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Tonight marks the 88th Annual Academy Awards, and stakes are high. A lot of people will be going into arguably the biggest night of the year for film with high hopes, and a lot of those people are going to leave the ceremony disappointed. Whether you’re a diehard fan who has seen every Academy Award nomination in 2016, want to tune in for the Oscar boycott controversy, are curious to see if DiCaprio will finally win an Oscar, or you just like watching the Oscars and the Grammys for the red carpet outfits, there are a lot of reasons why you should be watching tonight. Here’s how you can watch who wins and who will be snubbed if you’ve cut the cord.
WHAT TIME ARE THE 2016 ACADEMY AWARDS?
Show up in your designer duds (AKA your least dirty pair of sweatpants) at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) for red carpet coverage followed by the awards show.
HOW CAN I LIVE STREAM THE 2016 OSCARS?
You actually have a few options here, but most require a subscription. If you want to stream through ABC or the official Oscars apps, you’ll need to have a cable subscription and be in one of the select markets where the Academy Awards is live streaming. Those markets are Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, and San Francisco. The easiest option is to live stream the ceremony from ABC’s site. However, this does require a cable subscription. You can also stream on ABC through the Watch ABC app, which is available on the iOS Store, on Google Play, on Amazon, and on Roku, which also all require a cable log in. If you’re a savvy Oscar watcher, you know that ABC’s live stream had a few problems last year, so you may be a bit hesitant to trust them again.
You also have the Oscars app for your awards needs. This one only works in the previously listed markets and if you have an account with a TV service provider. The Oscars app is available on the iOS store, on Google Play, and on Amazon.
None of these options apply to you? You may have to get creative, and Vine and Periscope are your best creative bet. A simple #Oscars or #Oscars2016 search is all you’ll need to jump right into the ceremony and see which 2016 Oscar nominations will win.
WHO IS HOSTING THE 2016 OSCARS?
That would be Chris Rock, and all ears are on him. Last time Rock hosted was in 2005 when he joked about “black movies,” and a lot of people are wondering what the comedian is going to say tonight. Race (or the lack thereof) is a big question in the 88th Academy Awards.
WHY BOYCOTT THE OSCARS?
Because they are so very white. For the second year in a row, only white actors and actresses were chosen in the top four categories. The Academy says that things will be changing, but that’s a promise that looks like it’ll be filled in the distant future. Express your disapproval with #OscarsSoWhite. BTW, here’s a breakdown of the controversy.
Who wants to boycott the Oscars?
Here’s who you won’t be seeing at the Academy Awards: Jada Pinkett Smith, Spike Lee, and Will Smith. Tyrese Gibson and Snoop Dogg have also expressed outrage over the Oscars, but neither were invited to the ceremony. Mark Ruffalo debated not going but ultimately decided to go to support the victims of clergy sexual abuse.
WHAT’S THE BEST PICTURE? AND WHO’S UP FOR BEST ACTOR AND ACTRESS?
Here’s your breakdown of the big categories:
Best Picture
The Revenant
The Martian
Mad Max:Fury Road
Bridge of Spies
The Big Short
Spotlight
Brooklyn
Room
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
Matt Damon (The Martian)
Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)
Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl)
Bryan Cranston (Trumbo)
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Jennifer Lawrence (Joy)
Brie Larson (Room)
Cate Blanchett (Carol)
Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)
Charlotte Rampling (45 Years)
Best Director
Alejandro González Iñárritu (The Revenant)
Adam McKay (The Big Short)
George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Lenny Abrhamson (Room)
Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)
