Oscars in the Covid era: Carey Mulligan leads arrivals at socially-distanced red carpet with NO crowds, temperature checks and just a handful of cameras
- The red carpet kicked off early on Sunday afternoon for the highly anticipated 93rd Academy Awards
- This year’s show will have no crowds, fewer cameras and social distance rules due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
- This marks the first time Tinseltown’s finest have assembled in over a year
- The Oscars will be three hours long, with co-producer Steven Soderbergh describing the telecast as being ‘like a movie’
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is hosting the delayed ceremony at the historic Union Station in Los Angeles, California
- Socially distanced movie stars can go mask-free while on-camera or seated in the main show room
An Oscars red carpet unlike any before got underway on Sunday night, with no crowd, socially-distanced rules and fewer cameras amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Carey Mulligan kicked off the 93rd annual Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles in a mesmerizing Valentino Couture gold gown.
Joining her on the red carpet with plenty of Hollywood glitz and glamour were actresses Regina King and Maria Bakalova in custom Louis Vuitton and Amanda Seyfried in Armani Prive.
Movie stars! Carey Mulligan kicked off the 93rd annual Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles in a mesmerizing Valentino Couture gold gown. Joining her on the red carpet with plenty of Hollywood glitz and glamour were actresses Regina King and Maria Bakalova in custom Louis Vuitton and Amanda Seyfried in Armani Prive
Carey, 35, dazzled in a strapless gold Valentino Couture gown, with cut-out detailing along her torso and a statement ball skirt.
The Promising Young Woman actress hit the red carpet with her husband, Mumford and Sons musician Marcus Mumford.
The red carpet looked similar to how it did last year except there were far fewer people as there are social distancing restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has allowed only 170 people to attend this year rather than the normal 3,000.
This marks the first time Tinseltown’s finest have assembled in over a year, for a three-hour show that co-producer Steven Soderbergh has described as being ‘like a movie.’
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is hosting the delayed ceremony at the historic Union Station in Los Angeles, California where socially distanced movie stars can go mask-free while on-camera or seated in the main show room.
Absolute stunner: The Promising Young Woman actress, 35, dazzled in a strapless gold ballgown with cut-out detailing along her torso
What a look: Carey flashed her midriff in the stunning gown, which featured a large cut-out
Fashion! The British beauty hit the red carpet with her husband, Mumford and Sons musician Marcus Mumford
Built in 1939, the national historic landmark and its main terminal is 161,000 square feet, creating plenty of room for theatrics on Hollywood’s biggest night.
During normal times, when COVID restrictions haven’t crimped travel, more than 100,000 people a day walk through its halls.
Comparatively the Dolby Theatre, where the glitzy event is usually held, can only seat around 3,300 people which would have created difficulties in putting on an award show amid the pandemic.
Glamorous: Maria Bakalova donned a stunning Louis Vuitton gown; the white frock had a plunging neckline and a tulle skirt. The dress features 100 meters of tulle, per the E! red carpet coverage
Statement: Regina King stunned in a blue Louis Vuitton gown with vertical crystal stripes; the dress took 140 hours to make, with over 62,000 sequins and 4,000 crystals
Ladies in red: Amanda, Angela and Reese wore different shades of crimson
But in the spacious station, believed to be large enough to accommodate social distancing requirements with its soaring main hall featuring windows that are 40-feet high, stars have more room to mingle and maneuver.
Sticking to a ‘No Zoom’ policy unlike other shows that have taken place this awards season, Academy organizers have teased a ‘British hub’ for UK actors who are unable to make it in person, as well as another rumored ‘surprise location.’
What a cheek! Andra Day flashed her derierre in a Vera Want Haute with Tiffany and Co. jewels. She worked with a welder on this dress because it is completely made of metal, according to reports
Movie stars! Glenn Close arrived in Armani Prive while Viola Davis donned Alexander McQueen, both custom looks
Glamour: Promising Young Woman director Emerald Fennell looked incredible in a soft green, purple and gold gown with ruffle details all over. She is wearing Gucci
Gorgeous: The director, 35, sported lavender eye shadow for a spring touch
Dapper: Leslie Odom Jr. rocked a gold suit, complete with a matching button-up beneath; Leslie is nominated for two Oscars: Best Supporting Actor for his role in One Night in Miami and Best Original Song for film’s main song Speak Now
Good looking duo: Leslie arrived with his wife Nicolette Robinson. Nicolette is wearing a black taffeta ball gown with a leg slit and bow details by Zuhair Murad. The couple welcomed their second child – a baby boy named Able Phineas or ‘Abe’ for short on March 25, 2021. They are parents to three-year-old Lucy
Glitz: Minari director Lee Isaac Chung arrived with his wife Valerie Chung, who looked lovely in a patterned gold gown
During a year that saw movie theatres closed due to the pandemic, there were eight new films that did manage to impress Academy voters enough to be in contention for Hollywood’s biggest award, the Oscar for Best Picture (last year there were nine nominees in the category.)
Pulling the musical interludes (though not the in memoriam segment) from the three-hour broadcast – and drastically cutting down the time it will take winners to reach the podium – will free up a lot of time in the ceremony. And producers, led by filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, are promising a reinvented telecast.
The Oscars will look more like a movie, Soderbergh has said. The show will be shot in 24 frames-per-second (as opposed to 30), appear more widescreen and the presenters – including Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, Harrison Ford, Rita Moreno and Zendaya – are considered “cast members.” The telecast’s first 90 seconds, Soderbergh has claimed, will “announce our intention immediately.”
Classic: Minari star Steven Yeun chose a black tuxedo for the Oscars, with his wife Joana Pak wearing a coordinating gown featuring statement buttons
Elegant: Actress Marlee Matlin chose a glittering gown with a cape detail
Low key: The Oscars red carpet was quiet this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The red carpet seen just before the show kicked off
Another angle: The normally buzzing awards show – and the last one before the end of awards season – appeared deserted just before the show began
What a difference a year makes: The socially distance red carpet seen on Sunday afternoon
While blockbusters may be absent this year, there have been a wide range of movies that have caught the attention of Academy voters, including the lavish Mank, Netflix’s ode to the Golden Age of Hollywood, starring Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried.
Another strong contender is Minari, an indie drama about Korean immigrants scraping out a living off the land in rural America, written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung and starring Steven Yeun.
The eight films in the top category this year are The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Mank, Minari, Nomadland, Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
It is the first time that two female directors have ever been nominated in the Best Director category, with Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) and Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) both receiving nods. Netflix dominated this year with 36 nominations, including the lead-nominee Mank, David Fincher’s black-and-white drama about Citizen Kane co-writer Herman J. Mankiewicz. The streamer is still pursuing its first best-picture win; this year, its best shot may be Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7.
Stylish: Actress Youn Yuh-jung donned a textured dark blue gown with a black velvet belt; The 73-year-old actress played Soon-ja in the critically acclaimed movie Minari
Handsome: British actor Daniel Kaluuya chose a Bottega Veneta suit with Cartier jewelry
But the night’s top prize, best picture, is widely expected to go to Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland, a contemplative character study about an itinerant woman (Frances McDormand) in the American West. Should it be victorious, it will be one of the lowest budget best-picture winners ever. Zhao’s film, populated by nonprofessional actors, was made for less than $5 million. (Her next film, Marvel’s Eternals, has a budget of at least $200 million.)
Zhao is also the frontrunner for best director, a category that has two female filmmakers nominated for the first time. Also nominated is Emerald Fennell for the scathing revenge drama “Promising Young Woman.” Zhao would be just the second woman to win best director in the academy’s 93 years (following Kathryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker”), and the first woman of color.
Only five women have ever been nominated in the category before.
History is also possible in the acting categories. If the winners from the Screen Actors Guild Awards hold – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’s” Chadwick Boseman for best actor, Viola Davis for best actress; Yuh-Jung Youn (“Minari”) for best supporting actress; and Daniel Kaluuya (“Judas and the Black Messiah”) for best supporting actor – it would the first time nonwhite actors swept the acting categories – and a dramatic reversal from recent “OscarsSoWhite” years.
Several of those awards appear to be locks, particularly for the late Boseman, who would become the third actor to ever win a posthumous Academy Award following Peter Finch and Heath Ledger. Taylor Simone Ledward, Boseman´s widow, has often accepted previous honors on his behalf.
If there’s one less certain category, it’s best actress. Davis, who has won previously for her performance in “Fences,” is up against Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) and two-time winner McDormand. Prognosticators call it a three-way toss up.
Sleek: Tiara Thomas and Diane Warren both chose white suits for the awards show, with Tiara opting for a racy version while Diane opted for a sparkling element
Suited and booted: Lil Rel Howery arrives at the Oscars in a velvet black blazer with matching shirt and bow tie
Stylish: The 41-year-old Bad Trip actor flashes a semi peace sign as she wore large sunglasses
An official spokesperson called this year’s event ‘an Oscars like none other, while prioritizing the public health and safety of all those who will participate.’
The Academy and ABC will certainly be hoping that their ambitious plans will drum up more excitement than they have elsewhere during a dismal award seasons, after the virtual Golden Globes plunged to 6.9 million viewers this year – a 64 percent drop from 2020.
Ready to roll: Paul Raci, left, in a black suit and Liz Hanley Raci in a teal gown
93rd Academy Awards: Who are the 2021 Oscar nominees?
Best Picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Picture: The Trial of the Chicago 7 is one of the eight films nominated
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day – The United States vs Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand – Nomadland
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman – The Father
Amanda Seyfried – Mank
Youn Yuh-jung – Minari
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Olivia Colman is up for her role in The Father
Best Music (Original Score)
Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul
Best Animated Short Film
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You
Opera
Yes-People
Best Live Action Short Film
Feeling Through
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers
White Eye
Best International Feature Film
Another Round
Better Days
Collective
The Man Who Sold His Skin
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Best Sound: Greyhound – a war film starring Tom Hanks – is up for the gong
Best Sound
Greyhound
Mank
News of the World
Soul
Sound of Metal
Best Cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
News of the World
Nomadland
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Music (Original Song)
Fight for You – Judas and the Black Messiah
Hear My Voice – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Husavik – Eurovision Song Contest
Io Si (Seen) – The Life Ahead
Speak Now – One Night in Miami…
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is vying for the award
Best Director
Thomas Vinterberg – Another Round
David Fincher – Mank
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins – The Father
Gary Oldman – Mank
Steven Yeun – Minari
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami…
Paul Raci – Sound of Metal
Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Animated Feature Film
Onward
Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul
Wolfwalkers
Best Animated Feature Film: A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is nominated
Best Costume Design
Emma
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Mulan
Pinnochio
Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
The Father
Nomadland
One Night in Miami…
The White Tiger
Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Judas and the Black Messiah
Minari
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Documentary Feature
Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher
Time
Best Writing (Original Screenplay): Judas and the Black Messiah is up for the gong
Best Documentary Short Subject
Colette
A Concerto Is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
A Love Song for Latasha
Best Film Editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Production Design
The Father
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
News of the World
Tenet
Best Visual Effects
Love and Monsters
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Tenet
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Emma
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Pinocchio
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