In a year of controversy and a self-described untypical Oscars, co-host Wanda Sykes today promised there would be some jabs in the March 27 ceremony but no one will get hurt.
“We’re trying stayed aligned with the themes,” The Good Fight alum said today of the uniting power of film at the Academy Awards virtual press conference. “We aren’t going to trash anyone – satire but not mean-spirited,” Sykes added.
However, never one to let a good joke go, Sykes wasn’t entirely done, noting how hard it is to keep things PG and kind hearted
“Regina, we got to hold her back sometimes, she goes for the juggler,” the Upshaws star said of co-host and Girls Trip star Regina Hall.
Sitting next to Sykes, Hall had her own take on working with both her and the absent Amy Schumer and Sunday’s show.
“What’s been fun is being able to collaborate and create something together that shows what we each do differently,” Hall said. “We really want to make the night so celebratory,” she added.
“The lovely Amy Schumer cannot be with us today,” said AMPAS PR chief Jennifer Davidson at the top of today’s presser, promising the Trainwreck star’s absence had nothing to do with Covid-19.
Set to be in the Dolby on Hollywood Blvd on Sunday, Schumer will host one hour of the Oscars, as will Sykes and Hall respectively. As Sykes said today, the plan is for the trio of co-host to open the show together and appear as a duo throughout the Oscars. No word yet on who will be presenting the Best Picture award at the end of a night that producer Will Packer promised again won’t be longer than 3 hours on ABC.
Sykees, Hall and Packer were joined at today’s presser by fellow producer Shayla Cowan, director Glenn Weiss, production designer David Korins and musical director Adam Blackstone.
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine certain to come up from presenters and winners, Packer sidestepped Schumer’s previous suggestion that the Eastern European nation’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy should be given the spotlight during Sunday’s show.
“The show is still in process, that’s not something we would say one way or another,” the powerhouse producer said in a much more serious tone than he adopted for most of the press conference. “Stay tuned,” Packer deadpanned.
