Only one week remains until we find out who will be recognised at the 94th Academy Awards.
The producers of the Oscars, Will Packer and Shayla Cowan, recently announced that four musical performers will join forces on stage under the name the All-Star Band at this year’s show.
Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, percussionist and singer Sheila E., and prolific pianist Robert Glasper, who is fresh from the release of his brilliant new album Black Radio III, will make up three of the spots in the All-Star Band.
The fourth will be filled by the show’s music director, Adam Blackstone, who will lead the group in performances during the show as well as with an in-house orchestra, returning to the Oscars stage this year after last year’s revised ceremony.
DJ D-Nice will also be performing on the night, as will a vocal group led by Green Day affiliate Jason White called The Samples, with the former also playing a set at the post-Oscars Governors Ball.
At least one of this year’s musical nominees will perform at the Oscars, but it won’t be for the nominated song. As Variety reports, the Encanto favourite We Don’t Talk About Bruno will see its first-ever live rendition during the broadcast, even though the sentimental ballad Dos Oruguitas is up for Best Original Song.
The telecast will also include tributes to James Bond and The Godfather, which turns 50 this year.
Set to take place at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 27, the Oscars will be hosted by three US comic actresses – Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes.
The ceremony will air on ABC with each host responsible for an hour of the show. Jimmy Kimmel was the last celebrity to officially host the evening in 2018 while Kevin Hart was due to host the 2019 ceremony but stepped down from the role following some controversy over the comedian’s past usage of homophobic language.
The show’s producer, Will Packer, called the team: “three of the most dynamic, hilarious women with very different comedic styles”.
As for the nominations, Jane Campion’s brooding western The Power of the Dog leads the way with 12, while big-budget sci-fi Dune is up for 10.
Belfast and West Side Story come in at joint third with seven each. See a full list of the 2022 Oscars nominations here.