OSCARS 2016: WHAT TO EXPECT

As the countdown to Hollywood’s biggest night starts, let’s take a look at what all we can expect from the events that’ll unfold at the Dolby Theatre on Oscar night

The Host

It was announced in October that actor and comedian Chris Rock would host the 88th Oscars. Chris Rock has hosted the Academy Awards before, in 2005, when Million Dollar Baby won best picture. He is now among the repeat hosts of recent years—a list that includes Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Stewart, Steve Martin and Ellen DeGeneres. In ways, Chris Rock being the host this year is quite the saving grace for the Academy, after the whole unreasonable #OscarsSoWhite controversy. At least they have one prominent African-American element. And he’s the face of this year’s show at that!

The List Of Presenters

The 2016 Oscars presenters list now includes all of last year’s acting category winners. Following time-tested Oscars tradition, it’s safe to say that last year’s Oscar-winning actors will present the awards to this year’s Oscar-winning actresses, and vice versa. “Through their work, these artists have shown us the unique, transformative power of cinema,” said producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin about the presenters. “We are delighted they will be joining us on the Oscars stage this year.”

The past winners presenting this year are:

Julianne Moore (2015 best actress, Still Alice)

Eddie Redmayne (2016 nominee, The Danish Girl; 2015 best actor, The Theory Of Everything)

Patricia Arquette (2015 best supporting actress, Boyhood)

J.K. Simmons (2015 best supporting actor, Whiplash)

John Legend (2015 best original song, ‘Glory’, Selma)

Common (2015 best original song, ‘Glory’, Selma)

Cate Blanchett (2016 nominee, Carol; 2014 best actress, Blue Jasmine; 2004 best supporting actress, The Aviator)

Jared Leto (2014 best supporting actor, Dallas Buyers Club)

Reese Witherspoon (2006 best actress, Walk The Line)

Morgan freeman (2005 best supporting actor, Million Dollar Baby)

Charlize Theron (2004 best actress, Monster)

Russell Crowe (2001 best actor, Gladiator)

Benicio del Toro (2001 best supporting actor, Traffic)

Whoopi Goldberg (1991 best supporting actress, Ghost)

Louis Gossett, Jr. (1983 best supporting actor, An Officer And A Gentleman)

Other presenters:

Abraham Attah (Beasts Of No Nation)

Emily Blunt (Sicario)

J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens)

Louis C.K.

Chris Evans (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)

Jennifer Garner

Michael B. Jordan (Creed)

Rachel McAdams (Spotlight)  

Dev Patel (The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)

Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens)

Sacha Baron Cohen

Henry Cavill (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)

Sarah Silverman

Sofia Vergara (Hot Pursuit)

Steve Carell (The Big Short)

Priyanka Chopra

Tina Fey (Sisters)

Ryan Gosling (The Big Short)

Kevin Hart (Get Hard)

Quincy Jones

Lady Gaga

Byung-hun Lee (Terminator Genisys)

Olivia Munn (Mortdecai)

Margot Robbie (The Big Short)

Jason Segel (The End Of Tour)

Andy Serkis (Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens)

Sam Smith (‘Writing’s On The Wall’, Spectre)

Jacob Tremblay (Room)

Kerry Washington

The Weeknd (‘Earned It’, Fifty Shades Of Grey)

Pharrell Williams (Entourage, Pitch Perfect 2)

'Class of 2016': The Oscars 2016 nominees came together for the annual nominees luncheon on February 8

The Winners' 'Thank You' Scroll

Last week, the Academy announced that this year, during the acceptance speeches, a scroll with names on the winners’ ‘thank you’ lists will run as they speak. This is being done so that the winners can avoid simply rattling off names, and actually talk about what they want to. It becomes hard to also talk about the experience of working on the films they’ve won for, and talk about any related causes they feel personally about, and share interesting anecdotes from their careers…all in addition to thanking those they need to thank. So all nominees have to submit their lists in advance, and the winners’ lists will be scrolled. This is probably a good idea, unless someone really doesn’t have anything to say other than thank those they need to thank.