Oscar 2022 Preview: Will Volodymyr Zelensky Make Appearance During Ukraine Tribute?

The Oscars will be featuring three hosts for the first time this coming Sunday and co-hosts Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, and Amy Schumer seem ready to take the night on in interviews leading up to Hollywood’s biggest night.

While speaking to Deadline without Schumer, Sykes said the show would feature some roasting but, “We aren’t going to trash anyone – satire but not mean-spirited.” Sykes also added of her co-host, “Regina, we got to hold her back sometimes, she goes for the jugular.” Hall said she enjoys having three hosts and wants to, “create something together that shows what we each do differently,” with this year’s Oscars.

Oscars Producer Will Packer was also present and fielded a few logistical questions. He assured people that the ceremony would be under three hours long. He was also asked about whether Volodymyr Zelensky would appear on a video call for the presentation after interest in a cameo was driven up following an interview with Schumer.

Packer simply responded to the question with, “The show is still in process – that’s not something we would say one way or another.” Sykes also later added that a tribute to Ukraine was planned for the broadcast and she finds it “organic and thoughtful.”

The trio spoke all together with USA Today on Thursday as well. Schumer said, “I don’t know how we can lose, honestly. We’ll know we left it all out on the Oscar stage and that we did it. We’re going to show what three women, and two women of color, can do.” Sykes chimed in that their group chemistry was “instant.”

Knowing they’re all comfortable together, Sykes said to expect more than just the three of them monologing separately. “There will be different variations. Two of us or just one, even three. We’re going to switch it up.” On the subject of roasting some A-listers again, Hall responded with “They will be part of the joke, they are not the joke. You want the joke to be something your best friend would say, but they can still laugh about it.”

Frontrunners for this year’s Oscar race include CODA, a major Best Picture contender which won major awards at The Writer’s Guild, Producer’s Guild, and Screen Actor’s Guild awards. Other favorites to win the best award of the night are Belfast and The Power of The Dog, with the director of the latter Jane Campion in a strong spot to take home Best Director too.

For the acting honors, Will Smith could potentially take home his first Oscar for King Richard and has already picked up a ton of trophies for the role including a Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actor’s Guild Award. First-time nominees Troy Kotsur and Ariana Debose, from CODA and West Side Story respectively seem favored to take home the Supporting Actor and Actress categories. But for this award and all others, there is always room for upsets in an awards show and these predictions are hardly set in stone.

The 94th Academy Awards are airing Sunday, March 27 on ABC at 5 p.m. PST / 8 p.m EST.