Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are set to perform at this year’s Oscars.
The duo, who starred as Glinda and Elphaba in the film adaptation of the musical last year, have been confirmed as performers at the biggest awards night of the year, having previously denied speculation when quizzed about it.
Also confirmed to be performing at the ceremony, which is taking place in Los Angeles on 2 March, are Doja Cat, Queen Latifah, British singer-songwriter Raye and Lisa of Blackpink – who is currently starring in season three of White Lotus.
There will also be a “special appearance” from the professional choir, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Academy announced on Tuesday.
In a slight break from tradition, this year’s ceremony will not include live performances of the best original song nominees, which include: El Mal from Emilia Perez, The Journey from The Six Triple Eight, Like a Bird from Sing Sing, Mi Camino from Emilia Perez and Never Too Late from Elton John: Never Too Late.
What each performer will sing or when is unknown, but it is expected that Erivo and Grande will perform at least one song from Wicked.
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This year’s ceremony could prove to be even bigger for the two actresses, as they are both nominated for awards.
Erivo is nominated for best actress and Grande for best supporting actress, both for their roles in part one of Wicked, which landed the largest opening weekend for a stage musical adaptation.
The second part of the film, Wicked: For Good, will be released in November this year.
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Wicked is up against tough competition at this year’s Oscars, with a mixture of films and actors already having claimed prizes at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and SAG Awards.
It heads into the Oscars with 10 nominations, the same as period drama The Brutalist, while Emilia Perez, a Netflix film starring Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofia Gascon, has broken the record for the most nominated non-English language film in Oscars history with 13 nods.
Watch and follow live coverage of the 97th Oscars on Sky News on Sunday 2 March.
