Oscars 2022: Stars arrive on the red carpet ahead of revamped ceremony
- Jamie Lee Curtis, Lily James and the cast of Japanese best picture nominee Drive My Car were among the first to arrive at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood
- Producers said they planned an upbeat show but will acknowledge the crisis in Ukraine, which has killed thousands
Hollywood stars walked the Oscars red carpet on Sunday ready to celebrate the year in film at a ceremony free of last year’s pandemic restrictions and promising a few plot twists.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Lily James and the cast of Japanese best picture nominee Drive My Car were among the first to arrive at the Dolby Theatre where 2,500 gown- and tuxedo-clad attendees were expected for the 94th Academy Awards.
“I’m 63 years old and they still asked me to come to the party,” Curtis told a reporter. “I’m thrilled to be able to represent women of a certain age.”
Curtis said she would deliver a tribute to acting legend Betty White, who died in December just shy of her 100th birthday.
A dark Western, The Power of the Dog, will battle feel-good deaf family drama CODA for the prestigious best picture prize. A win by either film would mark a milestone by handing the statuette to a streaming service.
Netflix Inc released Power of the Dog while CODA streamed on Apple TV+.
Producers said they planned an upbeat show but will acknowledge the crisis in Ukraine, which has killed thousands and driven a quarter of Ukraine’s 44 million people from their homes. Actor Mila Kunis, who was born in Ukraine, is among the night’s presenters.
After past complaints about a lack of diversity, two of this year’s four acting accolades may go to people of colour. Will Smith is likely to earn his first Oscar for King Richard, awards watchers say, as is Ariana DeBose for West Side Story.