After an exciting, jam-packed awards season, the 96th annual Academy Awards are less than a week away. 2023 was an excellent year for cinema; in addition to Barbenheimer saving the box office, numerous acclaimed films found passionate fan bases across theaters (and Letterboxd accounts) worldwide. Many of the best drama movies of 2023 have already been honored during the awards circuit, and this Sunday, Hollywood will come together to cap off its celebration of the most acclaimed titles of the year.
Among this year's top nominees are historical epics like Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon; thoughtful comedies like Poor Things, The Holdovers, and American Fiction; acclaimed foreign-language dramas like Anatomy of a Fall, The Zone of Interest, and Past Lives; and the ever-present, ever-iconic Barbie. While some of the bigger snubs will likely be on viewers' minds (such as Greta Gerwig's for Best Director), we'll also hopefully see some trailblazing moments in racial presentation, both on the red carpet and on the stage. Read on to learn how to watch or stream the 2024 Oscars (including options for frugal film fans).
How do I watch the Oscars?
The 96th Oscars will air on ABC on Sunday, March 10 at 7 PM EST/4 PM PT. (Note: This is an hour earlier than the usual 5 PM start time for awards shows like the Golden Globes or the Emmys.) If you still have cable, you can tune into your local ABC channel or use your cable login to watch from your computer or phone via ABC's website or app. Viewers can also connect an indoor antenna to your TV to access any local stations for free.
How can I stream it online?
If you would like to stream the Oscars, you can watch the ceremony on YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, DirectTV Stream, Fubo TV, (all of which offer free trials), or anywhere you stream live shows. The official Oscars YouTube channel will also offer an American Sign Language (ASL) livestream for the third year, to serve as a second screen so viewers who are deaf or hard or hearing can follow the ceremony with the help of ASL interpreters.
Who's attending?
Per Variety, the first round of presenters announced include: Zendaya, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nicolas Cage, Al Pacino, Brendan Fraser, Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Mahershala Ali, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Sam Rockwell, Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, Rita Moreno, John Mulaney, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer, and Ramy Youssef.
Who's performing?
Following Oscars tradition, each of the Best Original Song nominees are performing live on Sunday night. The most-anticipated number of the night is undoubtedly "I'm Just Ken" from Barbie; as Variety confirmed last week, Ryan Gosling will perform the dramatic ballad live alongside Mark Ronson. The other performances will include Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell's "What Was I Made For?" from Barbie; Becky G's "The Fire Inside" from Flamin' Hot; Jon Batiste's "It Never Went Away" from American Symphony; and Scott George and the Osage Singers' "Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)" from Killers of the Flower Moon.
