Oscars 2022 - live: The Power of the Dog and Dune lead nominations ahead of Hollywood’s biggest night

Yes, it’s that time of year again – the 2022 Academy Awards are (nearly) finally upon us!

The Oscars will take place on Sunday (27 March), with films including The Power of the Dog, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza and CODA battling it out in the big categories.

This year’s show will be presented by not one, not two, but three presenters in the forms of Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes.

However, the show has already faced some controversy after it was announced that eight categories had been cut from the broadcast and would not be shown on TV.

Follow along for more updates as we count down to the Oscars...

Key Points

• When is this year’s Oscar ceremony and how can you watch it?

• Full list of the 2022 Oscar nominees as this year’s ceremony gets closer

• Who will win and who should win at Sunday’s Oscars?

11:45 , Isobel Lewis

Despite starring in Don’t Look Up as an Musk/Bezos hybrid figure, Mark Rylance will not be attending tonight’s Oscars.

According to him, the event is “actually really boring”, saying: “I don’t think awards are a serious marker of what the greatest or most inspiring things are, but it’s nice to be celebrated.”

11:16 , Isobel Lewis

One of the most controversial films among the Best Picture nominees is Adam McKay’s love-it-or-loathe-it comedy Don’t Look Up.

The film, which divided critics and viewers alike, takes place at a time when a comet is crashing to Earth.

In her four-star review, Clarisse Loughrey praised the film, adding: “There’s nothing subtle about Don’t Look Up.”

Read the full review below...

Jennifer Lawrence is back to business in punchy, funny satire Don’t Look Up – review

10:47 , Isobel Lewis

It’s T-minus 15 hours until the Academy Awards finally air!

If you’re wondering how to tune in in the UK, check out our handy guide below!

When is this year’s Oscar ceremony and how can you watch it?

10:01 , Isobel Lewis

Up for Best Picture tonight is Belfast, Kenneth Branagh’s black-and-white epic about growing up in Northern Ireland during The Troubles.

In her three-star review, Clarisse Loughrey said that Belfast was “a twinkly-eyed childhood memoir... rigorously fashioned to be an Oscar frontrunner”.

Read the full review below.

09:44 , Isobel Lewis

One figure who appears not to be making an appearance at this year’s ceremony is Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Last week, Oscars host Amy Schumer claimed that her request to have the politician address the star-studded gathering was rejected.

Now, Sean Penn has called for his inclusion in the ceremony, saying that all attendees should walk out if it turns out he wasn’t asked.

Read more below...

Sean Penn calls for Oscars boycott if Zelensky not allowed to speak in ceremony

09:01 , Isobel Lewis

As we get closer to the ceremony, it remains to be seen who will make it to the show and who will stumble at the final, Covid-y hurdle.

Last night, Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted that he wouldn’t be there to cheer on Encanto and tick, tick... boom! after his wife tested positive for Covid.

We’re sure he will be majorly missed!

08:42 , Isobel Lewis

This year’s Oscars ceremony features a number of firsts, including a first ever nomination for Bhutan for Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom.

Find out more about Pawo Choyning Dorji’s film below...

How Bhutan’s Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom made Oscar history

08:01 , Isobel Lewis

Clarisse Loughrey thinks that CODA should be named Best Picture, writing: “Those who dismiss it do so largely because they see it as a shallow crowd-pleaser.

“But the label only fits if you’re faithfully tied to the assumption that any expression of sentimentality should be equated automatically with naivete. There’s nothing slight or simplistic about CODA.”

Read more below...

Why feel-good favourite CODA should win the Oscar for Best Picture

07:01 , Isobel Lewis

If you’re interested in what the bookies (and our very own Adam White) are thinking will win, should win, and should have got a look in at this Sunday’s awards, check out our comprehensive guide below.

Who will win and who should win at Sunday’s Oscars?

06:01 , Isobel Lewis

So The Power of the Dog has long been the frontrunner for this year’s Best Picture prize – but some surprising headlines have suggested that things could change at the last minute.

Bookies’ have slashed the odds for CODA, a film starring Emilia Jones as the child of two deaf parents, to take home the big prize on the night.

The film won big at the Screen Actors Guild awards, Hollywood Critics Association film awards, and the Writers Guild Awards.

However, pundits are looking to its win at the Producers Guild of America awards – which is significant because the PGAs utilise the same “preferential ballot” voting structure as the Oscars.

The Power of the Dog remains the favourite to win Best Picture, but with Coda’s odds now cut, in some places to as low as 11/10, it’s all very much up in the air.

05:01 , Isobel Lewis

As well as all the prizes, Sunday’s televised ceremony will feature performances from the artists nominated for Best Original Song.

In 2022, that’s a pretty starry line-up, with performances from Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Sebastián Yatra and Reba McEntire.

Oscars producer Will Packer has been teasing Beyoncé’s performance, saying that her rendition of “Be Alive” from King Richard will be “a performance that we will talk about for years to come”.

04:01 , Isobel Lewis

Somewhat surprisingly, Cumberbatch has never actually won an Oscar before.

The British actor was nominated for the 2014 film The Imitation Game, but lost out to Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything.

He’s not the only, or by any means most surprising actor not to have been given an Academy Award. Did you know that Bradley Cooper, Glenn Close and Saoirse Ronan are yet to take home that gold statue?

For more stars who’ve always missed out on Oscars, read below...

The 26 actors you’d assume have won Oscars – but haven’t

03:01 , Isobel Lewis

The cast of The Power of the Dog responded to Elliot’s comments, with Cumberbatch saying that they were “very odd”.

Director Campion went further, calling the actor “a bit of a b****” and adding: “He’s not a cowboy; he’s an actor.”

“The west is a mythic space and there’s a lot of room on the range,” she said. “I think it’s a little bit sexist… I consider myself a creator and I think he sees me as a woman or something lesser first. And I don’t appreciate that.”

If Campion wins for Best Director, she will be only the third woman to do so.

02:01 , Isobel Lewis

However, one person who might not be so happy to see The Power of the Dog win is Sam Elliott, who made headlines earlier this month for comments made about the film.

The veteran actor called Campion’s movie a “piece of s***”, taking issue with the film’s “allusions to homosexuality”.

“What the f*** does this woman from down there [New Zealand] know about the American west?” he said. “Why the f*** did she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana? And say this is the way it was?”

00:01 , Isobel Lewis

The Independent’s Geoffrey Macnab gave The Power of the Dog a four-star review in November, calling it one of Benedict Cumberbatch’s best performances.

“Benedict Cumberbatch re-confirms his chameleon-like qualities, giving one of his finest screen performances yet in a very unlikely role in Jane Campion’s new Netflix-backed film, The Power of the Dog,” he wrote.

“The ever-versatile British actor here plays Phil, a rugged, brutal, dirt-encrusted American cowboy who wears boots with big stirrups and never washes. ‘I stink and I like it,’ he declares at one stage.”

Saturday 26 March 2022 23:31 , Isobel Lewis

The long-time frontrunner at this year’s ceremony, Jane Campion’s Western The Power of the Dog is also up for Best Picture.

Jane Campion’s western has earned 12 nominations and, according to Leonie Cooper, should take home the big award on the night.

“The Power of the Dog is a film that takes its time,” she wrote. “What at first might be mistaken for a rather plodding pace is in fact Campion flexing her Frank Lloyd Wright muscles, using compression and release in the same way as the acclaimed architect did with his grand 1920s homes.”

Read more below...

Why Jane Campion’s startling, simmering The Power of the Dog should win Best Picture

Saturday 26 March 2022 23:01 , Isobel Lewis

The main ceremony may not be taking place until Sunday, but Academy Awards weekend kicked off on Friday with the honorary Oscars taking place.

Samuel L Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullmann receive honorary awards, while Danny Glover took home the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

Saturday 26 March 2022 22:31 , Isobel Lewis

In her four-star review of King Richard, Clarisse Loughrey said that the film had cemented Will Smith as “a true movie star”.

For all that transformation (there’s even a Louisiana accent in play), what actually makes Smith such a ferocious asset to King Richard is the one thing that couldn’t be scrubbed out,” she wrote.

“He is a true movie star in an age where there are diminishingly few – and with that comes a certain sense of command, a largeness to his presence that reaches beyond the confines of the film itself.”

Will Smith is a true movie star in King Richard – review

Saturday 26 March 2022 22:01 , Isobel Lewis

Will Smith is nominated at this year’s Oscars for King Richard and plenty of people are rooting for him to win the accolade of Best Actor.

The biopic about Serena and Venus Williams’ father is also up for Best Picture, which Adam White writes should win.

“Richard serves as a proper actor’s showcase, Smith sourcing the character’s inner turmoil and outward bombast,” he writes.

“It’s his best performance in years, and a rare bit of actor/character alchemy for an A-lister who often finds it hard to disappear into his roles.”

Read more below...

Why King Richard and Will Smith deserve to win the Best Picture and Best Actor Oscars

Saturday 26 March 2022 21:31 , Isobel Lewis

While we’ll be watching the Academy Awards from the comfort of our sofas, this year’s nominees are going to be picking up some serious swag.

All nominees will receive a goodie bag containing a plot of land in the Scottish Highlands and its accompanying title.

That means that Will Smith, Kristen Stewart and co can soon be known as Lord and Lady of Glencoe – yes, really!

The plots are supplied by Highland Titles, which offers buyers anything from one to 100 square feet of land, and promises to support nature reserves in the region with the funds raised.

Saturday 26 March 2022 21:01 , Isobel Lewis

For what it’s worth, when it comes to the origins of the Oscars name, I’m in agreement with this tweet...

What’s in a name?

Saturday 26 March 2022 20:31 , Isobel Lewis

One question that comes up every Academy Awards regards the nickname – the “Oscars” – and where it came from.

A few theories circulate, respectively involving Bette Davis, a Hollywood columnist and the Academy librarian’s uncle.

Read below to find out the rumoured origins of that gold statues nicknames.

Where the Oscars gets its beloved nickname from

Saturday 26 March 2022 20:01 , Isobel Lewis

Whichever film takes home Best Picture will be joining a long list of timeless and, erm, not so timeless films.

In fact, there are a fair few Academy Award winners that haven’t aged that well, ranging back from Gone with the Wind in 1939 to the uber-recent Green Book in 2018.

Read below to see 10 Oscar-winning films that were too problematic for their own good...

10 Oscar-winning films that are problematic in 2022

Saturday 26 March 2022 19:31 , Isobel Lewis

So who else is up for the Best Picture award? We also have Denis Villeneuve’s Dune which, if named, would be the first sci-fi film to win the top prize.

The Independent’s Tom Murray has argued Dune’s case, writing: “A sci-fi movie has never won the top prize at the Oscars. The original Star Wars in 1977 came closest over four decades ago, but was beaten by Woody Allen’s Annie Hall.

“History is due to be repeated on Sunday, when the Best Picture gong will likely go elsewhere, and not to one of the most popular films of the year. Whatever happens on the night, though, at least everyone involved in Dune will be able to say: ‘People actually went to see it.’”

Dune deserves to be the first sci-fi film to win Best Picture at the Oscars

Saturday 26 March 2022 19:01 , Isobel Lewis

However, West Side Story has been getting some rather different headlines recently after it was revealed that Rachel Zegler hadn’t initially been invited.

The actor, who plays Maria, wrote on Instagram that much to her upset she wouldn’t be attending the event, causing a fan campaign to get her to the Oscars.

In the end, Zegler got the invite as a presenter and will travel back from London, where she is currently filming Disney’s live-action Snow White, to attend.

Saturday 26 March 2022 18:31 , Isobel Lewis

Spielberg’s West Side Story also gained nominations for Best Director, as well as Best Picture.

A remake of the classic musical, it stars Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort as star-crossed lovers from warring gangs in New York City.

The Independent’s Louis Chilton has argued that West Side Story should take home the Best Picture gong, writing: “It’s easy to see why Steven Spielberg’s glossy musical adaptation was widely tipped for Oscar glory before anyone had even seen a frame – and the final product doesn’t disappoint.”

Why Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story deserves to win Best Picture

Saturday 26 March 2022 18:01 , Isobel Lewis

Unsurprisingly, the news that categories had been cut from broadcast has ruffled a lot of feathers.

Steven Spielberg, nominated this year for West Side Story, said that he “disagreed with the decision made by the executive committee”.

“I feel very strongly that this is perhaps the most collaborative medium in the world,” he said.

“All of us make movies together, we become a family where one craft is just as indispensable as the next.”

West Side Story is nominated in four of the non-televised categories, for Production Design, Cinematography, Costume and Sound.

Saturday 26 March 2022 17:31 , Isobel Lewis

However, not every award will be shown on TV this year – much to a lot of people’s annoyance.

In a bid to streamline this year’s ceremony, eight categories will not be broadcast. These awards will be given out while guests are arriving on the red carpet and won’t be televised.

You can see which categories have been cut below.

Oscars to slash eight categories from streamlined live awards night

Saturday 26 March 2022 17:01 , Isobel Lewis

If you’ve paying attention to film in 2021/2022, you’ll know there are some pretty big names up for awards this year.

Films in contention include Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car.

Find the full list of nominees below.

Full list of the 2022 Oscar nominees as this year’s ceremony gets closer

Saturday 26 March 2022 16:31 , Isobel Lewis

After three years without an official Oscars host, the Academy has decided that this year’s event should feature some more permanent hosting figures.

This time around, Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes will be taking the reins throughout the night.

It’s been 35 years since as many as three people hosted Hollywood’s biggest event, and never have that many women held the emcee position in a single night.

Saturday 26 March 2022 16:01 , Isobel Lewis

After a couple of years of pandemic weirdness, there’s hope that this year’s ceremony will feel, dare we say it, almost normal.

Guests at this year’s ceremony must still prove that they are vaccinated against Covid-19 to attend, although that isn’t true of performers.

Here’s hoping the event doesn’t go the same way as the Baftas were reported to, after the British celebration of film was accused of being a “super-spreader” event.

Welcome to the blog!

Saturday 26 March 2022 15:25 , Isobel Lewis

Well kids, we’ve made it. The 2022 Oscars are getting close and excitement’s in the air!

We will be keeping you up to date on all things Academy Awards, from the films nominated to the gossip surrounding the show.

Stay tuned for more updates as we count down to Sunday (27 March) night’s ceremony!