LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� is a hard act to follow.
Last year鈥檚 Oscars was by all accounts a successful show, with memorable performances and unscripted moments (thanks in part to Emma Stone鈥檚 dress), and a winning movie that most people had seen. But the team behind last year鈥檚 show is 鈥渁iming for the stars鈥� once more.
鈥淲e鈥檙e feeling the pressure,鈥� said Oscars executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e not ones to rest on our laurels. We always want to push the envelope.鈥�
With just days to go until the , airing on ABC and streaming live on Hulu Sunday, March 2, the team behind the show gave The Associated Press a little insight into what to expect.
鈥淲e want people when they watch the Oscars to be inspired by the films but also be inspired by the broadcast and feel something like it鈥檚 a show that you can watch with your friends and your family and debate on who should have won and who is winning,鈥� Kapoor said. 鈥淲e want people to have all the feels when they watch the show.鈥�
Conan O鈥橞rien has some surprises in store
One of the major things that the producers are excited about this year is their first-time host, Conan O鈥橞rien.
鈥淭hat alone brings this fresh, invigorated energy,鈥� Kapoor said. O鈥橞rien, he said, has been a 鈥渨ealth of ideas and imagination鈥� since he accepted the gig and that he and his team are going to keep writing up until the show 鈥� and as a veteran of live television, he's skilled at in-the-moment improvisation as well.
鈥淗e is going to be this great, exciting, warm hug and guide us through the night,鈥� said Oscars executive producer Katy Mullan. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got some surprises up his sleeve, which is fantastic because we love to keep people guessing.鈥�
There will still be performances
The Oscars this year decided to nix performances of the original songs, but there will still be some big names gracing the stage including 鈥淲icked鈥� stars and 鈥� though they鈥檙e staying mum on whether any gravity will be defied in that performance.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been talking for months,鈥� Kapoor said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 a moment that鈥檚 been very special.鈥�
Lisa of Blackpink and Doja Cat will also be part of the broadcast, and the producers promised a musical moment that will honor Los Angeles and filmmaking in Hollywood.
How will the show handle the wildfires?
The wildfires, Mullan said, will be acknowledged in the show.
鈥淭he Grammys did an incredible job with their show and how it was treated,鈥� Mullan said. 鈥淥ur show being a month after that and , we鈥檙e just looking at the right way to calibrate it so that it feels like the right show for March 2 鈥� that we do acknowledge it and reflect on it but also allow people the chance to step on that stage and have their moment and celebrate their talent."
A new spin on the 鈥榝ab five鈥�
Last year the Oscars made a moment out of what is usually just a list of names by inviting past Oscar acting winners to speak about each of the nominees before the winner was read. This year it's back, but evolved. It won鈥檛 be the actors this time, but some of the other categories that 鈥渕aybe don鈥檛 normally get the spotlight on the Oscar stage,鈥� Mullan said.
She added: 鈥淥ur theme is all about collaboration and the alchemy of filmmaking and really taking a look behind the scenes and understanding a bit more of the interconnectedness of how a film comes together.鈥�
What if you haven鈥檛 watched all the movies?
First, Mullan said, it鈥檚 only Wednesday 鈥� there鈥檚 still time to catch the diverse group of before Sunday if you really try. But don鈥檛 fret if you鈥檝e only seen a few. The show could be a discovery event.
鈥淚f you love the movies, like come to the Oscars and maybe you鈥檒l discover things that you actually have not seen yet but will want to,鈥� Kapoor said. 鈥淗opefully you鈥檒l fall in love even with a few pictures while watching the show.鈥�
Also? It's just full of major stars.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got some reunions that I think will hit people in the heart," Mullan said.
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For more coverage of this year鈥檚 Oscars, visit:
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
