The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the presenters for the upcoming 96th Oscars on March 10.
While names like Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) and Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) were expected, as it’s custom for the most recent Best Actor winner to present Best Actress, and the most recent Best Actress winner to present Best Actor, the rest of the slate is almost all past Academy Award winners and arguably the biggest young star of the moment.
Two-time Best Supporting Actor winner Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight,” “Green Book”) and Best Actor winner Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”) among them, plus the recent popularity of Season 4, opens the door to the Oscars having a nod to “True Detective” (“Night Country” star Jodie Foster also happens to be a Best Supporting Actress nominee.)
Though the announcement does not package any names together to tease a reunion, one cannot see both Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer on the list and not think the show will pair them to celebrate “Scarface” recently hitting its 40th anniversary.
Speaking of more cast members coming back together, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Huy Quan, who won Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor last year, respectively, will both be back to present at the 2024 Oscars.
While “Dream Scenario” star Nicolas Cage fits the profile of an actor who was in recent Oscar conversations being invited to present, fellow names announced like Lupita Nyong’o (“A Quiet Place: Day One”), Sam Rockwell (“IF”), and Zendaya (“Dune: Part Two,” “Challengers”) are likely there in part to promote the big films they have coming out in 2024.
And then there is Jessica Lange, a two-time Oscar winner for her performances in “Tootsie” and “Blue Sky,” who has taken a break from the spotlight in recent years but will make a welcome return to the Dolby Theatre on the night of the Academy Awards.
On February 29, the second wave of Oscar presenters announced included Academy Award winners Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Rita Moreno, and Octavia Spencer, adding fuel to the report from The Hollywood Reporter that the show will bring back groups of five past Oscar winners to present the acting prizes.
Not yet having received an Academy Award, but still set to also present at the 96th Oscars are reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny, comedy stars Kate McKinnon and Ramy Youssef, who starred in Best Picture nominees “Barbie” and “Poor Things,” respectively, “Beetlejuice” stars Michael Keaton and Catherine O’Hara, recent Governors Awards host John Mulaney, and action stars Chris Hemsworth and Dwayne Johnson.
Finally, announced the week of the show, the last round of presenters once again included past winners like Sally Field, Ben Kingsley, Charlize Theron, Christoph Waltz, Tim Robbins, Mary Steenburgen, and Forest Whitaker. However, differing from the first two presenter announcements is the news that current Oscar nominees Emily Blunt, America Ferrera, and Ryan Gosling will also be handing out statuettes, making it an extra busy night for the latter “Barbie” actor who will also be performing Best Original Song nominee “I’m Just Ken.”
To complete the list of presenters are “Wicked” leads Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, comedy stars Melissa McCarthy and Issa Rae, actress Anya Taylor-Joy fresh off her “Dune: Part Two” appearance, and Steven Spielberg (who has three Oscars, but is more than likely not a part of the segments that is drawing so many past acting winners back to the Dolby Theatre.)
The 96th Oscars are executive produced by Katy Mullan, Molly McNearney, and showrunner Raj Kapoor. The ceremony will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and air live on on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the new time of 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The producers promise more talent to be announced in the coming weeks.
