This year, for the first time, the nominated songs will be performed before the event instead of during. Recorded performances by Celeste, H.E.R., Leslie Odom Jr., Laura Pausini, Daniel Pemberton, Molly Sandén and Diane Warren will be part of “Oscars: Into the Spotlight,” beginning at 5:30 p.m. on WLS-Channel 7.
The host-free ceremony will begin at 7, with a roster of presenters that includes Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, Don Cheadle, Renee Zellweger, Regina King, Joaquin Phoenix, Rita Moreno, Laura Dern, Zendaya, Angela Bassett, Bryan Cranston, Marlee Matlin and last year’s best director winner Bong Joon Ho.
The nominees feature many firsts, a great deal of diversity and a lot of a city that’s called Chicago but doesn’t really look much like Chicago.
Ready to be further confounded? Dive, if you dare, into this Oscars 2021 quiz. (If you’re having trouble viewing this quiz, click here).
Mark Caro is a freelance writer. Interactive graphic assembled by Satchel Price.
