Oscars 2021: ABC to Bookend Ceremony With Live Specials Featuring Leslie Odom Jr., H.E.R., and More

The 93rd Annual Academy Awards are just over a week away and producers Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher, and Steven Soderbergh have announced that ABC will broadcast two live specials to bookend the ceremony.

“We’ve come up with some serious pre-game and post-game action to enhance our main event,” said Collins, Sher, and Soderbergh in a statement released to the press. “Our suggestion is just tune in for the whole shebang, otherwise you’ll miss something really unexpected and fun.”

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The 90-minute pre-show special, Oscars: Into the Spotlight, is being hosted by Ariana DeBose and Lil Rel Howery. It will highlight this year’s nominees and their journeys to Hollywood’s biggest awards show.

During the show, Celeste, H.E.R., Leslie Odom Jr., Laura Pausini, Daniel Pemberton, Molly Sandén, and Dianne Warren will perform this year’s Best Original Song nominated tunes. (There are five songs nominated, but it’s not yet known which singers will be grouped together.) Four of the performances will take place at the Dolby Family Terrace at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, while one will be recorded in Húsavík, Iceland.

Oscars: Into the Spotlight will also feature a special appearance by DJ Tara.

(Credit: ABC/Artwork by Magnus Voll Mathiassen)

The evening’s post-show special, Oscars: After Dark, will be hosted by Colman Domingo and Andrew Rannells, and feature interviews with film critic Elvis Mitchell. The program will also include recaps of the night’s must-see moments and the winners as they have their statuettes engraved.

Both specials are executive produced by Michael Antinoro, David Chamberlin, Collins, Sher, and Soderbergh.

Oscars: Into the Spotlight, Sunday, April 25, 6:30/5:30c, ABC

Oscars, Sunday, April 25, 8/7c, ABC

Oscars: After Dark, Sunday, April 25, Right after The Oscars, ABC