Celeste, H.E.R., Leslie Odom, Jr., and more will perform the five nominated original songs in their entirety ahead of the ceremony.
The 2021 Academy Awards are switching things up again.
It was announced on Friday by producers Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher and Steven Soderbergh that the best original songs will be performed during a pre-show special, Oscars: Into the Spotlight.
Celeste, H.E.R., Leslie Odom, Jr., Laura Pausini, Daniel Pemberton, Molly Sandén and Diane Warren will perform the five nominated original songs in their entirety ahead of the 93rd Oscars. One performance will be recorded in Húsavík, Iceland, and four at the Dolby Family Terrace of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
"We’ve come up with some serious pre-game and post-game action to enhance our main event,” said Collins, Sher and Soderbergh. "Our suggestion is just tune in for the whole shebang, otherwise you’ll miss something really unexpected and fun."
Into the Spotlight will be a 90-minute celebration hosted by Hamilton's Ariana DeBose and Bad Trip star Lil Rel Howery. The special "will highlight the nominees’ journey to Hollywood’s biggest night, give fans around the world the ultimate insiders’ sneak peek into the party and for the first time bring Oscar music to the festivities," per the press release. DJ Tara will also make a special appearance.
Additionally, after the Oscars wrap this year, ABC will air a live after-party titled Oscars: After Dark. It will be hosted by Colman Domingo and Andrew Rannells, with interviews by film critic Elvis Mitchell.
Both specials are executive-produced by Michael Antinoro and David Chamberlin, alongside producers Collins, Sher and Soderbergh.
ET spoke with Director Glenn Weiss, who's helming this year's event, about why they won't be using Zoom, and still keep people safe during the in-person ceremony. ET learned back in March that producers were opting for a small, intimate ceremony instead of a virtual hybrid.
"I think to a certain degree we all have gotten a little bit of Zoom fatigue," Weiss shared. "As a result of that, we really wanted to bring a celebration without distraction. We wanted to bring something where people at home are a part of it and are experiencing this room in a same way."
"We just really just wanna focus on honoring this industry and honoring the craftspeople in this industry," Weiss continued, adding that he felt that a human presence will elevate the ceremony, and the experiences of those in attendance and those on stage.
The 2021 Oscars air live on Sunday, April 25 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC. In the meantime, stay tuned to ETonline.com for complete Oscars coverage.
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