The2020 Academy Awardsare off to a roaring start!
Janelle Monáeopened Sunday night’s awards show with a rendition of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” from theTom HanksfilmA Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
The singer and actress, 34, segued into a lively segment in which she highlighted all the snubbed films of the year includingMidsommarand theElton JohnbiopicRocketmanin whichBilly Porterstepped onto the stage and sang a portion of “I’m Still Standing.”
The two sang together as dancers dressed as characters from snubbed films danced in the background.
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Monáe left the stage for a time to sing among the first row of nominees, encouraging them to sing along with her, includingBrad Pitt, Hanks,Rita WilsonandCynthia Erivo.
“Tonight we celebrate all the amazing talent in this room, we celebrate all the women who directed phenomenal films,” Monáe said. “And I’m so proud to stand here as a black queer artist telling stories.”
She added, “Happy Black History Month.”
Last month, the Academyannouncedthatthe Oscarswould be going without a hostfor the second year in a row. ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke made the announcement while at the Television Critics Association press tour, and the Academy alsotweetedit out.
“Let me confirm it now, together with the Academy, that there will be no traditional host this year,” Burke said.
Last year, the awards ceremony went hostless for the first time in recent memory afterKevin Hartdropped out of hosting duties amid the fallout from resurfaced past homophobic remarks he made on Twitter. The 2019 Oscars began withTina Fey,Amy PoehlerandMaya Rudolphopening the showinstead of a host.
“Welcome to the one millionth Academy Awards!” Fey said last year. “We are not your hosts, but we are gonna stand here a little too long so that the people who getUSA Todaytomorrow will think we hosted.”
Throughout the night, a star-studded slate of celebrities presented each award in lieu of a host. For this year’s Oscars, thelist of presentersincludesTimothée Chalamet,Will Ferrell,Gal Gadot,Mindy Kaling,Julia Louis-Dreyfus,Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anthony Ramos,Mark Ruffalo, Kelly Marie Tran andKristen Wiig.
source: people.com
