On Tuesday, presenters for the 94th annual Academy Awards were announced.
With the award show quickly approaching and with hosts finally solidified (looking at you Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall), this year’s list of presenters is comprised of various multi-award-winning stars, according to a press release provided to The Root.
Some of those stars include: Chris Rock, Daniel Kaluuya, Halle Bailey, Lupita Nyong’o, Samuel L. Jackson, Rosie Perez, Ruth E. Carter, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tyler Perry, Wesley Snipes and Zoë Kravitz. While things appear to be moving forward without a hitch, the Academy has, as of late, been mired with quiet controversy surrounding the eight categories that are set to be cut from the three-hour-long, televised event.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Oscar’s producer Will Packer shared a little insight into the decision, specifying that it was “an Academy decision”:
It’s ultimately an Academy decision. What I will say is that I completely understand why folks are upset. But I think that they are looking at it through a lens that’s different from the way it will actually be executed. I think there are misperceptions about that. The first hour of the show, beginning at 4 p.m. PT, is in the Dolby Theatre too, with hosts, presenters and nominees for these particular categories receiving their Oscars on the stage in front of their peers. That was very, very important. And then the televised portion will begin an hour after that, at 5 p.m. PT, and we will incorporate those winners into the televised portion of the show. So it’s a true celebration in every sense of the word for everybody and allows us to put more entertainment elements into the televised show.
The 94th annual Academy Awards premieres Sunday, March 27 at 8 p.m. ET only on ABC. For all the Blackity-black nominees, be sure to visit here. For all others, head on over to oscars.org.