It’s the most star-studded night of the year! And this time, it’s happening in person.
The 2021 Oscars, which will be held in two separate Los Angeles locations, is being produced by director Steven Soderbergh, producer Stacey Sher and actor Jesse Collins. And for the third consecutive year, the awards will be without a host, perhaps due in part to the controversy surrounding the initial host selection of Kevin Hart for the 2019 ceremony.
Don’t expect any Zoom malfunctions because producers explicitly stated, “There will not be an option to Zoom in for the show.” What viewers can expect is heated competition between some of the most popular films of the year including Mank, which leads the pack with 10 nominations, Minari, Promising Young Woman and Golden Globe winner, Nomadland. Musical performances will include Leslie Odom Jr., H.E.R. and more.
In addition to seeing some swoon-worthy fashion other than Jason Sudeikis‘ tie-dye hoodie, we have another event to celebrate: A record 76 nominations were given to females. Promising young women indeed! For the first time, more than one female director is nominated in the best director category—Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) and Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman). Previously, only five other women have been nominated for the honor in the award show’s 93-year history. Zhao is also the first woman to receive four nominations in a single year, and the first female of Asian descent to be nominated in the best director category.