Academy CEO teases what to expect at the Oscars: Surprise reunions, a ‘Wicked’ performance… and Conan

Academy Awards host Conan O'Brien pushes the red carpet during its rollout for the 97th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California on Feb. 26. (Mike Blake/Reuters via CNN Newsource)

From slaps to envelope mix-ups, it’s impossible to predict what will happen at the Academy Awards. The most glamourous night in Hollywood unfolds during three-and-a-half hours of live television, nearly ensuring some sort of unexpected shocker.

But this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ CEO Bill Kramer is really hoping the drama unfolds only in the Oscar race itself.

“Many of the races are wide open,” Kramer told CNN in a recent interview. “A lot of our possible winners are really up for grabs. It’s going to be an exciting night.”

This award season has embraced a flurry of sporadic winners, showcasing few consistent shoo-ins, particularly in the best picture category.

The campaign for the film “Emilia Pérez,” which leads with 13 Oscar nominations, was upended by past offensive tweets from the film’s star Karla Sofia Gascón. A source told CNN that Gascón is still expected to attend the ceremony on Sunday night, though it’s unclear where she’ll be seated and if she’ll walk the red carpet.

When asked if the Academy considered rescinding Gascón’s individual nomination, Kramer deflected and instead highlighted the groundbreaking nature of Gascón being the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an acting Oscar.

“All of our nominees are invited to attend the Oscars,” he said. “I think what’s so important this year, we have over 200 nominees,” Kramer continued, adding, “We need to celebrate all of (them).”

So, what will happen on Oscar Sunday? Here, the Academy CEO previews what to expect:

Conan O’Brien will bring the laughs, but won’t make celebrities cry

Why was Conan O’Brien the perfect choice to host the show this year?

“He’s a lovely person, number one. He’s a humanist. He’s apolitical,” Kramer said. “He invites everybody in to enjoy, and he’s so smart.”

“I think, tonally, Conan strikes the perfect balance,” he continued. “We never punch below the belt. That’s key. This is not about making fun of people in a way that’s cruel. It’s not about making fun of our film industry. Conan stays above the fray.”

Will ‘Wicked’ open the show?

This week, major musical performers were announced for the Oscars, including Queen Latifah, Raye, Doja Cat, Lisa from Blackpink, plus Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

For the 2025 Oscars, these superstar artists will perform as yet unannounced songs, replacing the tradition of performing the nominated best original song onstage. Instead, the songwriters nominated in the category will be recognized in a pre-produced segment that shares more of their backstories and accomplishments.

“Wicked” stars Grande and Erivo are confirmed to perform, but Kramer didn’t respond to CNN’s inquiries regarding what song or songs they will sing and whether they will open the show.

“You will see. You have to tune in,” he allowed.

“’Wicked’ is an undeniable smash,” Kramer added. “Cynthia and Ariana are such incredible performers. We are so thrilled that they’ll be on the show this year as performers, and I think all fans of ‘Wicked’ and beyond will love what they have planned.”

Don’t expect politics to take center stage

Hollywood celebrities are known to make political statements at award shows, but Kramer said he hopes the night will “absolutely” steer clear of politics.

Of course, no one can predict what a winner will stay when they get up to the podium, but Kramer shared that guidelines are suggested to anyone taking the stage, in an effort to avoid any controversial statements.

“We do talk to them about keeping things focused on the work, but this is really a moment for the artist to have for themselves,” he said.

Get ready for surprise A-list reunions

“Filmmaking is a collaborative art – more so than almost any other art form,” Kramer said. “The Academy represents all components of filmmaking. We want to bring them into the show and celebrate the community of people who make movies – so reunions is one great way to do that.”

When prodded for any names, Kramer stayed mum, but ensured CNN that viewers will be surprised to see some famous familiar faces back together.

“Well, I obviously can’t tell you any surprises today, but know that there are going to be incredible surprises on the show this year,” he teased.

The Oscars will raise funds for LA wildfire rebuilding efforts

“We will be celebrating Los Angeles’ resilience,” Kramer said. “We’ll be celebrating our community – not just our community of filmmakers, but the community of Los Angeles. LA has attracted filmmakers and creative visionaries for well over a century. This is a moment to really celebrate that.”

He added that there will be an element to raise funds, just like the Grammy Awards did earlier this month.

“We will be encouraging people to join us in supporting relief efforts throughout the night,” Kramer said.

Runtime

Every year, critics say that the Oscars telecast is too long. Kramer isn’t blind to the criticism, but he explained that it’s “very important” to the Academy for “all disciplines to be celebrated on the show.”

“Last year we had all of the awards on the show and we came in under time. We were under 3 hours and 30 minutes,” he said. “It’s possible to do this in a way that’s entertaining, and we will continue to evolve the show and to think about that.”

The Academy Awards will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

In Canada, the 2025 Oscars will air live on CTV TV channel, as well as on CTV.ca and the CTV app.

Article written by Elizabeth Wagmeister.