The Oscars will air live this Sunday – here's how you can watch from the UK.
With the week-long final vote deciding the winning nominees ending last week on the 18th of February, film fans worldwide have begun to prepare for a night in watching the star studded show. For the second consecutive year, the entire event will be broadcasted by ITV, making UK fans nights - as it'll be a late one!
With the coverage being free to watch on both ITV1 and ITVX, accompanied with Red Carpet coverage from several film stars and producers, British talk show host, Jonathan Ross, will return to the stage to front the 97th ceremony. The 64 year old will be seen on UK screens at midnight, after Scottish TV presenter Ross King reports live from the Dolby Theatre carpet, and covered by ITV News broadcaster Lucrezia Millarini and arts editor Nina Nannar throughout the night.
British actor Jason Isaacs, known for his infamous role as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, is set to be on the ITV panel. Isaacs has said he is looking forward to "disagreeing with everyone about everything and celebrating the brilliance of all the indie films that are this year’s nominees." He jokingly added: "Grown up films for grown ups - who saw that coming a few years ago?".
Before the Oscars begins, ITV will air several themed segments on Good Morning Britain (GMB), Loose Women, and ITV News to prepare UK fans for the night ahead. Though there is a '24/7' channel dedicated to the awards show, dedicated UK fans should expect to be up till three in the morning before the night ends.
In November, it was announced that American comedian and talk show host Conan O'Brien would be presenting the event for the first time. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang said they felt "thrilled and honoured" that the "incomparable" O'Brien had accepted the role. Yang said Conan is the "perfect" choice because of his "brilliant humour, his love of movies, his live TV expertise, and remarkable ability to connect with audiences". The academy hoped Conan will draw viewers in to "honour the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year".
Following a new talk show tradition, O'Brien replaces previous Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel who hosted the previous two ceremonies. Supposedly, Kimmel refused to return for 2025's ceremony - though viewers are yet to know why. Variety reported that comedian John Mulaney also turned down the once dream gig of hosting.
The 2025 Oscars nominations were revealed in January, with several stars being recognised for their success - Emilia Pérez being one of those with 13 nods. The Spanish-language film staring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez portrays the dangers of the Mexican drug trade, accompanied by fantasy musical numbers that describe the story of a drug kingpin’s evolution.
Household names The Brutalist and Wicked are close seconds, both of which earned 10 mentions. A Complete Unknown and Conclave received eight nods each. Nominations also include Anora, Dune: Part Two and The Substance.
This year, British composer John Powell has made history from working on the highest and lowest budget films that were nominated for the 2025 Oscars. The 61 year old is known for writing scores in Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Happy Feet, the Bourne film series, Mr & Mrs Smith, X-Men: The Last Stand and Don't Worry Darling. Set to be the favourite and one to beat for Best Original Score, Powell's work featured in Wicked, with a production cost of $150 million. A true testament to his talent and dedication to his music, Powell also wrote the composition for The Last Ranger, a 28-minute short film that showcased rangers efforts to protect endangered rhinos in Africa. Also nominated for as the Best Short Film, the pieces cost $87,000 - shocking in comparison to the usual Hollywood budgets.
Originally from Crowborough, East Sussex, John was one of the celebrities that lost their homes in the Palisades Fire in LA. He called the last few months since the fires "the weirdest time [he's] ever spent in Los Angeles," recalling that he was "running from a literal firestorm with nothing but [his] poodles and a phone," only to wake up "a few days later on a pull-out couch to be told I've been nominated for an Oscar on Wicked". He is now composing for its sequel Wicked: For Good.
British actor nominations include Cynthia Erivo for Best Actress for her lead role as Elphaba in Wicked. Becoming an internet sensation for her emotionally close friendship to singer and co-star Ariana Grande, Erivo shares her category with Karla Sofía Gascón in Emilia Pérez; Mikey Madison from Anora; Demi Moore in The Substance; and Fernanda Torres in I'm Still Here.
Felicity Jones makes for Best supporting actress for her work in The Brutalist. Felicity, known for her wide range in roles - from The Theory Of Everything to teen-favourite Chalet Girl - will be up against an unsurprising Grande for her role as Glinda in Wicked; Zoe Saldaña in Emilia Pérez; Monica Barbaro in A Complete Unknown; and Isabella Rossellini from her work in Conclave.
Ralph Fiennes, famous for his iconic role as Harry Potter's Voldemort, has now been nominated for Best Actor for his role in Conclave. Fiennes is up against Adrien Brody for The Brutalist; Timothée Chalamet for A Complete Unknown; Colman Domingo in Sing Sing; and Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice.
Other British nominations include Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, for the Best Animated Feature Film; Better Man for the Best Visual Effects award; and Sir Elton John (and Brandi Carlile) for Never Too Late, up for the Best Original Song. Additionally, the Best Costume Design category includes: A Complete Unknown; Conclave; Gladiator II; Nosferatu; or Wicked - Gladiator II of which stared Irish Hero Paul Mescal.
The nominations, read out by Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott, shocked viewers by the lack of inclusion for Maria's Angelina Jolie and Babygirl's Nicole Kidman - who went viral for her role alongside British heartthrob Harris Dickinson. This reading came after Academy president Janet Yang and CEO Bill Kramer's ode to the tragedy of January's LA fires. The pair dedicated Sunday's ceremony to be a "tribute to [LA's] brave first responders" and a celebration of "the enduring spirit of Los Angeles and the film industry."
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