The Latest: Spike Lee makes light of loss to 'Green Book'
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Latest on the 91st Academy Awards, which are being presented Sunday night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles (all times local):
9:20 p.m.
Spike Lee has compared the Oscars' selection of "Green Book" as this year's best film to a loss by his beloved New York Knicks basketball team. He says jokingly, "The ref made the wrong call."
So angry that he nearly walked out of the Academy Awards after "Green Book" was declared the winner Sunday, he was in much better spirits when he reached the backstage interview room. The standing ovation he received from many in the press corps probably didn't hurt.
"This is my sixth glass - and you know why," he shouted as he strolled into the room with a glass of champagne that he sipped from as he answered questions.
Asked what he thought of the film's victory, he laughed and shouted, "Next question."
Lee, whose film "BlacKkKlansman" was also nominated, also made light of his loss.
"I'm snakebit," he said. "Every time someone's driving somebody I lose."
It was a reference to "Driving Miss Daisy," the 1990 best picture Oscar winner in which a black man becomes friends with the white woman he chauffeurs.
"Green Book" tells the story of a white man who becomes friends with the black musician he drives through the 1960s South for a concert tour.
Hailed as a tribute to racial tolerance by its makers and stars, "Green Book" was also widely criticized by many as an outdated, sentimentalized movie full of racial stereotypes.
- John Rogers in the backstage interview room at the Oscars.
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8:40 p.m.
A visibly angry Spike Lee waved his hands in disgust and appeared to try to walk out of the Dolby Theatre after Julia Roberts announced "Green Book" had won this year's Oscar for best film.
Lee, whose film "BlackKkKlansman was also nominated, had won an Oscar earlier in the evening for best adapted screenplay.
His Oscar in hand, he walked alone toward the theatre exit while the "Green Book" producers were accepting their award.
He appeared to be stopped by staffers there, then made his way back to his seat after the speeches were over and the rest of the crowd stood up to leave.
Jordan Peele, who was sitting behind Lee, also declined to applaud the winner, as did others in the room.
Hailed as a tribute to racial tolerance by its makers and stars, "Green Book" was also widely criticized by many as an outdated, sentimentalized movie full of racial stereotypes.
- Andrew Dalton (@andyjamesdalton on Twitter) from inside the Dolby Theatre.
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8:30 p.m.
Olivia Colman appeared to still be in shock as she carried her best actress Oscar backstage, and a previous winner had just the cure for her.
"White wine! This woman needs a white wine," said Frances McDormand, who won the Oscar last year for "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" and who presented Sunday's to Colman,just
"Can someone get her a white wine, "chimed in Sam Rockwell, who won the best actor award last year for the same film and best supporting actor this year for "Vice."
"I think my nose is running," is all Colman said.
- Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr on Twitter), backstage at the Oscars.
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8:15 p.m.
"Green Book" is the winner of the Academy Award for best picture.
The film from Universal Pictures stars Mahershala Ali as an African-American concert pianist in the 1960s and Viggo Mortensen as his driver. It won three Oscars on Sunday, including best supporting actor for Ali and best original screenplay.
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8:10 p.m.
Alfonso Cuaron is the winner of the Academy Award for best director.
It's the second time Cuaron has won an Oscar as best director. He previously won in 2014 for "Gravity." His film "Roma" is based on his childhood in Mexico and the woman who raised him.
Cuaron has also won two Oscars Sunday night, as well as the best foreign language film for Mexico, its first.
The writer-director dedicated his speech to domestic workers, noting that tens of millions of them work around the world with any rights.
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8 p.m.
Olivia Colman is the winner of the best actress Academy Award for "The Favourite."
It's the first Oscar in her first nomination for Colman, who plays Queen Anne. She has won four British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards and two Golden Globes throughout her career.
She beat out Glenn Close, who was considered the front-runner going into Sunday's Oscars. Colman gave a special shout-out to Close, who she said she has admired all her life.
She thanked "The Favourite" director Yorgos Lanthimos, as well as her co-stars Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz.
Colman also thanked her children, who she said she hoped were watching at home. She says, "This is not going to happen again."
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7:50 p.m.
The usually straight-faced Spike Lee was all smiles in the wings of the Dolby Theatre after coming off stage carrying his first competitive Oscar, for adapted screenplay for "BlacKkKlansman."
"Guys! Guys!", he shouted, gesturing for his peers to join him for a photo as he held his Oscar in one hand and the notes he'd just read onstage in the other.
Then he noticed someone was missing: Samuel L. Jackson, who had just presented him with the award and whose arms he'd leaped into on stage.
"Sam!" He called, as Jackson made his way to Lee's side.
- Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr on Twitter), backstage at the Oscars.
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7:45 p.m.
Rami Malek has rocked us, and the film academy, to a best actor Oscar win for his portrayal of Queen's Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Malek won his first Oscar Sunday night. He was the only first-time nominee in the category.
The actor thanked his mother, who was in the audience Sunday, and also paid tribute to his later father, who he said didn't get to see him become a film star.
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7:35 p.m.
History has been made by women at the 91st annual Academy Awards.
With the win of Jamie Ray Newman and Guy Nattiv for live action short film, 13 women captured Oscars on Sunday. The Academy says the previous record was set in 2007 and matched in 2015.
Lady Gaga's win with Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt put the number at 14.
History-makers were among the winners. Ruth E. Carter and Hannah Beachler became the first African-Americans to win in their respective categories. Carter was awarded for costume design, and Beachler for production design.
- Nekesa Mumbi Moody and Brooke Lefferts at the Oscars.
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7:25 p.m.
"Shallow" from "A Star Is Born" has won the Academy Award for best original song.
"Shallow" was written by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper perform it in the film. The song won two Grammy Awards earlier this month.
Gaga effusively thanked the academy and her co-winners, as well her sister and Cooper.
She says it was not about winning, but it was about not giving up and all the times people have to get up after they are knocked down.
The best original score winner was "Black Panther" composer Ludwig Goransson.
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7:15 p.m.
"BlacKkKlansman" is the winner of the best adapted screenplay Academy Award, delivering Spike Lee his first competitive Academy Award.
Lee started out his acceptance speech with some profanity, telling producers not to start the clock on his speech. Winners have been allotted 90 seconds for their speech from the time their names are called.
Lee ready from a two-page letter that tied together history and the years 1619 and 2019, along with his own story.
The writer-director shares the award with Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott.
Lee received the award from Samuel L. Jackson, who has appeared in Lee's film. Jackson ribbed Lee at the outset of his presentation along with actress Brie Larson, reciting the score of the Knicks game, who notched a rare win Sunday night.
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7:10 p.m.
"Green Book" has won the Oscar for original screenplay.
The winners are Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie and Peter Farrelly.
"Green Book" is based on the real-life story of Vallelonga's father, who drove African-American pianist Don Shirley on a tour through the Deep South in the 1960s and is played by Viggo Mortensen in the film.
"Green Book" is also nominated for best picture, and has already won the best supporting actor Oscar for Mahershala Ali, who played Shirley in the film.
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6:55 p.m.
"First Man" is the winner of the Oscar for visual effects, beating out films about the Avengers and Han Solo.
Paul Lambert, Ian Hunter, Tristan Myles and J.D. Schwalm take the trophy for recreating Neil Armstrong's moon landing. It's the second Oscar for Lambert and Hunter, the first for the other two men.
Other nominees in the category were "Avengers: Infinity War," ''Christopher Robin," ''Ready Player One," and "Solo: A Star Wars Story."
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6:35 p.m.
Even among A-List actors it's good to be a rock star.
During the commercial break after "Bohemian Rhapsody" won Oscars for sound editing and sound mixing, Rami Malek ran from his front-row seat to congratulate the real-life members of Queen.
Sitting several rows back were guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor when Malik, who played their late lead singer Freddie Mercury, raced over to embrace them.
May, with his unmistakable silver curly hair and sparkly tuxedo, has been sought out by members of the Oscar audience throughout the evening.
He, Taylor and Adam Lambert had opened the Oscar show with a rousing version of Queen's "We Will Rock You" that had the star-studded audience dancing, clapping, grinning and singing along.
- Andrew Dalton (@andyjamesdalton on Twitter) inside the Dolby Theatre
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6:30 p.m.
Everyone's favorite neighborhood webslinger is now an Oscar winner - "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" has won the best animated feature Academy Award. It is the first Marvel superhero film to win an Oscar.
The ground-breaking and mind-bending film about multiple spider-heroes from multiple universes gives Sony Pictures its first Oscar for animated feature, a category that has been dominated by Disney for its 18-year existence.
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6:25 p.m.
Mahershala Ali is the winner of the Academy Award for best supporting actor. The win comes for his performance in "Green Book."
It's the second Oscar for Ali, who won in the same category in 2017 for "Moonlight." In "Green Book" he plays Don Shirley, an African-American classical pianist, who tours the Deep South.
He thanked Shirley at the outset of his acceptance speech, saying telling Shirley's story pushed him as an actor.
Ali dedicated his win to his grandmother, who he said is always pushing him to remain positive.
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6:05 p.m.
Mexico's "Roma" is the winner of the best foreign language film at the Oscars.
Other films of director Alfonso Cuaron have won Academy Awards, but "Roma" now becomes the first film from Mexico to win the Oscar for best foreign language film. The movie's dialogue is in Spanish and Mixtec.
It is Cuaron's second win of the night. Earlier in the ceremony, he won the best cinematography award.
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5:45 p.m.
In a seeming nod to "The Favourite" and its Queen Anne's affection for bunnies and elaborate dress, Melissa McCarthy had her audience roaring with laughter as she came out to present the award dressed in a huge, white queen's gown covered with stuffed rabbits.
The laughter continued as McCarthy explained that a costumer's job is to present authentic dress for actors but "never distract from the story."
She presented the award with Brian Tyree Henry, who was also decked out in an elaborate period dress.
Laughter resumed as she struggled to open the winner's envelope with a bunny puppet attached to one of her hands.
The Oscar went to Ruth E. Carter, costumer for "Black Panther.
Carter says: "Marvel may have created the first black superhero but through costume design we turned him into an African king."
- Andrew Dalton (@andyjamesdalton) and John C. Rogers at the Oscars.
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5:40 p.m.
"Black Panther" has won the Academy Award for production design and made Oscar history for the second time Sunday evening.
Production designer Hannah Beachler is the first African-American winner in the category. Her win came moments after "Black Panther" costume designer Ruth E. Carter became the first black winner in that category.
Beachler wins the Oscar along with set designer Jay R. Hart.
Beachler broke down in tears during her acceptance speech, which started out with her thanking "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler.
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5:30 p.m.
Ruth E. Carter has won the Academy Award for costume design and made Oscar history.
Carter is the first African-American costume designer to win the category. Carter has previously been nominated for her work on "Amistad" and "Malcolm X."
She took the stage saying "Wow, wow, I got it." She said the award has been a long time coming.
Carter thanked Spike Lee, who provided her career start with his 1988 film "School Daze."
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5:15 p.m.
"Free Solo" has won the best documentary feature Academy Award.
The film follows elite rock-climber Alex Honnold's attempt to ascend the famed El Capitan rock formation at Yosemite National Park without ropes.
The film was directed and co-produced by the husband-and-wife team of Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. Vasarhelyi thanked National Geographic, and specifically called them out for hiring female directors. She ended her speech by saying the film is "for everyone who believes in the impossible."
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5:10 p.m.
Regina King is the winner of the Academy Award for best supporting actress. The win comes for her performance in "If Beale Street Could Talk."
It's the first Oscar and first nomination for King, who has won three Emmy Awards for her work on television.
King thanked author James Baldwin, whose novel is the basis for the film from director Barry Jenkins.
The actress thanked her mother, who was in the audience, and said she is an example of what happens when someone is supported and loved.
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5 p.m.
Queen with Adam Lambert has kicked off the Academy Awards with a rocking performance of "We Will Rock You."
The intro is a tribute to best picture nominee the Freddie Mercury biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody." Lambert transitioned into "We Are the Champions" for the second song of the opening number, which drew applause from acting nominees Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.
Jennifer Lopez and her boyfriend, former pro baseball player Alex Rodriguez, sang along to the opening act, which ended in a shimmering wall of sparks falling on the Oscars stage.
Glenn Close was especially enthusiastic, stomping and singing along with every word in the front row. Three seats down, Rami Malek had a huge grin. Malek is nominated for best actor for his portrayal of Mercury.
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4:50 p.m.
Lady Gaga has made a late entrance on the Oscars red carpet, not long after "A Star is Born" co-star Bradley Cooper arrived with his mother and girlfriend.
Gaga tells The Associated Press she is feeling nervous, but says Tony Bennett told her that if she's nervous it means she cares.
The singer-actress says she's excited to perform the original song nominee "Shallow" with Cooper on the show.
Gaga is nominated for best actress and has been an awards season darling, although Glenn Close is the favorite to win the category.
- John Carucci (@jacarucci on Twitter) and Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) on the Oscars red carpet.
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4:45 p.m.
With the Oscars only minutes away Hollywood's Dolby Theatre is slowly filling as announcers tell people to start finding their seats.
As staffers busy themselves shooting last-minute group photos ushers urge audience members to hide their credentials from the cameras.
Most of Hollywood's big names ignored the exhortations, mingling in the lobby or on the red carpet until the last minute.
Exceptions included James McAvoy who walked up to introduce himself to Octavia Spencer, whose dark blue gown filled the two empty seats next to her.
Another was Elsie Fisher, the first to arrive in the theatre's coveted floor section. She got in early enough to hear the band's sound check.
- Andrew Dalton (@andyjamesdalton on Twitter) from a balcony inside the Dolby Theatre.
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4:40 p.m.
Mike Myers and Dana Carvey have dropped hints on the red carpet about an animated version of "Wayne's World."
The 1992 movie comedy about a pair of rock fans who broadcast a public-access TV show was based on a "Saturday Night Live" skit.
Carvey says an animated "Wayne's World" depends on the fans. He says if they want to see it "of course we'll do it."
Myers and Carvey reunited at the Oscars to introduce best picture nominee "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Myers says the old friends had "so much fun" at rehearsal.
- John Carucci (@jacarucci on Twitter) and Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) on the Oscars red carpet.
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4:30 p.m.
Brie Larson has given Oscar fans a little pre-show entertainment, breaking into a dance and waving to the bleachers as the 2016 Oscar winner for "Room" walked the red carpet.
Meanwhile, James McAvoy stopped to wish good luck to supporting actor nominee Richard E. Grant, who is up for an award for "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"
And Allison Janney gave some love to the red carpet reporters, stopping for a few quick interviews as they waited on Lada Gaga's arrival.
- Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr on Twitter) on the Oscars red carpet.
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4:15 p.m.
Glenn Close, considered by many to be a sure thing to win her first Oscar, says she got emotional before arriving at the ceremony.
The 71-year-old nominee for best actress in "The Wife" says on the red carpet that she's not nervous but she became overwhelmed earlier Sunday thinking about what winning an Oscar would mean and how long she's been in show business. It is Close's seventh Oscar nomination, and she is the most decorated living actress to not have won an Academy Award yet.
Close says she hopes she can keep it together during the show.
She wore a shimmering gold gown that she says has four million beads on it and weighs 42 pounds.
- John Carucci (@jacarucci on Twitter) and Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) on the Oscars red carpet.
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4:05 p.m.
Kacey Musgraves has gone from country to Hollywood with her first visit to the Oscars.
The country singer is fresh off winning four Grammys, including album of the year, two weeks ago.
She's introducing one of the original song performances on Sunday night.
Musgraves says the Oscars are "a little bit of a different vibe than the music world" and she doesn't get too star struck by anybody except Willie Nelson.
- John Carucci (@jacarucci on Twitter) and Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) on the Oscars red carpet.
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3:50 p.m.
If they were handing out Oscars for biggest round of applause on the red carpet, Spike Lee would be the hands-down winner among early arrivals.
Fans erupted with cheers and raucous screams of "Spiiiiike," as the director of "BlackKkKlansman" arrived.
Startled photographers rushed over to see what the fuss was all about.
The afternoon's second biggest applause for Regina King, who hurried down the red carpet with a companion holding her train.
Elsewhere "Spider-Man: Into the -Verse" directors Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman paused to chat with writers and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
"You doing press? We'll see you in there," Miller said, making a prayer sign and dashing off for the less chaotic comforts of the Dolby Theatre.
- Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr on Twitter) on the Oscars red carpet.
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3:30 p.m.
Richard E. Grant has prepared for Oscar night in a most unusual way.
The supporting-actor nominee for "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" jumped on a trampoline after having breakfast with co-star and fellow nominee Melissa McCarthy and her family. He posted a video on Twitter , which included McCarthy laughing in what the actor described as her "her signature giggle!"
Grant says jumping around was his way of "keeping it real." The British actor is a first-time nominee and has said he has no expectation he'll win , so he's just basking in the glory of the moment.
- John Carucci (@jacarucci on Twitter) and Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) on the Oscars red carpet.
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3:25 p.m.
Some Oscar goers are welcoming the news of singer R. Kelly being jailed in Chicago on charges of sex abuse involving underage girls.
Actor Brian Tyree Henry of "If Beale Street Could Talk" says he's "really glad justice is happening." He says he wants the alleged victims to be heard and vindicated. Henry also says it's time for people to stop purchasing Kelly's R&B music.
Diane Warren, a best original song nominee for the documentary "RGB," says Kelly "should be prosecuted. It's beyond not buying his music."
Questlove, drummer for The Roots, calls Kelly's arrest on Friday "justice well-deserved." He credits the "brave women" who came forward to tell authorities their stories and says believing the women is very important.
- John Carucci (@jacarucci on Twitter) and Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) on the Oscars red carpet.
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3:10 p.m.
Diego Luna is in awe of best actress nominee Yalitza Aparicio.
The Mexican actor sang the praises of his countrywoman on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday, saying he believes the "Roma" star is "an amazing actress." Aparicio is nominated for her first film performance in the Netflix film from director Alfonso Cuaron, and has made history as the first indigenous performer nominated for a best actress honor.
Luna says of the 25-year-old's performance: "I think she found a way to tell a story that we needed to hear."
He says Aparicio and "Roma" tell the story of an invisible community with such passion and authenticity. He says, "It reminds me of why I do this, you know."
- John Carucci (@jacarucci on Twitter) on the Oscars red carpet.
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2:35 p.m.
With hours to go before the Oscars begin, Constance Wu had food on her mind as she made her way down the red carpet.
The "Crazy Rich Asians" actress had pizza on her mind, specifically, a pie with "a lot of meat on it and that's really spicy." Her toppings wish included jalapenos.
Wu will be among the stars presenting at Sunday's show.
Unlike the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, there's no meal served at the Academy Awards. Attendees have to wait until the post-show Governors Ball to eat and drink unless they steal away to one of the bars serving alcohol during the show inside the Dolby Theatre.
- John Carucci (@jacarucci on Twitter) and Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) on the Oscars red carpet.
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2:20 p.m.
Stars are beginning to walk the red carpet at the Academy Awards, with Constance Wu from "Crazy Rich Asians" among of the early arrivals.
"Eighth Grade" star and presenter Elsie Fisher scurried by reporters calling her name to the entrance of the Dolby Theatre, where the 91st Academy Awards ceremony will be held.
There were many who wanted to greet Marie Kondo as well. The lifestyle guru gracefully managed requests while "The Hate U Give" star Amandla Stenberg greeted "Dumplin'" Star Danielle Macdonald.
Other early arrivals included nominated songwriter Diane Warren, "If Beale Street Could Talk" composer Nicholas Brittell and "Mary Poppins Returns" maestros Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
- Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr on Twitter) on the Oscars red carpet.
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2:15 p.m.
It's blue skies and sunshine above the red carpet at the Oscars. A cool breeze is blowing and temperatures are in the mid-60s (18 Celsius) as the stars make their way down the carpet in front of the Dolby Theatre.
A special lane has been set up in the middle of the carpet, divided by two thick white lines. It's akin to a carpool lane on the freeway, used to usher some of the biggest names directly to interviews for ABC's preshow and reduce the clogging that usually occurs.
- Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) on the Oscars red carpet.
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10:45 a.m.
A winter of discontent for the Academy Awards will culminate in an Oscar ceremony that may lack a host but isn't missing intrigue.
The run-up to the 91st Academy Awards has featured a series of missteps and backtracks by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. A new best "popular film" category was in, but then it was out.
Kevin Hart was host and then he wasn't. Some categories were removed from the live broadcast, and then they were back.
But if the script this Oscar season has been constantly rewritten, the film academy is hoping on Sunday for a Hollywood ending.
It's also hoping for better ratings than the all-time low viewership last year.
ABC's telecast will begin at 8 p.m. EST following the usual red carpet festivities.
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