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2019 Oscars: When are they, start time, how to watch on TV and online

Don't miss the big night! We answer all of your burning Oscars questions from what time it starts to how to stream the show online.
2019 Academy Awards: How to watch the Oscars
MARK RALSTON / AFP/Getty Images
/ Source: TODAY

The 2019 Oscars are right around the corner. Use our guide to find out where and when to watch the ceremony, and to decide which red carpet show you want to keep an eye on.

What are the Oscars?

The Oscars, also known as the Academy Awards, are a set of awards for outstanding achievement in the film industry given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Winners in 24 categories are given a small golden statue to signify their accomplishment.

When are the Oscars?

The 91st Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019.

What time do the Oscars start?

The ceremony starts at 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST. The red carpet will be broadcast prior to the ceremony beginning at 5:30 p.m. EST/2:30 p.m PST.

How long are the Oscars?

The full awards show is set to last three hours, ending at 11 p.m. EST/8 p.m. PST. However, in years past, the ceremony has often run slightly over the three-hour broadcast time. This year, there will be more performances and all 24 award categories will be shown live, which could make for a longer run time.

Where are the Oscars held?

The Academy Awards are held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

What channel are the Oscars on?

The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST.

How to stream the Oscars online:

ABC will be streaming the ceremony on the ABC website and app. However, you will have to sign in with a participating cable TV provider first.

Those without cable can stream the Oscars live on DirecTV Now, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV and PlayStation Vue. All of these services offer a 7-day free trial, so you can sign up now and cancel on Monday with no charge.

How to watch the Oscars red carpet:

There's no denying that the red carpet is one of the highlights of the night. Luckily, there are multiple ways to take in all the glam.

  • E!'s "Live From The Red Carpet": E!'s red carpet show starts at 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST and will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic. Can't get enough of red carpet coverage? Tune in starting at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST for E!'s "Countdown To The Red Carpet."
  • ABC's "On The Red Carpet At The Oscars" and "Oscars Opening Ceremony: Live From The Red Carpet": ABC will have two red carpet shows leading up to the main event, the first of which gets underway at 5:30 p.m. EST/2:30 p.m. PST and runs 60 minutes. The second show will last for 90 minutes and kicks off at 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST.
  • "Oscars All Access: Red Carpet Live": This red carpet show will stream exclusively on @TheAcademy's Twitter starting at 6:30 p.m. EST, having streamed it on Facebook in previous years. It's hosted by actress Laura Marano, TV writer Louis Virtel and entertainment journalist Chris Connelly. Viewers will be able to submit questions for stars in real time using the hashtag #OscarsAllAccess.
  • "People and Entertainment Weekly’s Red Carpet Live":This dual show starts at 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST and is available on EW.com, PeopleTV.com and the PeopleTV app.

Who is hosting the Oscars?

Kevin Hart was originally slated to host, but stepped down after backlash from his old tweets emerged. After several rumored new celebrity hosts, it was announced that the ceremony will go on with no host at all, the first time that's happened since 1989.

Awards presenters will include Awkwafina, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jennifer Lopez and many more.

Who's performing during the show?

The nominees for best original song will be performed during the show:

  • Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper are set to perform their hit "Shallow" from "A Star Is Born"
  • Jennifer Hudson will sing Diane Warren's "I'll Fight" from "RBG"
  • Bette Midler will be doing a rendition of "Where The Lost Things Go" from "Mary Poppins Returns" (sung by Emily Blunt in the film)
  • Songwriters Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will perform their ballad "When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings" from "The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs" (sung by Tim Blake Nelson in the film)

Kendrick Lamar and SZA are the only best original song nominees that have not confirmed that they are playing at the show. They are nominated for "All The Stars" from "Black Panther."

There will also be a special performance from Queen and Adam Lambert.

Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic will perform during the "In Memoriam" section.

Who votes for the Oscars?

The Academy votes for, and ultimately chooses, all Oscar winners. The Academy is comprised of professionals in the film industry across 17 categories, including actors, designers, directors, writers, producers and more. As of January 2017, there were more than 7,000 members of the Academy, according to Variety.

The Academy Award winners are chosen in a two-step process. First, members of the Academy vote on eligible films to create a list of finalists, or the Oscar nominees. From this list of nominees, Academy members vote on the nominees and a winner is declared.

For all categories besides best picture, the movie with the most votes in the final round of voting wins. For best picture, the Academy uses preferential voting, meaning a movie must receive more than half of the votes in order to win. The films with the least amount of votes are knocked out one by one until the winner is clear.

Final voting for the 2019 Oscars closed on Tuesday, Feb. 19.