Oscars Cap Dramatic Season

After a topsy-turvy Oscar season in which frontrunners were constantly shuffled and old tweets hobbled a top contender, the Academy Awards finally will be presented.

• How to watch: ABC will broadcast the ceremony, hosted by Conan O'Brien, beginning at 7pm EST, and Hulu will stream it, the AP reports. The official red carpet preshow on ABC and Hulu starts at 6:30 Unofficial E! red carpet coverage begins at 4pm EST, and the AP will livestream arrivals beginning at 3.

• Venue: The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where light rain was forecast for Sunday. The area is still reeling from wildfires that devastated the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods earlier this year. Some Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences members had called for the cancellation of Hollywood's awards season for that reason; while his Pacific Palisades house was spared, O'Brien has been living out of a hotel the last two months. Producers have said the show will celebrate the city's resilience.
• Best picture drama: The lead nominee is Netflix's Emilia Pérez, with 13 nominations, but that film has seen its chances crater following uproar over years-old offensive tweets by its star, Karla Sofía Gascón, the first openly trans actor nominated for best actress. The favorite is Sean Baker's Anora. The film won with the producers, directors, and writers guild. The only movie with the same resume to not win best picture is Brokeback Mountain.
• The politics: O'Brien said he'll strive to strike a balance. "I cannot ignore the moment we're in," he said. "But I also have to remember it's threading a needle. I also have to remember what we're here to celebrate and infuse the show with positivity."
• Another loss: The 97th awards is taking place days after the death of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman.

(More Academy Awards stories.)