Sunday is the night Hollywood has been building toward all year. The 98th Academy Awards airs March 15 - and this year's show is packed with record-breaking moments, surprise reunions, and performances you will not want to miss. Here is your complete guide.
When and Where to Watch
The show airs live Sunday, March 15 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC and streams live on Hulu - broadcasting in more than 200 territories worldwide. The red carpet pre-show kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT, hosted by Tamron Hall and Jesse Palmer. Set your reminders now.
The Host
Conan O'Brien returns for his second consecutive year as host after receiving widespread acclaim for last year's debut. He has reportedly been preparing for months - workshopping new material at surprise comedy sets around Los Angeles before heading into the writers room. Expect a fast, funny, and sharp show.
The Record That Has Everyone Talking
Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, leads this year's nominations with 16 nods - the most in Oscar history, surpassing the previous record of 14 shared by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. It also broke the record for the most Black individuals nominated for a single film, with ten.
One Battle After Another follows with 13 nominations, while Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, and Sentimental Value each earned nine, and Hamnet received eight.
This year also marks the debut of a brand new category - best casting - bringing the total number of competitive Oscar categories to 24 for the first time ever.
The Performances
This year the Oscars brings live music back in a big way - and both performances are worth staying on the couch for.
"Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters - EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami will perform the nominated song, accompanied by a fusion of traditional Korean instrumentalists and dancers celebrating the folklore and cultural roots behind this animated global phenomenon.
"I Lied to You" from Sinners - Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq lead the performance, joined by ballet dancer Misty Copeland, musicians Eric Gales, Brittany Howard, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey, and Alice Smith - plus Sinners co-stars Buddy Guy, Jayme Lawson, and Li Jun Li. The Academy describes it as a cinematic homage to the film's visual style.
Josh Groban and the Los Angeles Master Chorale are also set to perform on the telecast.
The Presenters - And the Reunions Nobody Saw Coming
The presenter lineup is stacked. Last year's acting winners - Mikey Madison, Adrien Brody, Zoe Saldaña, and Kieran Culkin - will return to the stage, as is tradition, to present this year's acting awards.
Other presenters include Will Arnett, Javier Bardem, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Anne Hathaway, Chase Infiniti, Nicole Kidman, Jimmy Kimmel, Ewan McGregor, Paul Mescal, Demi Moore, Kumail Nanjiani, Gwyneth Paltrow, Pedro Pascal, Channing Tatum, and Sigourney Weaver.
Three of this year's nominees will also present - Wagner Moura (best actor, The Secret Agent, and the first Brazilian actor ever nominated in that category), Rose Byrne (best actress, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You), and Delroy Lindo (best supporting actor, Sinners). They will hit the stage whether they win or lose.
Then there are the reunions. Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, and Rose Byrne will present together in a Bridesmaids reunion marking the film's 15th anniversary. A Marvel reunion featuring Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans is also planned - and show producers teased one more surprise: "There is also going to be an extraterrestrial on the stage. You can figure that one out."
The Tributes
Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan will reunite to honor the late Rob Reiner, who directed them in When Harry Met Sally and who passed away in December 2025. Barbra Streisand is also reported to appear during the In Memoriam segment to honor Robert Redford, her co-star in The Way We Were, who died in September 2025.
From Sinners' themes of sin, grace, and redemption to Josh Groban's deeply spiritual musical presence on the Oscars stage, Sunday's ceremony carries undercurrents that the Christian community will recognize and appreciate. Hollywood's biggest night has rarely felt more human - and more meaningful.
