Lynette Howell Taylor has watched the Oscars from a few different vantage points: as a nominee, in 2019 for “A Star Is Born,” as a producer of the broadcast in 2020, as a member of the Film Academy’s Board of Governors and, for the past three years, as awards chair. His first year as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences felt like a natural transition. And one thing he’s sure of is that every Oscar is unique.
“Every year is different,” Taylor said in a recent interview with Film Academy CEO Bill Kramer. “Every season is different. Every set of films is different. And so, the show is always different every year.”
Respecting the people in the room while creating an entertaining show for a home audience is a difficult task. But behind the scenes, from host Conan O’Brien to the producers and Emmy-winning production design team, there is a group of people who know how to dazzle a global audience.
“I think over the last few years we’ve really gotten that balance right,” Kramer said. “We continue to look at that puzzle and it’s going to be a great year.”
Final preparations are underway for the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday and everyone is feeling good about their plans, which include performances, tributes and a special spotlight on casting for their latest award. It helps that the top nominees, “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” turn out great.
Taylor said, “It’s always about the movies and this year’s movies? They’re all those things.” “There are escapist films, there are big commercial films, there are films that are really brave and really bold in their storytelling… I get really emotional when I talk about the quality of films this year.”
Oscars ratings have been rising steadily in 2021 after falling to an all-time low during the pandemic. Last year’s winning film, “Anora,” may have been smaller than last year’s “Oppenheimer,” but ratings still rose slightly from 19.5 million in 2024 to 19.7 million in 2025.
The show received huge traction especially among the 18 to 49 year old audience due to the mobile and laptop watches of the young audience. Last year, for the first time, the ceremony was available to stream live on Hulu. They are also partnering with popular internet personalities like Amelia Demoldenberg in an effort to reach new audiences in a way that still feels “academy-appropriate.”
“Our audience is growing,” Kramer said. “And young people are seeing the show in ways we haven’t seen before and that’s really great.”
The increased ratings may not be coincidental with the fact that planning for the show has been going on in recent years and already underway.
Kramer said, “This gives us time to talk about a lot of things before the nominations. So once the nominations are in, we can start focusing on what it means for the show.” “There is no need to panic about anything at the last minute.”
One of the ways this year’s show stands out is the production design, from the sets to the red carpet, with attention to detail spanning months.
Taylor said, “They’ve done a beautiful job … and this year, they’ve taken it a step further with a different feel that is very intimate and warm.” “It’s a little off.”
Although a lot is pre-planned, they are always thinking of ways to make the most of the moment, which has led to some major showstoppers. Last year’s big opener with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande was a relatively late addition and ended up being one of the more memorable parts.
“We’re open to change based on what’s going on in the world,” Kramer said.
The film industry has been devastated by the deaths of many beloved figures in the past year, including Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, Rob Reiner, Catherine O’Hara, Robert Duvall, Val Kilmer, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, James Van Der Beek and Claudia Cardinale.
Last year, Morgan Freeman took the stage to honor Gene Hackman, who was found dead just days earlier, and others. There are rumors of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal joining Renner this year, but organizers are neither confirming nor denying that reunion.
“Obviously we’re paying special attention to In Memoriam this year. It’s going to be strong and beautiful and very moving,” Kramer said. “We won’t tell any secrets. You have to join in.”
As always, a longer version of In Memoriam will be available online to recognize those who cannot make the cut to the broadcast.
The longest telecast in Oscars history, the 74th show hosted by Whoopi Goldberg in 2002, aired at four hours and 23 minutes. But even with a new category, the people behind the show are trying to do it in three and a half hours or less.
“It’s a lot of moving pieces, but it’s entirely possible,” Kramer said. “And the casting is going to have a beautiful moment in the show.”
Taylor said that award shows are like movies. Sometimes a long movie can feel like “watching paint dry.” Other times, it flies.
Taylor said, “We really focus on making the show as dynamic and emotionally engaging as possible and really celebrating the films in a way that audiences want to engage with them.”
Planning is already underway for the 100th Oscars in 2028. They’re also planning ahead: In 2029, the Oscars will move from traditional broadcast television to YouTube.
Kramer said, “YouTube signals our desire to become a more global organization that reaches greater audiences around the world.” “The Oscars are just one part of a year-long deal where we’re creating a hub for cinema on YouTube that will house our SciTech awards, our museum programming. Google Arts & Culture will digitize components of our collection and make it available to the public. It’s all about reach and growing audiences.”
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