Oscars 2023 to Broadcast All Categories Live After 2022 Backlash

The 2023 Oscars will be making a change to its format: they are going back to broadcasting all categories live, after the backlash that came with the 2022 Oscars ceremony. New Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer has confirmed that the Oscars would go back to old form, telling Variety “I can confirm that all categories will be included in the live telecast.” 

For a quick recap: During the 2022 Oscars, eight nomination categories that were traditionally presented live onstage (original score, makeup and hairstyling, documentary short, film editing, production design, animated short, live action short and sound) were cut from the main telecast that aired, in order to make the overall Oscars ceremony shorter. However, the decision (which was allegedly mandated by ABC) was met with intense backlash and protesting by groups who felt the cuts were disrespectful to many hard-working people in the industry, who were just as deserving of recognition as any of the more “popular” categories. 

“Because what we are going to say is going to be moderated and cut down and limited and we all know, as does another one of the affected categories, Best Editing, how impactful editing can be to a story,” said Karol Urban, president of the Cinema Audio Society, at the time. “It diminishes the category voices. Additionally, I find upsetting it’s not live in front of a full audience of peers. We don’t get to hear that sound of applause of support from the entire community of equal filmmakers. That’s very heartbreaking.”

“We are committed to having a show that celebrates the artisans, the arts and sciences and the collaborative nature of moviemaking,” Bill Kramer added. “This is very much what the mission of the Academy is, and I am very hopeful that we can do a show that celebrates all components of moviemaking in an entertaining and engaging way,” Kramer said. “We are thrilled to be in a position to execute that.”

Jimmy Kimmel will return to host the 95th Oscars Ceremony. That number is definitely a conspicuous one, which Kramer is all too aware of:

“All I will say right now is that our anniversary, the 95th Oscars, is extremely important to us. I think it sets a really interesting rhythm for our 100th. You see this in the museum, I think we are able to celebrate our legacy while bringing the Academy into the future and the show will reflect that.”

The 95th Academy Awards will take place on March 12, 2023, live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. It will be broadcast live on ABC.