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Dolly Parton didn’t make it to the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles on Sunday (Nov. 16) for this year’s Governors Awards, but that wasn’t a surprise. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, which puts on the awards, had already said that her acceptance would be by video.
The entertainer announced on Sept. 28 that she was postponing an upcoming concert residency in Las Vegas to address health concerns. Her announcement became national news. Ten days later, she released a video attempting to clarify the situation and allay people’s fears.
But even though Parton wasn’t present at the event, her presence was strongly felt. Lily Tomlin, her co-star in the 1980 film Nine to Five, presented the award. Andra Day sang a soulful version of one of Parton’s most prized songs, “Jolene.” Fellow honoree Tom Cruise paid tribute to all of the night’s other honorees. Of Parton, he said: “American original, legendary singer/songwriter, actress, storyteller, humanitarian, your performances, your songs, your work, your soul, you’re part of the very fabric of all of our lives, and you show that compassion and creativity are not separate. They are the same burning light.”
Parton received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, “for her deep commitment to charitable efforts throughout her extraordinary career,” in the words of a keepsake handed out at the event. Other music stars who have received this award include Frank Sinatra (1970), Danny Kaye (1981), Quincy Jones (1994), Harry Belafonte (2014) and Debbie Reynolds (2015).
Cruise, choreographer Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas received honorary Oscar. Cruise’s award was presented “for his unwavering commitment to our filmmaking community, his vital support of the theatrical experience, and his unmatched body of work.” Allen’s was given “for her career as a trailblazing choreographer and actor. Her work across multiple disciplines has captivated and inspired generations.” Thomas’ award was “in recognition of artistic innovation, visionary eye and lasting influence in the field of production design.”
Here are seven highlights from the 2025 Governors Awards.
Will Arnett Tweaks the Event
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When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences reveals its Academy Award shortlists in 10 categories on Dec. 16, it will constitute an early holiday present for the creators of 15 original songs and 20 original scores. Another round of voting will follow, preceding the nominations announcement on Jan. 22, 2026. A final round of voting will then occur before the 98th annual Oscars telecast on March 15.
Three top contenders for best original song — “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, “Lose My Mind” from F1: The Movie and “Dying To Live” from Billy Idol Should Be Dead — are each the work of five co-writers. The academy will award no more than four Oscars in this category. Should any of those songs win, the songwriters must share a single statuette.
Best Original Song
“Dream As One”Miley Cyrus, Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson, Simon FranglenAvatar: Fire and Ash, 20th Century Studios
Wyatt and Ronson won in this category in 2019 for co-writing “Shallow” from A Star Is Born with Lady Gaga and Anthony Rossomando. They received a second nod in 2024 for “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. Cyrus and Wyatt teamed with Lykke Li last year to write “Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl. It wasn’t nominated (or shortlisted), but it generated some buzz. Franglen also scored the film.
“Dying To Live”Billy Idol, J. Ralph, Steve Stevens, Tommy English, Joe JaniakBilly Idol Should Be Dead, Live Nation Productions
This would be Ralph’s fourth nomination in this category and the first for the other songwriters. Idol has received three Grammy nods, including one for “Cradle of Love” from the 1990 film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. Billy Idol Should Be Dead was directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who has helmed concert and documentary films by such A-listers as Madonna, Paul McCartney, Beyoncé & Jay-Z and Taylor Swift.
“Salt Then Sour Then Sweet”Sara Bareilles, Brandi Carlile, Andrea GibsonCome See Me in the Good Light, Apple Original Films
Gibson, who died of ovarian cancer in July, would be the first person to be posthumously nominated in this category since Howard Ashman, who received four nods (including one win) in the two years following his 1991 death. Bareilles and Carlile executive-produced the documentary about Gibson and her wife dealing with Gibson’s illness. Carlile was nominated in this category at the 2025 ceremony for co-writing “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late.
“Just Keep Watching”Tate McRae, Tyler Spry, Ryan Tedder, Amy AllenF1: The Movie, Apple Original Films
This year, McRae landed her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 and her first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Could she earn her first Oscar nomination in early 2026? Allen is the reigning Grammy winner for songwriter of the year, non-classical. Tedder has three album of the year Grammys for his work with Adele and Taylor Swift. Spry is known for his credits with artists such as OneRepublic and McRae.
“Lose My Mind”Grant Boutin, Ryan Tedder, Amala Zandile Dlamini, Caleb Toliver, Hans ZimmerF1: The Movie, Apple Original Films
Although it’s rare for two songs from one film to be nominated, Emilia Pérez achieved the feat at the 2025 ceremony. F1: The Movie, Sinners and Wicked: For Good are among the films hoping to do the same early next year. If “Lose My Mind” is nominated, it will mark Zimmer’s first nod in this category. He has received 12 nominations (and won twice) in scoring categories.
“Highest 2 Lowest”Aiyana-Lee Anderson, Nicole Daciana AndersonHighest 2 Lowest, A24
Highest 2 Lowest, directed by Spike Lee, is an English-language remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 Japanese film, High and Low. The movie stars Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, A$AP Rocky, LaChanze, Princess Nokia and Ice Spice (in her film debut). Aiyana-Lee Anderson, the niece of David Ruffin of The Temptations, co-wrote the titular track with her mother, Nicole Daciana Anderson. This would be the first song from a Lee film to be nominated.
“Golden”EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, IDO, 24, TeddyKPop Demon Hunters, Netflix
“Golden,” which topped the Hot 100 for eight weeks, would be the first No. 1 since Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” from Trolls in 2017 to rule the chart and then land an Oscar nod. (“Shallow” from A Star Is Born hit No. 1 only after its Oscar win.) EJAE, IDO, 24 and Teddy would be the first South Korean-born songwriters to be nominated since Karen O, who was cited in 2014 for co-writing “The Moon Song” from Her.
“Dear Me”Diane WarrenRelentless, Greenwich Entertainment
Earlier this year, Warren tied Sammy Cahn’s record of earning a best original song nomination for eight consecutive years. If she is nominated again in 2026, she’ll stand alone. It would be her 17th nomination in the category, a total surpassed only by Cahn (26) and Johnny Mercer (18). Moreover, it would be her 13th nod as a solitary songwriter, tying Randy Newman for the most solo-written nominated songs.
“I Lied to You”Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig GöranssonSinners, Warner Bros. Pictures
Ryan Coogler produced, wrote and directed Sinners, which was No. 1 at the box office for two weeks in April. The last two films that Coogler wrote and directed — Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — both spawned best original song nominees. Saadiq and Göransson are past nominees in this category: Saadiq in 2018 for co-writing “Mighty River” from Mudbound and Göransson in 2023 for co-writing “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
“Last Time (I Seen the Sun)”Alice Smith, Miles CatonSinners, Warner Bros. Pictures
Caton, who turned 20 in March, would be the youngest nominee for best original song since Billie Eilish, who was just six weeks past her 20th birthday in 2022 when she was nominated for co-writing the title song to No Time To Die (which won). In addition to co-writing the song, Caton co-stars in the film. Smith was a Grammy nominee for best urban/alternative performance in 2008 for “Dream.”
“Train Dreams”Nick Cave, Bryce DessnerTrain Dreams, Netflix
Cave is vying to become the third songwriter from Australia to be nominated in this category, following John Farrar (for writing “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from Grease) and Peter Allen (for co-writing “Arthur’s Theme [Best That You Can Do]” from Arthur, which won). Dessner has won two Grammys. Train Dreams stars Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones and William H. Macy.
“As Alive as You Need Me To Be”Nine Inch NailsTron: Ares, Disney
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are submitting this as Nine Inch Nails rather than under their individual names. If the academy keeps it that way, it would be the first nominee in this category to be listed under their group billing. Reznor and Ross have received three Oscar nods for their scores, but this would be their first for a song. Jared Leto stars in Tron: Ares, the third installment in the Tron franchise.
“The Girl in the Bubble”Stephen SchwartzWicked: For Good, Universal
Schwartz has received five nominations in this category, winning the first two times for “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas and “When You Believe” from The Prince of Egypt. He was subsequently nominated for co-writing three songs from Enchanted. Wicked: For Good is the sequel to Wicked, which received 10 nominations earlier this year, but none in this category since it didn’t include any new songs.
“No Place Like Home”Stephen SchwartzWicked: For Good, Universal
If both of Schwartz’s songs are nominated, he’ll become the first individual songwriter with two songs in the running since Randy Newman accomplished the feat 16 years ago with The Princess and the Frog. Wicked: For Good adapts the second act of the 2003 stage musical by Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. Jon M. Chu directed both this film and its megahit predecessor.
“Zoo”Blake Slatkin, Ed Sheeran, ShakiraZootopia 2, Disney
Colombian superstar Shakira is vying to become the first songwriter born in Latin America to be nominated in this category since Brazilians Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown were nominated in 2012 for a song from Rio. Sheeran is a four-time Grammy nominee for song of the year, winning for “Thinking Out Loud.” Slatkin was nominated in that category for co-writing Lizzo’s “About Damn Time.”
Best Original Score
Avatar: Fire and Ash (20th Century Studios)Simon Franglen
This is the third installment in the Avatar franchise. James Horner’s score for the original film was nominated in this category in 2010. Horner was set to score the sequel, 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, before he died in a 2015 turboprop plane crash. Franglen subsequently got the assignment for that film, though his work wasn’t nominated. This would be Franglen’s first Oscar nod.
Bugonia (Focus Features)Jerskin Fendrix
Fendrix was nominated in 2024 in this category for scoring director Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things. Fendrix also scored Lanthimos’ follow-up, Kinds of Kindness, though that film didn’t receive any Oscar nods. The composer and director are back for a third go-round. Bugonia stars Emma Stone, who won the Oscar for best actress with Poor Things and also starred in Kinds of Kindness.
Captain America: Brave New World (Marvel/Disney)Laura Karpman
Karpman was nominated in this category two years ago for scoring American Fiction. If she’s nominated again, she’ll join a short list of women who have received two or more nods in scoring categories, following Rachel Portman and Angela Morley. (Hildur Guðnadóttir is also hoping to make that list with Hedda.) This is the fourth installment in the Captain America franchise. Alan Silvestri scored the first; Henry Jackman handled the second and third.
Fantastic Four: First Steps (Marvel/Disney)Michael Giacchino
Giacchino was nominated in this category for Ratatouille in 2008 and won for Up in 2010. Fantastic Four: First Steps, the 37th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, features an ensemble cast including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn.
F1: The Movie (Apple Original Films)Hans Zimmer
Zimmer has received 12 nominations in this category, landing at least one in each of the last five decades and winning for The Lion King and Dune. He’s third on the list of living composers with the most score nominations, trailing only John Williams (who has amassed an astounding 49 in score categories) and Thomas Newman (14). F1: The Movie became the top-grossing auto racing film ever and the top-grossing movie of Brad Pitt’s career.
Frankenstein (Netflix)Alexandre Desplat
Desplat has received 11 nominations for his scores, winning for The Grand Budapest Hotel in 2015 and The Shape of Water in 2018. Frankenstein was directed, written and co-produced by Guillermo del Toro, who did the honors on The Shape of Water as well as a third film that Desplat scored, Pinocchio. Frankenstein, which stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi and Christoph Waltz, is based on Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 novel of the same name.
Clockwise from left: Erivo in Wicked: For Good, Pitt in F1: The Movie, Stone in Bugonia, Grandein Wicked: For Good, Jordan in a dual role in Sinners and Isaac and Elordi in Frankenstein.
Illustration by Klawe Rzeczy; Erivo: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures. Pitt, Stone: Everett Collection. Grande: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures. Jordan, Isaac, Elordi: Everett Collection.
Hamnet (Focus Features)Max Richter
Hamnet was co-written, co-edited and directed by Chloé Zhao, who won a pair of Oscars in 2021 for directing and co-producing Nomadland. Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel, Hamnet follows the relationship between William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway, and the impact of the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, on their lives. Richter has received two Grammy nominations — best score soundtrack for visual media for Ad Astra and best music video as a featured artist on Woodkid’s “The Golden Age.”
Hedda (Amazon MGM)Hildur Guðnadóttir
In 2020, when Guðnadóttir won best original score for Joker, the Icelandic composer became just the fourth woman to capture an Oscar in a scoring category. Lyricist Marilyn Bergman shared the award for original song score in 1984 for Yentl. Rachel Portman won best original musical or comedy score in 1997 for Emma. Anne Dudley won in that same category the following year for The Full Monty.
A House of Dynamite (Netflix)Volker Bertelmann
This would be Bertelmann’s fourth nomination in this category, following Lion (a collaboration with Dustin O’Halloran) in 2017, All Quiet on the Western Front in 2023 (for which he won) and Conclave earlier this year. A House of Dynamite is an apocalyptic political thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow. The film’s ensemble cast includes Idris Elba, Tracy Letts and Anthony Ramos.
Jay Kelly (Netflix)Nicholas Britell
This would be Britell’s fourth nomination in this category, following nods for the Barry Jenkins films Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk and Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up. Jay Kelly is a coming-of-age comedy-drama directed by Noah Baumbach that he co-wrote with Emily Mortimer. The film stars an ensemble cast that includes George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern and Billy Crudup.
The Lost Bus (Apple Original Films)James Newton Howard
This would be Howard’s eighth nod in a scoring category. He has also been nominated for two songs. The Lost Bus was directed by Paul Greengrass and stars Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera. The film is based on the true story of a bus driver who navigated a bus carrying 22 children and their teachers to safety through the 2018 Camp Fire, which was the deadliest fire in California history.
Marty Supreme (A24)Daniel Pemberton
Pemberton has yet to be nominated for a score, though he was nominated for best original song in 2021 for co-writing “Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7. Marty Supreme, which stars Timothée Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow, is a sports comedy-drama set in New York during the 1950s. It is loosely inspired by American table tennis player Marty Reisman and his at-all-costs pursuit of greatness.
Materialists (A24)Daniel Pemberton
If both of Pemberton’s scores are nominated, he’ll become the first individual composer with two films on the final ballot since Alexandre Desplat scored a double in 2015 with The Grand Budapest Hotel (which won) and The Imitation Game. Materialists, a romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Celine Song, follows a love triangle among characters played by Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. It’s Song’s second feature as a writer-director following Past Lives.
One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)Jonny Greenwood
This would be Greenwood’s third nod in this category, following Phantom Thread in 2018 and The Power of the Dog in 2022. Greenwood, the lead guitarist and keyboardist of Radiohead, and Nine Inch Nails mainstays Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have yet to be nominated in the same year. One Battle After Another is an action thriller written, co-produced and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro star.
Sentimental Value (Neon)Hania Rani
This would be the first nomination for Rani, a Polish pianist, composer and singer. Sentimental Value, a comedy-drama directed by Joachim Trier, follows a fractured relationship between an acclaimed director and his two estranged daughters. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won the Grand Prix. It was selected as the Norwegian entry for best international feature film at the upcoming Oscars.
Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)Ludwig Göransson
Göransson has received two nominations for best original score for Black Panther in 2019 and Oppenheimer in 2024, winning both times. The Swedish composer has scored all five of director Ryan Coogler’s films — Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and now Sinners. Göransson also has an executive producer credit on this film, which stars Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers.
The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures)Daniel Blumberg
Blumberg won this category earlier this year for The Brutalist. He is vying to become the first best original score winner to be nominated again the following year since Alexandre Desplat was nominated for Isle of Dogs at the 2019 ceremony after winning the previous year for The Shape of Water. The Testament of Ann Lee stars Amanda Seyfried as Ann Lee, the founding leader of the Shakers religious sect in the 18th century.
Train Dreams (Netflix)Bryce Dessner
This would mark the first Oscar nomination for Dessner, who has won two Grammys — best chamber music/small ensemble performance in 2016 for producing Eighth Blackbird’s Filament and best alternative music album in 2018 as a band member and co-producer of The National’s Sleep Well Beast. Train Dreams stars Joel Edgerton as a logger who is working to develop the railroad across the United States.
Tron: Ares (Disney)Nine Inch Nails
As with their best original song entry, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are submitting this under their group name. If the academy keeps it that way, Nine Inch Nails will be the third group nominated in a scoring category as such, following The Beatles, who won best original song score in 1971 for Let It Be, and Son Lux, which was nominated for best original score three years ago for Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Wicked: For Good (Universal)John Powell, Stephen Schwartz
Powell and Schwartz were nominated in this category at the 2025 ceremony for Wicked. Schwartz previously won in the defunct original musical or comedy score category for Pocahontas and was nominated in that category for The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Prince of Egypt. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who were Oscar-nominated for Wicked, reprise their roles in the sequel, as do Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum.
Additional reporting by Melinda Newman.
This story appears in the Nov. 15, 2025, issue of Billboard.
Audra McDonald has won six Tony Awards, more than any other performer, and she has a good chance to extend her record at the 2025 Tonys on Sunday (June 8). The Broadway legend is nominated for best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical for her portrayal of Mama Rose in […]
The Oscars made the announcement on Monday, March 17: Comedian Conan O’Brien, who had earned top marks for hosting the 2025 Oscars, would be returning as host of the 2026 Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Most of us focused on the host announcement, which was made far earlier in the year than is typical, but Murphy Reinschreiber, COO of the McCourt Foundation, which operates the L.A. Marathon, immediately zeroed in the date, which was the same as the already-announced date of the 2026 L.A. Marathon, which is typically held on the third Sunday in March.
The McCourt Foundation had announced its 2026 marathon date on March 15, one day before the 2025 marathon and two days before the Oscars made their announcement.
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Reinschreiber was driving home after finishing work on this year’s marathon when he learned of the double booking.
“It was confusing and the other thought that went to my mind is there are just no days off in this business,” he told The Los Angeles Times. “It’s one thing after the other.”
It would be virtually impossible to have both megaevents on the same date. The Oscars is held at the Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Blvd., which is right along the marathon route. Both events require significant road closures and law enforcement deployment.
After six weeks of uncertainty, a solution was finally reached on Thursday (May 1): The 98th Oscars will be held as originally scheduled. The McCourt Foundation will announce a new March date for the race in the coming days.
Both parties also agreed that, to avoid future date conflicts, the L.A. Marathon will take place on the third Sunday in March (on which it has often but not always been held in recent years), and the Oscars will steer clear of that date. (Though the Oscars are often right around this date, this was the first time the Oscars landed on the third Sunday in March since 1999.)
Moving a marathon is no easy feat. The event spans a large chunk of the city and involves more than 25,000 runners, thousands of volunteers, medical personnel, law enforcement and city workers.
“The number of people, communities and businesses that are all impacted by a change of date is mind-boggling,” Reinschreiber told the L.A. Times. “We are going to have to undergo a significant community awareness program.”
More than 5,000 people have registered for the 2026 Marathon, and they will need to be offered the option of a refund due to the change in date, he said.
Who in city government wasn’t on top of things and allowed two megaevents to be scheduled for the same date? No one is saying.
With this conflict resolved, it’s official: The 2026 Oscars will air live on ABC on Sunday, March 15 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. It’s the third year in a row that the telecast will start at 4 p.m. on the West Coast — in an effort to make it so that East Coast viewers can find out who wins the biggest awards before they go to bed. (This year’s show ended at 10:50 p.m. ET, making that goal a reality for all but the earliest risers.)
The show will again be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Theater in Hollywood, its home base for every year but one since 2002. (The best-forgotten 2021 pandemic show was held at the Union Station in downtown L.A.)
Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan will return as the show’s executive producers for the third consecutive year. They first served in that capacity in 2024, when Kimmel hosted. They each won Primetime Emmys for outstanding variety special (live) for that show. Kapoor had previously won for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded) for his work on Adele: One Night Only.
Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney will return as producers for a second time. Sweeney will also serve as a writer. Sweeney has won three Primetime Emmys for previous productions with O’Brien. Ross has won one.
Hoping to be nominated for an Oscar in one of the music categories next year? Listen up. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on Monday (April 21) announced key dates and various procedural changes for the 2026 Oscars, which included separate, significantly earlier submission deadlines in the two music categories.
Submissions for best original song must be made by Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m. PT. Submissions for best original score are due no later than Monday, Nov. 3, at 5 p.m. PT. Last year, the submission deadline in both categories was the same as for general entry categories — Nov. 14, 2024.
This was one of many changes approved by the academy’s board of governors and announced on Monday.
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In the rules for film eligibility, the following language regarding generative artificial intelligence has been introduced, as recommended by the Academy’s Science and Technology Council: “With regard to generative artificial intelligence and other digital tools used in the making of the film, the tools neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination. The academy and each branch will judge the achievement, taking into account the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship when choosing which movie to award.”
In a procedural change, academy members must now watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to vote in the final round for the Oscars. All designated nominees will also be included on the final ballot.
Other substantive awards rules changes include:
For consideration in the best picture category, films released from Jan. 1 through June 30 must have shown proof of submission for Producers Guild of America mark certification or awards-only determination no later than Sept. 10. Films released from July 1 through Dec. 31 must have shown proof of submission to the PGA no later than Nov. 13.
In the international feature film category, the eligibility requirement regarding creative control has been updated to be inclusive of filmmakers with refugee or asylum status. The submitting country must confirm that creative control of the film was largely in the hands of citizens, residents or individuals with refugee or asylum status in the submitting country.
Category rules for eligibility and voting for the inaugural Academy Award for achievement in casting have been codified. There will be a preliminary round of voting to determine a shortlist of 10 films, and prior to nominations voting, casting directors branch members will be invited to view a “bake-off” presentation of the shortlisted achievements, including a Q&A with the designated nominees.
In the animated short film category, voting privileges in the nominations round will be extended to all academy members who opt in to participate. Members must view all 15 shortlisted films to be eligible to vote in the category.
In the cinematography category, there will now be a preliminary round of voting for the cinematography award to determine a shortlist of between 10 and 20 films.
The academy also updated and clarified formatting and language in the campaign promotional regulations for the 98th Oscars. The campaign promotional regulations specify how motion picture companies and individuals directly associated with Oscars-eligible motion pictures may promote such motion pictures, achievements and performances to academy members and how academy members may promote Oscars-eligible motion pictures, achievements and performances.
Substantive changes to the campaign promotional regulations include:
Public communications (including any social media posts, reposts, shares and comments) may not disparage the techniques used in or subject matter of any motion picture. Any academy member, motion picture company or individual directly associated with an eligible motion picture found to be in violation will be subject to penalization.
As previously announced, the 98th Oscars will air live on ABC on Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Conan O’Brien will host for the second year in a row. Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan will return as the show’s executive producers for the third consecutive year. Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney will return as producers for a second time. Sweeney will also serve as a writer.
It will also be the third year in a row that the telecast will start at 4 p.m. on the West Coast, in an effort to make it so that East Coast viewers can find out who wins the biggest awards before they go to bed. (This year’s show ended at 10:50 p.m. ET, making that goal a reality for all but the earliest risers.)
The academy stresses that all rules and dates for the 98th Academy Awards are subject to change. For the complete 98th Academy Awards rules and campaign promotional regulations, visit the academy’s website.
Key dates for the 2025 Oscars season are as follows:
First submission deadline for animated short film, documentary feature film, documentary short film and live action short film categories: Thursday, Aug. 14
First submission deadline for general entry categories, animated feature film, best picture and RAISE form: Wednesday, Sept. 10
Submission deadline for international feature film: Wednesday, Oct. 1
Student Academy Awards: Monday, Oct. 6
Final submission deadline for animated short film, documentary short film and live action short film categories: Thursday, Oct. 9
Submission deadline for music (original song): Wednesday, Oct. 15
Final submission deadline for documentary feature film: Thursday, Oct. 16
Submission deadline for music (original score): Monday, Nov. 3
Final submission deadline for general entry categories, animated feature film, best picture and RAISE form: Thursday, Nov. 13
Governors Awards: Sunday, Nov. 16
Preliminary voting begins 9 a.m. PT: Monday, Dec. 8
Preliminary voting ends 5 p.m. PT: Friday, Dec. 12
Oscars shortlists announcement: Tuesday, Dec. 16
Casting, makeup and hairstyling, sound and visual effects nominating screenings (bake-offs): Sat. Jan. 10/Sun. Jan. 11, 2026
Nominations voting begins: Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at 9 a.m. PT
Nominations voting ends: Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at 5 p.m. PT
Oscars nominations announcement: Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026
Oscars nominees event: Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026
Finals voting begins: Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, at 9 a.m. PT
Finals voting ends: Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 5 p.m. PT
98th Oscars: Sunday,March 15, 2026
Scientific and technical awards: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Benny Blanco is just as confused as others are about having been mixed up with Bad Bunny at the 2025 Oscars.
About a month after a photo of himself and his superstar fiancée walking the red carpet at this year’s awards was mistakenly captioned “Selena Gomez and Bad Bunny” on The Academy’s official X account, the producer swung by The Jennifer Hudson Show Monday (April 7) and revealed that he had no idea the snafu occurred — but he isn’t complaining.
“They did?” he replied incredulously when Jennifer Hudson informed him that he’d been confused for the Puerto Rican superstar. (The post was quickly edited to correctly state Blanco’s name, though screenshots and replies immortalize the hilarious oopsie.)
“I like that,” the “Eastside” musician continued, laughing. “What do you mean? He’s so hot! I’ll take it, I’ll take it. What do you mean?”
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“Look at how pretty he is — are you kidding?” Blanco added, looking at a photo of the “Titi Me Pregunto” displayed behind him. “Yeah, I’m Bad Bunny now.”
The producer’s visit to the talk show comes just a couple weeks after the March 21 release of his and Gomez’s joint album, I Said I Love You First, which recently debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The couple attended the 2025 Oscars together earlier that month in honor of Emilia Pérez, in which the Only Murders in the Building actress starred. The film had received 13 nominations, including best picture, which ultimately went to Anora.
Of attending the ceremony, Blanco told Hudson, “Every woman deserves a Purple Heart for going — you guys gotta get ready, it’s so much, it’s so long.”
“That dress weighed 35 pounds!” the hitmaker added, pointing to a phot of himself and Gomez on the red carpet. “And when we were traveling there, she couldn’t sit down — she had to stand up in the car, and a man is sewing her in!”
Speaking of fancy occasions, Blanco also shared the special celebration he planned for his 37th birthday last month. “Selena had never been to a prom before, so I thought I’d throw us a prom for my birthday,” he said, smiling. “She didn’t even know. She was like, ‘What am I supposed to wear? What am I supposed to do?’ It was like she was really going to prom. I got her a little corsage.”
Watch a clip of Blanco’s Jennifer Hudson Show interview above.
Chris Hemsworth is a music fan, just like the rest of us. So much so, that he once asked for a selfie with a major pop star. The Avengers actor joined The Late Show With Stephen Colbert this week, where he answered a series of deep-dive questions to get to know him better. One of […]
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According to reports, Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian co-director of the Academy Award-winning documentary film No Other Land was assaulted by Israeli settlers near his home village in the West Bank on Monday (March 24). In a post on X, formerly Twitter, his co-director Yuval Abraham detailed what happened: “A group of settlers just lynched Hamdan Ballal, co-director of our film No Other Land. They beat him and he has injuries in his head and stomach, bleeding. Soldiers invaded the ambulance he called and took him. No sign of him since.”
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According to AP News, Palestinian residents of the village of Susya confronted a settler who approached their homes during the breaking of their Ramadan fast and asked them to leave. More settlers arrived, smashing car windows and damaging infrastructure on top of attacking villagers. Soldiers then detained Ballal after a settler beat him in front of his home, according to his wife, Lamia. According to Abraham, the same setter threatened Ballal in April, which was captured on video. “This is my land, I was given it by God,” the settler says in the video, shouting profanity and goading Ballal into trying to fight him. “Next time it won’t be nice,” the settler says.
Ballal was released Tuesday (March 25) from a police station in the Kiryat Arba settlement. “All my body is pain,” he said to the Associated Press. “I heard the voices of the soldiers, they were laughing about me … I heard ‘Oscar’ but I didn’t speak Hebrew.” He revealed he was held at an army base and forced to sleep under an ongoing air conditioner while blindfolded.
Ballal is one of four directors of the documentary along with Abraham, who is Israeli. No Other Land covers the struggles of Palestinians living in Israel under daily oppression. Another one of the directors, Palestinian activist Basel Adra, confirmed that since the Oscar win, settlers and Israeli soldiers have increased their attacks. “We’re living in dark days here, in Gaza, and all of the West Bank,” Adra said, adding, “Nobody’s stopping this.” No Other Land has been under attack since its win at the 97th Academy Awards, with Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner voicing intent to end the lease of a cinema planning to show the film claiming it wasn’t a balanced view. Local opposition forced him to back off from the move.
The 2022 Academy Awards served as the ultimate rollercoaster ride of emotions for Will Smith, who won best actor honors for his role in King Richard, but also delivered the infamous slap across host Chris Rock’s face on stage for jokes made about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.
The actor-rapper received a 10-year ban from the Oscars, and had the option to appeal. The Associated Press caught up with Smith on Monday (March 24), during which he reflected on his actions and explained how he’s planning to move forward.
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“I am looking to be the best human I can possibly be, and I’m gonna take what I get with that,” the 56-year-old said.
Smith has since resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and has been apologetic to Rock for slapping him onstage following a G.I. Jane joke about Pinkett-Smith.
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” Smith wrote in 2022. “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.”
Rock hasn’t been open to speaking with Smith yet, but didn’t rule out returning as host for the Oscars at some point in the future.
“You never know. This is what I would say, the most miserable people on earth are people that can’t forgive,” the comedian said earlier in March. “And not just people, you have to forgive yourself sometimes, too. So, hey, you never know.”
On the music side, Smith is returning with his first album in 20 years, Based On a True Story. The LP arrives on Friday (March 28), and he’ll be hitting the road this summer for a tour across Europe and the U.K.
“A well opened up inside of me, a well of understanding of art and pain … all kinds of things that I didn’t even know were in there,” Smith told Billboard in January of his rejuvenated hunger for music. “Then after the Oscars, that spiritual investigation continued and a whole world woke up inside that I didn’t even know was there.”
Watch Will Smith talk about his Oscar ban below.
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Will Smith is more than likely never going to live down the infamous Oscars moment in 2022 when he approached host Chris Rock and delivered a slap heard around the world. In the years since, Will Smith has refocused on his acting craft and continued introspection, and in a new interview, he talks about that journey ahead of his new studio album.
Will Smith sat down with the Associated Press to discuss his upcoming fifth studio album, Based On A True Story, his creative aims for the year, and so much more. The article opens up with Smith, 56, explaining the focus and aims of the album while also using the project as a way of sharing with the world his path and the way ahead after the controversial Oscars moment when he slapped Chris Rock in 2022.
“I’ve taken the last couple of years to really do a deep dive on the parts of me that may or may not been in that level of certainty and asking those deep scary internal questions,” Smith explains.
Smith added, “It really is the result of my initial self-examination. Every song is about some part of myself that I discovered or wanted to explore, something I wanted to share. It’s the most full musical offering that I’ve ever created.”
Of course, the topic of Smith’s 10-year ban from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences could not be avoided, and he’s clearly shown remorse by way of apologizing to Rock via an open letter and video, which appears to still have gone unanswered in many respects. When asked if he would appeal the academy’s ban, Smith gave an answer that illustrates that he’s hoping to move on beyond the slap heard around the world.
“I am looking to be the best human I can possibly be, and I’m gonna take what I get with that,” Smith said.
Will Smith’s Based On A True Story drops this Friday (March 28) and is said to be the first of three albums the Philadelphia native intends to drop this year. He is also working on several film and television projects, including a sequel to the superhero action film, Hancock.
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