This story originally appeared on ELLE UK

Through time, the Oscars have given us some of the biggest pop culture moments in history.

The wrong ‘Best Film’ winner drama of 2017, for instance. Jennifer Lawrence tripping up on stage to collect her Best Actress gong, Michael Moore’s anti-President Bush speech in 2003 and plenty of memorable dresses.

The 2020 Oscars saw the likes of Renée Zellweger, Laura Dern, Bong Joon Ho, Brad Pitt and Joaquin Phoenix win golden gongs for their roles in some of the most standout films of the year including Parasite and Judy.

Little did we know, however, that weeks later the world would be hit by the coronavirus pandemic and that it would put several awards ceremonies and events, such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Met Gala, on hold for the foreseeable.

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s Oscars ceremony:

When are the Oscars 2021?

The Oscars have been postponed by two months, moving its original scheduled date of February 28 to April 25.

Until the early 2000s, the Oscars took place in March or April until the Academy moved it forward to a date in February.

In addition to postponing the event, the BBC reports that the ceremony’s organizers have also extended the qualifying window for awards from December 31 to the end of February next year.

‘This is a much needed boost for those films who may have been stalled in post-production,’ an Academy member recently told Variety. 

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Who is nominated for an Oscar this year?

On March 15, the day after the Grammy awards were held in Los Angeles, another awards season development took place when the nominations for the upcoming Oscars 2021 were announced.

Presented live from London by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas, the married couple gave a seamless read-through of all the categories and their respective nominee, which you can read below:

Actress In A Leading Role

Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby – Pieces Of A Woman
Frances McDormand – Nomadland
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman

Actor in a Leading Role

Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins – The Father
Gary Oldman – Mank
Steven Yeun – Minari

Actress in a Supporting Role

Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman – The Father
Amanda Seyfried – Mank
Yuh-Jung Youn – Minari

Actor in a Supporting Role

Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami…
Paul Raci – Sound of Metal
Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah

Achievement in Directing

Thomas Vinterberg – Another Round
David Fincher – Mank
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman

Best Picture

The Father
Judas And The Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound Of Metal
The Trial Of The Chicago Seven

Best Original Screenplay

Judas and the Black Messiah
Minari
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Adapted Screenplay

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
The Father
Nomadland
One Night In Miami
The White Tiger

Best Animated Feature Film 

Onward
Over The Moon
A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul
Wolfwalkers

Best Documentary Feature

Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher
Time

Best Original Song

‘Husavik’ – Savan Kotecha, Rickard Goransson, fat max Gsus from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

‘Fight For You’ – H.E.R., Dernst Emile II, Tiara Thomas from Judas and the Black Messiah

‘Io Sì (Seen)’ – Diane Warren, Laura Pausini, Niccolò Agliardi from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)

‘Speak Now’ – Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth from One Night in Miami…

‘Hear My Voice’ – Daniel Pemberton and Celeste from The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Original Score Shortlist

Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul

Here’s a list of the winners from last year to give you an idea of the calibre of industry workers who were praised for their artistry:

The Oscars 2020 Winners In Full:

Best Picture: Parasite

Actor in a Leading Role: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Actress in a Leading Role: Renée Zellweger, Judy

Actor in a Supporting Role: Brad Pitt, Once upon a Time…in Hollywood

Actress in a Supporting Role: Laura Dern, Marriage Story

Director: Bong Joon Ho, Parasite

Adapted Screenplay: Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit

Original Screenplay: Han Jin-won, Parasite

Best Documentary Feature: American Factory

Original Song: ‘(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again’, Elton John, Bernie Taupin

Where will the Oscars be held?

While there were initial reports that Hollywood’s biggest night was on track to be held traditionally with a live audience at the Dolby Theatre with the postponed date, given the continuing threat of the pandemic the plans have been altered.

On February 12, the Academy told The Hollywood Reporter that a multi-location will be the approach for this year’s Oscars. It will feature guests and potentially nominees and presenters but in a very different, varied format to what we’ve seen before from the iconic ceremony.

‘In this unique year that has asked so much of so many, the Academy is determined to present an Oscars like none other, while prioritizing the public health and safety of all those who will participate,’ a spokesperson told THR. ‘To create the in-person show our global audience wants to see, while adapting to the requirements of the pandemic, the ceremony will broadcast live from multiple locations, including the landmark Dolby Theatre.’

Recent awards ceremonies have featured a blend of pre-taped and live moments in place of live audiences, which is what the Oscars may attempt. The 2020 Emmy‘s socially-distanced show included footage of winners accepting the awards from their homes while host Jimmy Kimmel ran the proceedings from the Staples Center, audience-free, occasionally joined by the odd celebrity guest at a distance.

All other major award shows have postponed their ceremonies too; the BAFTAs have been pushed back to April 11, the Golden Globes to February 28 weeks later than it’s usual end of January slot, while the SAG Awards will be held on April 4.

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What changes are the Academy making to improve diversity?

Awkwafina, Zendaya, Ryan Murphy, Cynthia Erivo, Kaitlyn Dever, Constance Wu, Florence Pugh and Olivia Wilde are reportedly just a few of the 819 artists who have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to improve diversity.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that out of the overall number of members, 36 per cent of those invited to join the Academy are people of colour, while 45 per cent are women and 49 percent are based outside of the US.

‘The Academy is delighted to welcome these distinguished fellow travellers in the motion picture arts and sciences,’ Academy President David Rubin has reportedly said in a statement obtained by the publication.

‘We have always embraced extraordinary talent that reflects the rich variety of our global film community, and never more so than now.’

The decision marks the Academy’s latest move to diversify its membership following the #OscarsSoWhite controversy in 2016.

Last month, the Academy announced it was launching the next phase of its equity and inclusion initiative, called Academy Aperture 2025.

The Academy has stated it will guarantee 10 Best Picture nominees beginning with the 2021 Oscars and unconscious bias training will also be made.

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Who is presenting the 2021 Oscars?

After years of controversial hosts and the job being jokingly referred to as one of the worst to land in Hollywood, the Oscars continued with its theme of being host-less in 2020.

Rather than having one presenter throughout the ceremony, there were a number of stars who presented individual awards and performances instead.

Here are just some of the familiar names who presented at the ceremony:

Jane Fonda, Josh Gad, Tom Hanks, Oscar Isaac, Sandra Oh, Natalie Portman, Chris Rock, Mahershala Ali, Zazie Beetz, Timothée Chalamet, Olivia Colman, Penélope Cruz, Beanie Feldstein, Will Ferrell, Gal Gadot, Salma Hayek, Mindy Kaling, Regina King, Shia LaBeouf, Brie Larson, Spike Lee, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Rami Malek, Steve Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Keanu Reeves, Maya Rudolph, Mark Ruffalo, Kelly Marie Tran, Sigourney Weaver, Kristen Wiig and Rebel Wilson.

It remains to be seen whether the ceremony’s organizers will follow the same format next year.

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Who will perform at the 2021 Oscars?

It wouldn’t be the Academy Awards without some memorable performances like John Legend and Common’s moving ‘Glory’ number in 2015 or the star-studded Les Miserables performance in 2013 or last year’s hugely talked about rendition of ‘Shallows’ by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

It’s unknown who will perform at the 2021 ceremony but the 2020 event saw the likes of Cynthia Erivo, Elton John, Idina Menzel, Chrissy Metz and Randy Newman perform their Oscar-nominated songs.

Oscar-nominated artists for ‘Best Original Song’ this year include British singer Celeste, Grammy winner H.E.R and One Night In Miami… (and Hamilton’s) Leslie Odom Jnr.

Last year, Eminem also surprised attendees with his rendition of ‘Lose Yourself’, resulting in some rather amusing reactions among the audience.

How can I watch the Oscars?

In Canada, CTV will be live-streaming the Oscars on Sunday, April 25 at 8 PM ET.

Read more:

Grammys 2021 Best-Dressed: The Top Looks of the Night
The Beauty Trends That Dominated The Oscars
Everything That Happened at the 2020 Oscars

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