Oscars 2024 live updates: Red carpet looks, how to watch, what time it starts and who’s hosting

Messi, the border collie who played Snoop in “Anatomy of a Fall,” has been lauded for his breakout performance in the film, which is nominated for best picture.

The pup delivered a poignant performance in a pivotal scene and even trained for two months to learn how to play dead effectively. Last year, his hard work paid off: He claimed the Palm Dog — the most prestigious prize available to canine performers.

But even four-legged stars can be subjected to the pressures of Hollywood.

“I’m a little bit scared that he’s just going to be typecast in roles where he has to die,” Messi’s owner told Variety. “These are the kind of roles we’re being asked to do now.”

Sadly, Messi is not eligible for an Academy Award tonight.

He was, however, at the Academy Award Nominees Luncheon in February, when Neon (the distributor of “Anatomy of a Fall”) posted a picture of him on Instagram.

Tonight, it’s unclear whether he will be spotted by pupparazzi on the red carpet. The Hollywood Reporter reported Friday that the VI-pup will not be attending the ceremony. But one social media image circulating over the weekend suggested otherwise.

Ryan Gosling as Ken in “Barbie.”Warner Bros. Pictures

The vocalists behind the five nominees for best original song are expected to perform:

—Gosling and Mark Ronson (“I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie”)

—Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell (“What Was I Made For” from “Barbie”). The song is considered the front-runner, especially after it won song of the year at the Grammys.

—Becky G (“The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot”)

—Jon Batiste (“It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony”)

—Scott George and the Osage Singers (“Wahzhazhe ((A Song for My People))” from “Killers of the Flower Moon”)

As awards season wraps up, several viral exchanges between a handful of influencers and A-list stars have prompted some people online to ask: Why are influencers getting tapped for these events in the first place?

The discussion came to a head last month after the People’s Choice Awards, where “Barbie” actress America Ferrera appeared to be startled by TikToker Harry Daniels on the red carpet. Some online called his bit — in which he asked people to choose between “having a gay son or thot daughter” — disrespectful. 

The following weekend, creator Juju Green, better known as Straw Hat Goofy online, garnered backlash after referencing the popular “when your card declines at therapy” meme in a video from the Film Independent Spirit Awards carpet where he recorded “Killers of the Flower Moon” star Lily Gladstone. The video has since been removed from TikTok, but many stitched it in their own critical responses.

The Academy has tapped Amelia Dimoldenberg, creator of the YouTube interview series “Chicken Shop Date,” to be a “social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent” tonight. Dimoldenberg hosted the 2023 Golden Globes red carpet, where her viral interviews helped bring attention to the show.

Read more here.

Los Angeles has been pretty rainy lately. Luckily, today’s forecast is gloomy — but not wet. 

It’s expected to be a high high of 70 degrees, according to the Weather Channel.

Stars are starting to arrive on the red carpet at Dolby Theatre. We’ll be on watch for some of the best looks of the night.

Brittany Snow attends the 96th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday.Mike Coppola / Getty Images

Lily Gladstone teased her Oscar look would be “museum-worthy” ahead of the Oscars, where she is nominated for best actress for her performance in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Gladstone, who could make history tonight as the first Native American person to win a competitive acting Oscar, said her outfit would highlight Indigenous designers. 

“It’s going to be just ongoing proof that Indigenous design belongs on red carpets with luxury fashion in a very centerpiece kind of way. I’m excited,” she told People. 

Martin Scorsese, revered by cinephiles as one of the art form’s patron saints, goes into tonight’s ceremony as the most-nominated living director, with 10 nods to his name.

He’s nominated this year for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and he was previously a contender for “The Irishman,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Hugo,” “The Departed,” “The Aviator,” “Gangs of New York,” “Goodfellas,” “The Last Temptation of Christ” and “Raging Bull.”

He’s earned the best director trophy just once, for “The Departed.”

In the 96-year history of the film academy, only one other filmmaker racked up more best director nominations: William Wyler, at 12 nods. He won the award for “Mrs. Miniver, “The Best Years of Our Lives” and “Ben-Hur.”

Oscars night is going to be exciting — and delicious. 

Ahead of tonight, Wolfgang Puck shared his menu for the 2024 Oscars Governors Ball, which happens after the ceremony. This is Puck’s third time creating the menu for the Governors Ball.

“We’re going to have some traditional dishes and also some very new innovations,” Puck said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” ahead of the ceremony. 

Menu items include a truffle chicken pot pie, Oscar-shaped smoked salmon, golden edible Oscars and “bougie tots” — caviar-covered tater tots. 

Straight actors have a long history of being recognized by the Academy Awards for playing gay characters, but the list of openly LGBTQ actors who have had such recognition is much shorter. This year, however, Colman Domingo and Jodie Foster have joined that exclusive club.

Domingo was nominated for best actor in a leading role for playing the title character in “Rustin,” Netflix’s biopic about the gay Black civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, an adviser to Martin Luther King Jr. and the architect of the 1963 March on Washington.

Colman Domingo in “Rustin” and Jodie Foster in “Nyad.”Netflix

Foster won two Academy Awards and was nominated for three others before she came out at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards. She was nominated this year for her supporting role in “Nyad,” yet another Netflix biopic. Foster plays out lesbian Bonnie Stoll, the real-life friend and coach of the title character, long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad. Annette Bening, who has been married to actor Warren Beatty for more than 30 years, was nominated in the best actress category for her portrayal of the outspoken lesbian swimmer.

Read the full story here.

Sterling K. Brown, nominated for his role in “American Fiction,” is headed to the Oscars for the first time.

Brown shared his reaction to the news on Instagram in January, saying it will be his “first time going to the party.” He called it “an honor.”

If you’re a celebrity in L.A.,the week before the Oscars is a giant party. Tonight has the biggest parties of them all on deck, including:

—Vanity Fair’s annual party at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills

—The Governors Ball — the official Academy after-party at The Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood

—Netflix’s party at Mother Wolf in Hollywood

—Universal Pictures and Focus Features’ party at Soho House in West Hollywood

—Beyoncé and Jay Z’s annual Gold Party for VIPs at Chateau Marmont 

Read more in Variety’s round-up here. 

Wes Anderson’s visual imprint is all over contemporary American culture, from AI-generated art to “Saturday Night Live” parodies. But the distinctive director has never won an Academy Award.

Well, that could change tonight. Anderson is nominated in the best live-action short film category for “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” a whimsical 39-minute tale adapted from a story of the same name by the famed author Roald Dahl. (Anderson’s take on “Henry Sugar” was one of four short films he made for Netflix.)

Five of Anderson’s feature films have received Oscar nominations. “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “Moonrise Kingdom” got nods for best original screenplay. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Isle of Dogs” were up for best animated feature. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” earned three nominations: best picture, best director and best original screenplay.

In this year’s best live-action short film category, “Henry Sugar” is going up against “The After,” “Invincible,” “Knight of Fortune” and “Red, White and Blue.”

The official ceremony for the 96th Academy Awards has yet to begin, but four people have already won Oscars this year.

In early January, four Hollywood luminaries received lifetime achievement prizes at the film academy’s annual Governors Awards ceremony. Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton (“E.T.,” “The Big Chill”) were given honorary trophies; Sundance Film Festival executive Michelle Satter took home the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

Angela Bassett accepts the Academy Honorary Award during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 14th Annual Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 9.Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Bassett has earned two acting nominations, for “What’s Love Got to Do with It” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Brooks won the original screenplay Oscar for the comedy classic “The Producers,” and he later got nominated for writing “Young Frankenstein” as well as the lyrics to the title theme from “Blazing Saddles.”

Ahead of Oscars night, IllumiNative, a Native woman-led organization, shared a video of first grade students at Stamiksiitsiikin (Bullshoe) Elementary in Browning, Montana, sending good luck and congratulations to “Killers of the Flower Moon” star Lily Gladstone, who is nominated for best actress.

The Blackfeet immersion class shared messages of encouragement and held signs reading “Good luck Lily.”

“Their enthusiasm and support are a testament to the pride and inspiration Lily Gladstone has sparked in Native communities and beyond,” IllumiNative said.

Gladstone, who has Blackfeet and Nez Percé heritage, responded to the video on Thursday in a post on X with a series of emoji.

IllumiNative also has a watch party kit available to “join the celebration of Native representation at the Oscars.”

America Ferrera delivered one of the year’s most memorable monologues in her role in “Barbie” as Gloria, a Mattel employee with an imagination so expansive it summons Barbie to the real world. Movie fans around the world reacted with awe, and sometimes criticism, to the 2 ½-minute speech, which relayed the baggage that comes with simply existing as a woman in the world. 

A scene from “Barbie.”Warner Bros. Picture

“You have to never get old. Never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It’s too hard. It’s too contradictory. … And it turns out, in fact, that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault!” Gloria tells her daughter and a group of Barbies.

In some ways, Ferrera’s path to the biggest nomination of her career reflects many of the themes she espoused in Gloria’s monologue.

Read the full story here.

Idina Menzel is celebrating 10 years since John Travolta accidentally called her “Adele Dazeem” while introducing her at the Oscars. In a TikTok posted to her account, she shouted out the alias, which has been a popular meme over the last decade.

“Hey Adele Dazeem, it’s Idina Menzel. I just wanted to say, ‘Happy birthday.’ Sending you so much love and positivity. I hope you have the best, best day,” Menzel jokes in the clip. 

Travolta’s cadence as he delivered the introduction in 2014, calling Menzel the “wickedly talented Adele Dazeem,” has been seared into our minds ever since.

Filmmaker Sean Wang shared a moment of celebration with his family when they learned his short film about his grandmothers, “Nai Nai & Wài Pó,” had been nominated for an Oscar. 

The 17-minute documentary takes an intimate look at the unique sisterhood between Wang’s paternal and maternal grandmothers. The pair initially met because of Wang’s parents and took a particular liking to each other.

They became close after the deaths of their husbands, and eventually they chose to live together. In the film, the grandmothers spend their days reading the paper, throwing two-person dance parties and pulling other shenanigans while ending their nights by sleeping in the same bed. There’s also the occasional fart or two. 

Read the full story here.

While awards shows can get political, particularly during election years, many stars have not been as vocal about hot-button issues such as the Gaza crisis during recent Hollywood events.

Just two recent awards shows featured moments in which celebrities did make statements. At the Grammys, singer Annie Lennox called for a cease–fire in Gaza during her tribute to Sinéad O’Connor. Meanwhile, the group boygenius, which took home several Grammys, sported red pins that said “artists for ceasefire.” At the BAFTAs, “The Zone of Interest” producer James Wilson used his acceptance speech to call for an end to “selective empathy” in conflict.

Whether the Oscars ceremony will have political moments this year is hard to predict. It’s not uncommon for the winners in the documentary categories to nod to current affairs.

Last year, “Navalny,” a portrait of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny (who died in February), took home the best documentary feature award. In his acceptance speech, director Daniel Roher dedicated the statuette to Navalny and to all political prisoners around the world.

This year, “20 Days in Mariupol,” a documentary that follows Ukrainian journalists trapped in the city of Mariupol amid the Russian invasion, is among the nominees. “The ABCs of Book Banning,” which features interviews with kids affected by the recently banned books in certain U.S. states, is also among the documentary short contenders.

Meanwhile, some stars could emulate boygenius and make more subtle statements with their fashion choices.

A new category is coming to the Oscars, but not this year.

The academy announced in February that best achievement in casting will be introduced at the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025. 

“Casting directors play an essential role in filmmaking, and as the Academy evolves, we are proud to add casting to the disciplines that we recognize and celebrate,” said academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang. Casting directors have been calling for recognition for their work since the 1990s, when a push for a casting category at the Oscars was unsuccessful.

Los Angeles police are aware of potential protests that may target Hollywood’s biggest night, and they will respond as needed, said a senior law enforcement source familiar with preparation for the Academy Awards.

“The Academy Awards is always one of the most protected events in Los Angeles and the nation,” the source said, and “that will certainly not change this year.”

In recent weeks, activists protesting Israel’s war in Gaza have called for an immediate cease-fire in public demonstrations across the U.S., including outside the Grammy Awards in early February.

Although “Barbie” took over the world last year, star and producer Margot Robbie was locked out of the best actress race and Greta Gerwig did not make the cut in the best director category. 

The film scored eight nods total, including best picture and supporting actress (America Ferrera for her portrayal as Gloria). But many called out academy voters online, noting the irony that Ryan Gosling was nominated in the best supporting actor category (even though he’s “just Ken”).

In February, Gerwig addressed the snubs. “Of course I wanted it for Margot,” she told TIME. “But I’m just happy we all get to be there together.”

Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie attend the “Barbie” Celebration Party in 2023 in Sydney.Hanna Lassen / Getty Images file

She added: “A friend’s mom said to me, ‘I can’t believe you didn’t get nominated,” recalled Gerwig. “I said, ‘But I did. I got an Oscar nomination.’ She was like, ‘Oh, that’s wonderful for you!’ I was like, ‘I know!’”

Robbie similarly told the LA Times she wishes Gerwig had been honored in the directing category. 

“As a producer and her actor, would I have loved to see Greta nominated for directing? Of course,” she said. “But she did become the first director to have their first three solo directorial efforts nominated for best picture, which is pretty historic. She cracked the code on this film, as only she could. It is such a singular vision, and Greta brought so much humanity, creativity, inspiration, magic and joy to Barbie. And it’s because of her we’ve all received such acclaim.”

Host Kimmel and some Oscar statuettes made their way onto Las Vegas’ Sphere.

The massive, eye-catching entertainment center opened in September, and it has since been used as a way to promote many events, including the Super Bowl.

“Ever since I was a little boy growing up in Vegas, I dreamed about A. being on the Sphere and B. That there would be a Sphere,” Kimmel wrote on Instagram.

This year’s nominated films are a treat for LGBTQ movie fans, with queer storylines that span decades, geographies and genres. Here are a few of the films with LGBTQ themes and characters that are up for Oscars tonight: 

—“Rustin”

—“Anatomy of a Fall” 

—“Maestro”

—“Nimona”

—“The Color Purple”

Read a more comprehensive list here. 

Live from the red carpet it’s … TikTok.

Two well-known #FilmTok creators are hosting a stream from Hollywood’s biggest night, the platform said in a news release. Joe Aragon, who goes by @cinema.joe on the platform, and Yasmine Sahid, who goes by @ladyyasmina1, will host the stream, which will be broadcast on the @tiktok, @oscars, and @abcnetwork accounts in the U.S.

Aragon is known for his analysis of film and movie reviews, while Sahid is known for her comedic re-enactments of popular media from the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. The pair will “interview attendees, spotlight this year’s nominees, and share a behind the scenes look from the carpet,” according to a release from TikTok.

This isn’t the first time #FilmTok has been present at a major industry event. TikTok has partnered with Cannes Film Festival three years in a row, bringing a short-form film competition to the festival.

“The Color Purple” made a splash at the Christmas box office, comes from a powerful literary and cinematic lineage, and scored better with critics than best picture nominee “Maestro,” according to Rotten Tomatoes. And yet it only nabbed one Oscar nomination: Danielle Brooks in the best supporting actress category.

While the lack of other nominations for the movie left many fans scratching their heads, Brooks’ nod is nonetheless interesting for Oscar watchers. In the movie, a musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, she plays Sofia. That happens to be the same role Oprah Winfrey played in the 1985 film adaptation — resulting in a best supporting actress nomination for the talk show legend. Winfrey served as a producer for the new film, as did the prior movie’s director, Steven Spielberg, who was famously snubbed from a best director nomination in 1986 despite his film racking up 11 nods, including best picture.

This is also not the first time two different actors have been nominated for the same role. Some examples: Marlon Brando and Robert DeNiro both won in different years for playing Vito Corleone in the first two “Godfather” movies, Kate Winslet and Judi Dench were both nominated for playing Iris Murdoch in “Iris,” Jeff Bridges was nominated for playing Rooster Cogburn in the “True Grit” remake decades after John Wayne won for the same part, and Rita Moreno and Ariana DeBose both won best supporting actress for playing Anita in “West Side Story” — 60 years apart.

Watch the Today Show break down some of the biggest snubs and surprises.

Many social media users pointed out that, after a historic year for Asian actors in 2023, it was disappointing to see Asian talent shut out of the acting categories this year.

Charles Melton, who drew critical acclaim for “May December,” and Greta Lee and Teo Yoo, who enraptured viewers in the best picture nominee “Past Lives,” were all left out of the race. Korean-Canadian filmmaker Celine Song, who directed “Past Lives,” was also not nominated for best director — however she received a nomination for best original screenplay. 

Even host Jimmy Kimmel knows people probably prefer Barbieland to the real world.

So it’s no surprise that in a promo for the Oscars, the host leaned heavily into people’s love for “Barbie,” which is nominated in eight categories this year.

Narrated by Helen Mirren, who also serves as the film’s narrator, the spot features Kimmel lost and looking at an Oscars road map. He enlists help from “Barbie” stars Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera and Kate McKinnon to get to Hollywood in time for the big night. 

Though there may not be enough time to stream all the nominees in the hours before the show, we have a guide to how you can watch any of the 10 best picture nominees from home.

Read the full story here.

Will Smith is still persona non grata at the Oscars.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the Oscars, said in 2022 that it would prohibit the “King Richard” actor from attending the ceremony for 10 years after he slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Read more here.

“Oppenheimer” is widely considered a lock for best picture. The film earned equivalent honors at the Golden Globe Awards, the Critics’ Choice Awards, the British Academy Film Awards, or BAFTAs, and the Producers Guild of America Awards.

None of the acting nominees is more of a sure thing than Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who is almost certain to win the best supporting actress trophy for her performance as a boarding school cafeteria manager mourning the death of her son in the Vietnam War in “The Holdovers.” Randolph has already nabbed a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Award, a BAFTA and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her work in the movie. 

The three other acting races are not as predictable, but most awards pundits have put their proverbial money on Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) for best actor, Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) for best actress and Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”) for best supporting actor.

The roster of presenters includes the four performers who won acting Oscars at last year’s ceremony: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis (all from “Everything Everywhere All at Once”) and Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”). 

The presenter lineup includes other actors who have won Academy Awards over the years, including Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight,” “Green Book”), Sally Field (“Norma Rae” and “Places in the Heart”), Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Silver Linings Playbook”), Rita Moreno (“West Side Story”), Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”) and Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave”).

Also on the list: Bad Bunny, Dwayne Johnson, Kate McKinnon, John Mulaney, Ramy Youssef, Zendaya, Steven Spielberg, Melissa McCarthy, Anya Taylor-Joy and Issa Rae.

—“Oppenheimer” dominated nominations, receiving 13 total. 

—“Killers of the Flower Moon” received 10 nominations, including a posthumous nom for Robbie Robertson’s score. 

—“Poor Things” also received 10 nominations.

—“Barbie” nabbed eight nominations. 

—“Maestro” scored seven nominations.

—“American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Holdovers” and “Zone of Interest” got five nominations each.

Jimmy Kimmel is hosting the Oscars for the fourth time, following go-rounds in 2017, 2018 and 2023. (The show went without an emcee in 2019, 2020 and 2021; Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes co-hosted in 2022, the year Will Smith slapped Chris Rock.) 

Jimmy Kimmel at the 2023 Academy Awards held at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.Rich Polk / Variety via Getty Images file

Kimmel’s most notable moment on the Oscars stage came during his first hosting stint, when the musical “La La Land” was mistakenly announced as the year’s best picture over the actual winner, the independent drama “Moonlight.”

Best picture

• “American Fiction”
• “Anatomy of a Fall”
• “Barbie”
• “The Holdovers”
• “Killers of the Flower Moon”
• “Maestro”
• “Oppenheimer”
• “Past Lives”
• “Poor Things”
• “The Zone of Interest”

Best director

• Justine Triet, “Anatomy of a Fall”
• Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
• Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”
• Yorgos Lanthimos, “Poor Things”
• Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest”

Best actress

• Annette Bening, “Nyad”
• Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
• Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall”
• Carey Mulligan, “Maestro”
• Emma Stone, “Poor Things”

Best actor

• Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”
• Colman Domingo, “Rustin”
• Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers”
• Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer”
• Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”

Best supporting actress

• Emily Blunt, “Oppenheimer”
• Danielle Brooks, “The Color Purple”
• America Ferrera, “Barbie”
• Jodie Foster, “Nyad”
• Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”

Best supporting actor

• Sterling K. Brown, “American Fiction”
• Robert De Niro, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
• Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”
• Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”
• Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things”

Best adapted screenplay

• “American Fiction”
• “Barbie”
• “Oppenheimer”
• “Poor Things”
• “The Zone of Interest”

Best original screenplay

• “Anatomy of a Fall”
• “The Holdovers”
• “Maestro”
• “May December”
• “Past Lives”

Read the entire list here.

The Oscars will once again have a literal red carpet after last year’s champagne-colored rug caused some confusion.

So what time do the celebs start showing up? Probably about an hour before at around 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET. 

ABC said it will have a 30-minute pre-show lead into the live show, hosted by Vanessa Hudgens and Julianne Hough, at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, E! will have a live show from the carpet starting at 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET.

The ceremony is set to be televised live on ABC starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT — an earlier time slot than usual. If you’re a cable or satellite subscriber, you can stream the show through ABC’s website or the network’s mobile app.