolby Theatre in the hopes of taking home an award. Margot Robbie is nominated for Best Actress, Mary J Blige received her first nod for her work in Mudblound, while the fresh-faced actor Timothée Chalamet is up for a Best Actor award for his whimsical and beautiful performance in the love story, Call Me by Your Name.
Controversial Snubs
Each year the nominees make worldwide headlines but there’s also much tabloid talk about the stars who didn’t make the cut. This year, there a few noticeable absences on the list of nominees. Jessica Chastain and Tom Hanks, for instance, received Golden Globe nominations for their performances in Molly’s Game and The Post, yet neither were recognized by the Academy. Wonder Woman, despite its phenomenal public reception, also didn’t receive any nominations. The most controversial snub was the disregard of James Franco’s work in The Disaster Artist. Amid multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, the actor has been left off the list of nominees for Best Actor.
The 90th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 4th at 8:00 p.m. Settle into your couch, grab your bowl of popcorn to see who wears what and who goes home a winner.