Since 1929, the Academy Awards^® — also known as the Oscars^® — celebrates outstanding artistic and technical merit in the film industry. This year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences^® (AMPAS) will recognize achievements across 24 competitive categories.

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the 98th Oscars:

When are the 98th Oscars?

The Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

What time do the Oscars start?

The Oscars will air at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Where can I watch the 98th Oscars?

The Oscars will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu for all subscribers.

Where are the 98th Oscars being held?

The Oscars will be held at the Dolby^® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

How and when can I watch the Oscars pre-shows?

Good Morning America‘s coverage will kick off Thursday, March 12, when Lara Spencer interviews O’Brien. The following day, Chris Connelly will share his predictions on GMA.

ABC News Live’s coverage will begin on Wednesday, March 11, with Rocsi Diaz when O’Brien rolls out the red carpet. Leading up to the ceremony, ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis will continue its monthlong “Oscars for the First Time…” series before it streams live from the Dolby Theatre red carpet on Friday, March 13, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT with a preview show featuring Kelley Carter. Coverage will continue with a roundtable airing Saturday, March 14, hosted by Will Ganss and featuring TikTok creators Tefi Pessoa, Caroline Vazzana, and Monse Gutierrez discussing film, fashion and this year’s nominations.

ABC News and ABC Owned Television Stations will present a star-studded preshow, On the Red Carpet at the Oscars, on Sunday, March 15, airing across ABC Owned Television Stations and affiliates and streaming on ABC News Live, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. Spencer, along with Whit Johnson and Linsey Davis, will interview this year’s Oscar nominees and presenters alongside George Pennacchio, Joelle Garguilo, and Connelly. Meanwhile, Roshumba Williams and Joe Zee will break down all the red-carpet fashions.

Who is hosting the 98th Oscars?

Emmy^® Award-winning television host, writer, producer, and comedian Conan O’Brien returns as host for the second time. He previously hosted the Academy Awards in 2025.

Who is presenting at the 2026 Oscars?

Will Arnett, Adrien Brody, Javier Bardem, Rose Byrne, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kieran Culkin, Disney Legend Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Anne Hathaway, Chase Infiniti, Nicole Kidman, Jimmy Kimmel, Delroy Lindo, Mikey Madison, Ewan McGregor, Paul Mescal, Demi Moore, Wagner Moura, Kumail Nanjiani, Gwyneth Paltrow, Pedro Pascal, Bill Pullman, Lewis Pullman, Maya Rudolph, Channing Tatum, Sigourney Weaver, and Zoe Saldaña will present onstage at the 2026 Oscars.

Who are the 2026 Oscar nominees?

Actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman announced the Academy Award nominees on Thursday, January 22. There are 24 competitive award categories this year, including the brand-new Best Casting category. The Walt Disney Company received four Oscar nominations, including two for 20th Century Studios’ Avatar: Fire and Ash (Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects). It also received nominations for Pixar Animation Studios’ Elio and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2, which are up for Best Animated Feature.

Who is performing at the Oscars?

A KPop Demon Hunters moment will begin with a fusion of traditional Korean instrumentalists and dance, celebrating the folklore and cultural inspiration that anchors the story behind the film. As part of this experience, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, the singing voices behind HUNTR/X, will perform the Oscar-nominated original song “Golden.”

A Sinners moment will explore the role music plays in the film’s storytelling, translating it into a cinematic live moment onstage. Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq will perform the Oscar-nominated original song “I Lied to You,” and they will be joined by Misty Copeland, Eric Gales, Buddy Guy, Brittany Howard, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey, and Alice Smith in an homage to the film’s singular visual style.

Additionally, Josh Groban and the Los Angeles Master Chorale will appear during the show.

How do I play Oscars Pick ‘Em?

Oscars Pick’em is a free to play game on ESPN.com/ABC.com, the ESPN App, and the ESPN Fantasy App that serves as a second screen experience on Oscars night. Players compete by predicting who they think will win in all 24 categories. During the live broadcast, selections will be scored in real time as each winner is announced. The grand prize is a trip for two to Los Angeles for the 2027 Oscars Watch Party and $5,000, and 10 first prize winners will receive an Oscar prize pack. (See complete rules for details.)

Where can I watch Disney’s Oscar-nominated films?

Avatar: Fire and Ash and Zootopia 2 are now in theaters. Elio and Zootopia 2 are streaming on Disney+. Hulu has an Oscars hub featuring current nominees, as well as past winners.

Who received this year’s Governors Awards?

In June 2025, AMPAS announced that its Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise, and Wynn Thomas, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Dolly Parton. They received their Oscars on Sunday, November 16, 2025, during the 16th Governors Awards at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood.

When do the Oscars post-shows air?

On Monday, March 16, the live GMA Oscars Monday After Party, co-anchored by Michael Strahan from Los Angeles, will feature Spencer sharing her backstage interviews with winners, along with a live performance from the Good Morning America studio in New York.

Then, Disney Legend Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos return to host Live’s After the Oscars Show on Monday, March 19, at 9 a.m. ET/PT (check local listings). The episode will include interviews with nominees and winners; performances by Wyclef Jean and Andra Day; commentary by Carson Kressley and Leanne Morgan; and impressions by Matt Friend.

When Conan O’Brien hosted the 97th Oscars^® on ABC and Hulu in 2025, critics said the comedian was at his “acerbic best” (Variety). And, because he helped bring the telecast to a five-year ratings high, it should come as no surprise that he was asked to return for this year’s show.

“That experience was fun for me,” O’Brien said. “My old rule is that if it’s fun for me to do it, it might be fun for people to watch it. There’s a lot of chatter about how it’s a thankless task to host one of these shows, and I didn’t find that to be true. I found it to be a fun gig; I enjoyed it.”

Still, O’Brien admitted he’s learned from past mistakes.

“Last year, I ate a massive Italian meal just before going onstage. Huge! Multiple cutlets of veal parmesan, mountains of meatballs, spaghetti carbonara, and then I drank a huge glass of warm cream. Those things weighed me down a bit,” he joked. “This year, I’m not going to do that. I’m going to have a very simple Japanese bento box — a little bit of raw fish, maybe some edamame — and then I’ll hit the stage. It’s going to be a bit lighter this year.”

Meal prep aside, O’Brien and the team of writers are also prepping jokes for the ceremony, which will be held on Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby^® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. “I don’t care how long someone has been in the business of making people laugh: getting a laugh is as exciting now at my age as it was when I was 12,” O’Brien said. “It’s the same endorphins, the same chemicals, the same sense of ‘Oh, my God! I’m so glad that worked!’”

Finding the humor in the unexpected can be “very humbling,” O’Brien continued. “You’re always looking for that moment when you can get everyone to agree that something’s funny, or something’s ironic, or something’s weird… If you can get that laugh, and you feel like everyone else in this room is agreeing with you in this very primal way, it’s delightful.”

Hosted by Conan O’Brien, The Oscars will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Beginning today, Disney+ subscribers in the U.S. will have access to ABC Owned Television Station’s eight local market 24/7 livestreams from New York (WABC-TV), Los Angeles (KABC-TV), Chicago (WLS-TV), Philadelphia (WPVI-TV), Houston (KTRK-TV), San Francisco (KGO-TV), Raleigh-Durham, NC (WTVD-TV), and Fresno, CA (KFSN-TV).

The 24/7 local news streams feature live, market-specific newscasts, breaking news, important weather updates and special community events and celebrations. The streams are available in the ABC News Hub and the Live Hub. Over time, subscribers located in one of the eight markets will also see their local-market station featured in other locations on Disney+.

The new ABC local news programming joins national news coverage on Disney+ including World News Tonight with David Muir, ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis, 20/20, Good Morning America, Nightline, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, and What You Need to Know. The programming adds value for millions of subscribers and bolsters the ever-growing Disney+ content offering including movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, all in one place.

The recent special event, The Muppet Show, delivered nearly 8 million total viewers (7.58 million) across ABC and Disney+ through eight days of multiplatform viewing, underscoring the enduring popularity of the beloved franchise.

And the momentum didn’t stop there — fans have now spent more than 125 million hours watching The Muppets franchise on Disney+, demonstrating deep engagement with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the entire ensemble.

The Muppet Show has also earned critical acclaim. The special is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, boasting a near‑perfect 98% Tomatometer Score.

Watch this message from Kermit the Frog, which is also available on Instagram, about the smash-hit special event.

The Muppet Show premiered February 4, and features the iconic Muppets alongside executive producer Seth Rogen and special guest stars Sabrina Carpenter and Maya Rudolph.

Following Sunday’s Super Bowl LX, ESPN and Disney unveiled “We’re Going,” a high-energy, fast-paced, cameo-filled marketing campaign for ESPN’s inaugural Super Bowl, set for February 2027. The spot, which debuted on Good Morning America Monday, reimagines the “I’m Going to Disney World” Super Bowl tradition through a modern lens, bringing together more than 60 iconic characters from across the worlds of Disney, all in their familiar worlds and settings, united by a single destination: Super Bowl LXI.

Buzz Lightyear and Woody kick off the cascade of Disney appearances, setting the tone for a rapid-fire series of cameos that includes Darth Vader; Iron Man; Frozen’s Anna, Elsa, Sven, Olaf and Kristoff; Moana; Deadpool & Wolverine; Grogu; Stitch; The Muppets; Zootopia’s Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde; Bart Simpson; and R2 D2 and C-3PO, among many others. Maui from Moana appears in the final scene, transforming into an eagle as he joins Lightning McQueen and a host of Disney characters together on the road to Los Angeles.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman — who will call their seventh Super Bowl together in 2027 — are featured in their broadcast booth. ESPN’s Jason Kelce, and Peyton and Eli Manning also all make appearances.

The creative concept is more than 40 years in the making, drawing inspiration from the legendary “I’m going to Disney World” phrase famously declared by Super Bowl champions moments after winning America’s biggest game. The tradition began in 1987 when former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms first delivered the now iconic line after being named Super Bowl XXI Most Valuable Player. Over the ensuing decades, the phrase became a defining element of Super Bowl celebrations — and now serves as the creative foundation for ESPN’s first Super Bowl marketing campaign.

“Few phrases are as instantly recognizable in sports as ‘I’m going to Disney World,’” said Asad Ayaz, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “This campaign brings together the scale of ESPN, the global power of Disney’s brands and characters, and the excitement of the Super Bowl to create a shared moment that signals just how big this milestone is for our company and fans.”

Added Tina Thornton, Executive Vice President, Creative Studio and Marketing at ESPN: “‘We’re Going’ is just the beginning of a year-long adventure to our first Super Bowl. It sets the tone for how we’re approaching Super Bowl LXI — by bringing together the storytelling power of Disney with the scale, voice, and passion of ESPN. Together, it allows us to build momentum, create emotional connection, and bring fans with us every step of the way.”

In addition to the creative campaign, ESPN is currently airing a 24-hour, multi-platform event dubbed “The Handoff,” which began at SoFi Stadium — host of Super Bowl LXI — and continues today at Disneyland Park.

Together, “We’re Going” and “The Handoff” represent the opening chapter of ESPN’s broader Super Bowl initiative, with additional details to be announced in the coming days.

For the past year, ABC News’ Good Morning America has been counting down to its 50th milestone anniversary — and today, Monday, November 3, it was finally time to celebrate.

“It’s crazy that it’s finally here,” said Simone Swink, who has been with Good Morning America since 2010 and is now its senior executive producer. “We brought people back. We showcased some great moments, as well as a few surprises, which was really fun.”

As much as the celebration was for viewers, it was also for the GMA team.

“We’ve got people who work during the day, overnight, and in the early morning, so it’s very hard to be all in one place at the same time,” Swink said. “Monday was one of the only days of the year — or maybe the decade — that everybody who works on GMA was able to be in one place at one time to take a moment and say, ‘We did it — and we did it together.” 

Co-anchor and Disney Legend Robin Roberts added, “Few programs get to enjoy this kind of history, and a legacy like ours takes a village, year after year. Our 50th anniversary broadcast is a homecoming — a celebration for the entire GMA family, in front of and behind the cameras who help us say those three perfect words: ‘Good morning, America.’”

Setting the Stage

Planning for Monday’s 50th anniversary episode began “well over a year ago,” Swink said — although one could argue it’s been decades in the making.

Good Morning America launched on November 3, 1975, with actors David Hartman and Nancy Dussault as its co-hosts. Future anchors included Sandy Hill (1977–1980), Joan Lunden (1980–1997), Charles Gibson (1987–1998, 1999–2006) Lisa McRee (1997–1999), Kevin Newman (1998–1999), and Disney Legend Diane Sawyer (1999–2009), in addition to the current GMA anchor team of Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan. 

Monday’s anniversary episode featured appearances by many of the aforementioned anchors, who returned to pay tribute to the Emmy^® Award-winning daily morning show. “David has the original GMA set chair in his home, which he sat in when he joined us today,” Swink said. “It was a special moment, and I know that David was so excited about it.”

Over the years, viewers have often told the anchors, correspondents, and meteorologists that they feel like extended family members, and those relationships are taken very seriously. “All of the anchors talk about what a privilege it is to be the person who says, ‘Good morning, America,’” Swink said. “It’s an intimate time to be welcomed into people’s homes and to help them start their days. I think that creates a special connection.”

“Morning television is often a habit, an essential part of your day. So, if you’re seeing the same group of people every morning in your kitchen, or in your living room, you feel like you know them,” Swink continued. “And to a great extent, you do. Morning television is very personal. People on the air share milestones. We have a great clip of Joan introducing her baby for the first time, and all our viewers were there for Robin’s, not one, but two harrowing medical journeys. You really get to know people through that, because they’re not only bringing you the news and helping you start the day, but they’re also bringing their whole selves to [each broadcast]. That connection is unique in television.” 

Indeed, each anchor has been encouraged to add a personal touch to their reporting. 

“Before GMA and in sports, I was always answering the questions. Now, I’m asking them,” Strahan, a former New York Giants player, said. “My favorite interviews were ones where I felt I was heard and I was respected, and so that personal experience shapes my approach.”

Best in the Business

From day one, Good Morning America has been a trusted source for breaking news, in-depth reporting, and compelling storytelling. Not only that, but GMA provides much-needed entertainment, whether on the Oscars^® red carpet or on the Super Bowl^® field. It’s that curated mix, and the personal connections between its talent and viewers, that makes GMA so popular. In fact, it finished the 2024-2025 season as the most-watched morning newscast for the 13th straight year, averaging over 2.6 million viewers a day, per Nielsen.

“The only thing harder than getting to No. 1 is staying at No. 1,” Swink said. “But we have a tremendous team, on-air and off-air, that cares about doing the best show each day. That care shows on-air, and the viewers connect with that.”

And it goes beyond the anchor team, Swink added.

“Tory Johnson is on GMA every day with ‘Deals & Steals.’ You know you’re going to get a deal with her, but we have stacks of letters she got during the pandemic — and after — from people who run American small businesses saying, ‘I’m still in business because Tory Johnson and GMA put me on. I was able to give viewers a deal, keep my doors open, and meet payroll, and I’m still a thriving American small business,” she said. “That’s a big deal.”

Cheers to Another 50 Years

As Good Morning America celebrates its past, it’s also looking toward its future. 

“I hope GMA is not just the No. 1 linear brand that connects with millions of viewers every day — which I believe it will be — but No. 1 across all platforms,” Swink said. “The industry is evolving, and how people connect with us is evolving and changing. And I love that we can meet them where they are, whether it’s on linear, on social, or on Disney+ and Hulu.” 

GMA — which recently moved into a state-of-the-art studio at The Walt Disney Company’s New York City headquarters, 7 Hudson Square — will continue to take a viewers-first approach. As Stephanopoulos, who became a co-anchor in 2009, said, “It’s both a privilege and responsibility to help our viewers start their day, so I hope that GMA continues to bring people the news — but also that the show continues to put a smile on people’s faces, too.”

Good Morning America airs live Monday-Friday from 7-9 a.m. ET on ABC.

ABC News’ First Original Daily Program Created for Disney+ Will Be Anchored by Chief International Correspondent James Longman and Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott 

The New Series Will Drop Episodes Weekdays at 6 a.m. ET, Joining Around-the-Clock ABC News Programming Available on Disney+

Today, ABC News and Disney+ announced What You Need to Know, a new weekday news show anchored by chief international correspondent James Longman and senior political correspondent Rachel Scott, which will premiere Monday, July 21, exclusively on Disney+. The short-form streaming series will be ABC News’ first original daily news program created for Disney+, with episodes premiering at 6 a.m. ET.

What You Need to Know is the fast, fresh way to stay ahead of the conversation as viewers start their day. From breaking headlines and the day’s biggest stories to entertainment buzz and viral videos, the show has everything you need to know. Each daily episode of What You Need to Know will be available on demand on Disney+ for 24 hours before refreshing with the next day’s news and headlines.

“We’re excited to be anchoring What You Need to Know as part of ABC News’ growing line-up of content on Disney+,” said Longman and Scott. “Our goal is to cut through the noise, break down the top headlines, and bring viewers up to speed on the top stories of the day. We come from different corners of the newsroom, from the frontlines of foreign conflicts to the halls of power in Washington D.C., so we’ve got all the bases covered. Wherever we go, we’re excited to bring you with us.”

“We are proud to launch this innovative series with Rachel and James, who meet viewers where they are with essential news, context and analysis to help them better understand the world around us,” said Almin Karamehmedovic, president of ABC News. “This new effort expands ABC News’ significant footprint on Disney+, allowing us to reach and connect with new and diverse audiences.”

“What You Need to Know is reimagining what a news experience can look like for Disney+ subscribers — delivering smart, bite-sized commentary on the stories that matter most,” said Alisa Bowen, president of Disney+. “With the trusted voices of ABC News at the helm, this show marks an exciting evolution of our news offering.”

The show joins around-the-clock ABC News programming available on Disney+, including all hours of Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis, Nightline, and ABC News Live streaming news channel content throughout the day.

This is a Barbara Walters tell-all unlike any other.

From ABC News Studios and Imagine Documentaries comes a new documentary film, Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything, now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. Directed by Emmy Award winner Jackie Jesko, it chronicles the life and career of a charming, fearless, insecure, and persistent journalist — one whose must-see interviews with celebrities, politicians, and other high-profile subjects made her a household name.

Disney Legend Walters spent five decades in front of the camera, and, in doing so, forever changed the American media landscape. She broke ground as the first woman to co-anchor a national news program, and against all odds, continued to excel in the male-dominated world of broadcast journalism. But success came at a cost, and the film reveals the personal sacrifices she made to shatter glass ceilings and pave the way for others. Featuring never-before-seen footage from ABC News’ archives, along with new interviews from people who knew and worked with Walters, the film holds nothing back — just as she would’ve wanted.

In an exclusive Q&A, Muriel Pearson, executive producer, ABC News Studios, and David Sloan, senior executive producer, ABC News Studios, reveal what made Walters so singular.

There has never been anyone like Barbara Walters, before or since. Why was now the right time to tell her story — and what do you hope viewers take away from this film?Muriel Pearson (MP): Barbara was such a groundbreaker for women in this industry, and it’s always great to be reminded of that. Barbara was fearless; she would’ve told us to be fearless, too. She would have spoken the truth. She was such a maverick journalist.

David Sloan (DS): What Barbara represented, in terms of mid-century American journalism, is sort of preserved in amber. Tens of millions of people watched her interview Monica Lewinsky; if you walked out onto a city street in New York, you would see the TV flickering in the windows of every apartment building and high rise, glued to that interview. It made for a dimming of the lights for people like Barbara, because now people can take their narrative anywhere. But Barbara was from a different time in news. She would say, “No, you take your narrative to me, and I will communicate it in the best way possible — with dignity — into the world.”

Regarding her fearlessness, Disney Legend Oprah Winfrey is among those interviewed in the film, and she says Barbara “asked the question that nobody had asked — and asked it in a way that always hit a nerve.” What made Barbara such a bold interviewer?DS: So much of her career is about struggling and striving. She struggled to become a household name amidst all of the trap doors set up by her male colleagues in a male-dominated industry. And then she was always striving to stay on top. One of the things I learned is that Barbara never rested on her laurels. Barbara was always trying to prove herself to herself and to everyone else. That’s what drove her to ask provocative questions that no one else would. It made her stand out, and it got her to the finish line and beyond.

You both knew and worked with Barbara. Did anything in the film surprise you?DS: I didn’t really know a lot about her early years — the pressure of being the sole breadwinner for her family, what that meant. She had a father who almost went to jail for tax evasion, a mother who didn’t work, and an older sister who had some cognitive challenges. I think she felt that burden early on, and that informed the rest of her career.

MP: I don’t think she ever got over the fact that her father, who was so successful, lost it all. She had to support him as a young woman. That sense of insecurity — the idea that somehow it could vanish in an instant — haunted her into her later days.

How did that insecurity fuel her to go above and beyond? You have to be tenacious to book impossible-to-get interviews with the likes of Fidel Castro and Monica Lewinsky. DS: Because of her background, I think there was a sense of, ‘I have to.’ She was always trying to be perfect. Perfectionism was a big part of who she was, and she wanted to do everything perfectly — to always succeed, to always win. She was crafty about it, and she had connections. And Barbara had charm. Rapport-building was a huge part of her arsenal.

MP: The Monica Lewinsky interview was a perfect example of her being crafty. A lot of people went through the front door; they would call Monica, her lawyers, whomever else. But Barbara realized she could go around all that. It took about a year to get that interview, but she built that bridge with Monica’s dad, with Monica’s attorney, and ultimately with Monica herself. Barbara was strategic in how to approach all those things — like a general.

DS: Her perfectionism could sometimes be wearying for the staff, but at the same time, no one minded working harder for her, because they knew it was in service of something great.

The documentary features a veritable who’s who of talking heads, from Oprah Winfrey and Disney Legend Bette Midler to Joy Behar and Connie Chung. Why did they want to participate — and did any of them share anything especially surprising about Barbara? DS: Barbara said to Katie Couric, “Well, we’re both not pretty.” Can you imagine the most powerful woman in the industry feeling not pretty enough? Thinking she talked funny? Success was a surprise to her — something preposterous — which is why she worked so hard to overcome that. The name of the memoir is Audition, which is so revealing. Barbara was always auditioning, because she never felt good enough, even though actually she was.

MP: I also thought the revelation from Oprah was remarkable. Barbara told her, “You should really have children.” And, in a very funny way, Oprah replied, “Well, I’m looking at you, and I’m thinking no, because you will always end up not being enough for one side. You will always have to sacrifice your child to the job or vice versa.” It was interesting to hear these two successful broadcasters coming to this revelation about the true price of success.

ABC News is celebrating its 80th anniversary this June. When you look back at Barbara’s accomplishments, how does her work exemplify the very best of the division?DS: She distinguished us. She made ABC News a destination for the biggest newsmakers of the time. Barbara was a person who participated in the life of her times, and it earned her a very special place in hearts and minds of the viewing public. She made ABC News a destination, and being a magnet for those interviews was her greatest contribution to the division. ABC News thanked her for that and gave her the oxygen to reach the stratosphere.

For a second consecutive year, Emmy^® Award-winning television host, writer, producer, and comedian Conan O’Brien will return to host The Oscars^® broadcast, and Emmy Award-winning live television event producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan return as the show’s executive producers for the third consecutive year; Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang announced today. Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney will return as producers for a second time, and Sweeney will also serve as a writer. The 98th Oscars will air live on ABC Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PDT.

“We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars!” said Kramer and Yang. “This year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way. Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to be working with them again.”

“The only reason I’m hosting The Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” said O’Brien.

“Conan delivered an unforgettable performance at The Oscars, and we’re honored to have him and the producing team back next year,” said Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group. “Conan’s unique comedic style perfectly captured the moment, and I’m excited to have his talents back onstage next year to helm another indelible performance.”

“We are both so honored to be returning in our roles for the 98th Oscars,” said Kapoor and Mullan. “We can’t wait to work with Conan and his entire team as we continue to explore even more special and heartfelt opportunities to celebrate next year’s nominees and the impact of film around the world.”

Hosted by O’Brien, the 97th Oscars, held earlier this month on March 2, delivered a five-year high in both Total Viewers (19.69 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.54 rating) and ranked as the No. 1 primetime entertainment telecast in both Total Viewers and Adults for the 2024-2025 season. The 97th Oscars earned 104.2 million total social interactions, ranking as the No. 1 most social TV program season to date, outperforming both The GRAMMY^® Awards (102.2 million interactions) and The Super Bowl (62.4 million) this season for the first time on record.

O’Brien is best known for hosting the late-night talk shows Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and Conan. Before his more than two-decade hosting career, he served as a writer for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. Currently, O’Brien hosts the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, MAX travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go, and has a supporting role in the feature film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. He has won five Primetime Emmys^® and earned 31 nominations for his work.

Kapoor has earned eight Emmy Award nominations and won Emmys for his work on the 96th Oscars and for executive producing the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) Adele: One Night Only. In addition to several Oscars shows, Kapoor’s credits include The GRAMMY Awards, ACM Awards, Latin Grammys, The Emmy Awards, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter, and The Paris Olympics LA28 Handover Closing Ceremony.

Mullan is an executive producer, showrunner and partner of the global live event production company Done+Dusted. Her work in live entertainment ranges from producing the London Olympics opening and closing ceremonies to The Little Mermaid Live! She won an Emmy for the 96th Oscars, and her other credits include Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, Step Into…The Movies, several Christmas and New Year’s Eve television specials and the Disney Family Singalong franchise.

Ross is a producer whose credits include Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Conan O’Brien Must Go, Conan Without Borders, Conan, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and The Kids in the Hall. He has won a Primetime Emmy and earned 15 nominations for his work.

Sweeney is a producer, writer and director whose credits include Conan O’Brien Must Go, Conan, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. He has won three Primetime Emmys and earned 22 nominations for his work.

The 98th Oscars will be held Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby^® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

The Oscars® — which took place on Sunday at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood — aired live on ABC, streamed live on Hulu, and aired live in more than 200 territories worldwide. The spectacular telecast was hosted by Conan O’Brien and saw Kieran Culkin take home Best Supporting Actor for Searchlight Pictures’ A Real Pain.

Here is a brief rundown of the telecast’s viewership and social numbers:

• The 97th Oscars® delivered a five-year high in both total viewers (19.69 million) and adults aged 18 to 49 (4.54 rating).
• Driven by younger viewing, including increases with younger males, the show also rose remarkably over the 2024 telecast in Adults aged 18-34 (+28% vs. 3.05 rating), delivering a six year high.
• “The Oscars” also stand as the No. 1 primetime entertainment telecast in both Total Viewers and Adults aged 18-49 for the 2024-2025 season.
• The 97th Oscars earned 104.2 million total social interactions, ranking as the No. 1 most social TV program season-to-date, outperforming both THE GRAMMYS® (102.2 million interactions) and The Super Bowl (62.4 million) this season for the first time on record.
• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences saw an increase of +82% year over year in social engagement across all platforms, reaching over 64 million likes, comments, and shares.
• Finally, ESPN and ABC’s fourth annual “Oscars” Pick’em contest (1/23/25 – 3/2/25) set game records, including 110,012 unique visitors (+8% year over year) and 122,161 entries (+11% year over year).

This Sunday, The Oscars will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Hosted by Conan O’Brien at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, the Academy Awards will celebrate every aspect of the arts and sciences of moviemaking and feature showstopping performances, heartfelt tributes, and — if history is any indication — a few surprises. In an exclusive Q&A, Rob Mills, Executive Vice President, Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, Walt Disney Television, shares what’s unique about this year’s telecast.

For the first time ever, the Oscars will stream live on Hulu in addition to being broadcast live on ABC. What was the impetus behind that decision?

I think we’ve seen more than ever that we need to meet our audiences where they are. We’ve seen firsthand how Dancing with the Stars has gained more relevancy than it’s had in years by streaming simultaneously on ABC and Disney+. It definitely felt like the time is now to make sure our big event programming is available to all viewers wherever they prefer to watch.

Several of Disney’s nominated films — including A Real Pain, Alien: Romulus, Elton John: Never Too Late, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and Sugarcane — are currently streaming on Disney+ and/or Hulu. What are the benefits of having these films readily available to stream on Disney platforms before and after the Oscars ceremony?

I think the advantage of having these films available to stream before the ceremony helps give the viewer an added investment in the winner and nominees when they have seen them. The fact that these films can be viewed literally right after the Oscars creates an amazing halo effect across the entire company.

What makes Conan O’Brien the perfect person to host the Oscars?

We are so excited for Conan because in a year that has been so trying for so many people with so much hardship, Conan — as he has done for over 30 years — just wants to make you laugh for three hours and forget your problems. He is also someone who, in addition to being funny, can sing and dance, which we haven’t had from a host in a while.

This year marks Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan’s second time executive producing the ceremony and Hamish Hamilton’s fifth time directing the telecast. What makes them a winning team, and how does their combined experience add value to this year’s Oscars?

I think Raj and Katy, along with Hamish directing, are so incredibly passionate about the show and bring a fresh perspective to the Oscars. I also think they did an incredible job last year but have looked at ways to make the show move faster and be an even better night.

Raj and Katy recently said that this year’s ceremony will “lean into the alchemy of filmmaking” and take audiences behind the scenes. How, exactly, will the show do that?

I think they will help get viewers more invested in filmmaking and by extension the technical awards with various bumpers and clips in and out of breaks as well as with the various presenters in the categories.

The film industry was directly impacted by the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area. How will the show acknowledge that and/or create an opportunity for people to give back?

We have been impressed with the way other award shows have handled the fires. I thought the GRAMMYS did an exquisite job. I think the theme now that we have gotten a few months past will be one of resilience and hope.

What element of this year’s ceremony most excites you?

The opening performance (which I won’t spoil) and, of course, Conan are the most exciting elements. I also am excited for the unknowns — the winners!

Conan O’Brien is going for the gold.

“I do believe in my heart that one day I will win an Oscar. I really do,” the five-time Emmy Award-winning television host, writer, producer, and comedian said with mock seriousness. “I’m not an actor; never been trained. I don’t really aspire to make movies, but I know I’m going to get an Oscar. Therapists call this a ‘delusion,’ but I really think I’m going to get one, and I think it’s going to happen sometime in the next five years… I plan to steal one.”

That’s the kind of deadpan, hopeful humor audiences can expect when O’Brien hosts the 97th Oscars live on ABC and Hulu this Sunday, March 2, beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Lauded for “his brilliant humor, his love of movies, and his live TV expertise,” according to Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang, O’Brien is no stranger to the highwire act of hosting a live awards show. But… he’s never hosted the Oscars before.

“I hosted The Emmys twice. I believe I hosted the MTV Movie Awards nine times. I hosted the Soul Train Awards. But The Oscars, it’s the pinnacle,” O’Brien explained. “It’s the one that you most look up to. It’s the one you dream about hosting when you’re a child, so it has great meaning for me to host the Oscars—as long as the pay is good. I’m looking into that.”

As for how he’s preparing for the Academy Awards, O’Brien is playing it cool.

“My biggest goal is to enjoy the nine hours of the Oscars telecast,” he joked of the three-hour ceremony, which will follow an official red carpet pre-show that beings at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT, only on ABC and Hulu. “I really want to enjoy it. I think it would be a shame to get the chance to host the Oscars and not have a good time, so I’ll be medicated.”

And if things don’t go as planned, well… O’Brien has a plan for that.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned after all these years of hosting is that mistakes aren’t mistakes. If something goes wrong, if there’s a mishap of some kind, if something strange happens, that’s actually a gift. Go with it. Acknowledge it. Maybe have fun with it — hopefully have fun with it,” he said. “I think a big misconception is that you’re hoping everything goes perfectly. I hope that things sometimes go a little off the rails, because that’s where the memorable moments happen in late-night television and on the Oscars.”

“So,” O’Brien concluded, “I’m going to plan for some terrible, terrible mistakes.”

It’s almost time to roll out the red carpet for the 97th Oscars. 

Before Hollywood’s biggest night, get all the details on this year’s ceremony, from the host and the nominees to the presenters and the performers — in addition to all the pre- and post-awards coverage of the big wins, fabulous fashions, viral moments, and so much more.

When are The Oscars airing?

Held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, The Oscars will air live on ABC beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT — and, for the first time, stream live on Hulu. The ceremony will stream on Disney+ internationally and air on broadcast outlets globally.

How and when can I watch the Oscars pre-shows?

Leading into Oscars weekend, Good Morning America‘s Lara Spencer will be on the ground in Los Angeles Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday with a preview of Oscars preparations, including a sneak peek of The Governor’s Ball (the official Oscars afterparty) with celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. James Longman will join Spencer and GMA‘s coverage Friday. Whit Johnson will also be on-site for special segments throughout the weekend. In addition, Good Morning America will mark its 50th anniversary with a look back at its extensive coverage of the Oscars throughout the years, culminating with the GMA Oscar Monday After-Party, broadcast live from both Hollywood and New York City on Monday, March 3.

Countdown to the Oscars with Robin Roberts: A Special Edition of 20/20 will air Friday, February 28, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu. In this primetime special, Disney Legend Robin Roberts interviews Oscar nominees Jesse Eisenberg, Cynthia Erivo, Coralie Fargeat, James Mangold, and others. The special also includes spotlights on nominees Timothée Chalamet, Demi Moore, Mikey Madison, and Zoe Saldaña, among others. Connelly also sits down with O’Brien to find out what the first-time host is planning.

ABC News will present a star-studded pre-show, On The Red Carpet at the Oscars, on Sunday, airing across ABC Owned Television Stations and Affiliates as well as streaming on ABC News Live from 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT until the awards show begins. ABC News’ Linsey Davis, Johnson, and Chris Connelly, along with KABC’s George Pennacchio and Variety‘s Clayton Davis will welcome and interview this year’s Oscar nominees and presenters as they arrive, while KABC meteorologist Leslie Lopez, supermodel Roshumba Williams, and fashion expert Joe Zee will be on site to discuss all the night’s best fashions.

Julianne Hough and Jesse Palmer will host The Oscars Red Carpet Show, the official lead-in to the 97th Oscars, on ABC Sunday, marking Palmer’s inaugural year and Hough’s second consecutive year doing the honors. The 30-minute special will highlight nominees, performers, and presenters, providing a multi-view experience of the red carpet arrivals.

Who are this year’s Oscar nominees?

The Walt Disney Company received 15 Oscar nominations across The Walt Disney Studios, content brands, and platforms (Disney+ and Hulu). That includes eight for Searchlight Pictures’ A Complete Unknown, two for Searchlight Pictures’ A Real Pain, one for 20th Century Studios’ Alien: Romulus, one for Disney Branded Television’s Elton John: Never Too Late, one for Pixar Animation Studios’ Inside Out 2, one for 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and one for National Geographic Documentary Films’ Sugarcane.

For a detailed list of Disney’s nominations, click here. To see all the nominees, click here.

Where can I stream Disney’s Oscar-nominated films?

A Complete Unknown is in theaters and available to rent or purchase on premium VOD platforms (PVOD). Visit D23.com to find out where to stream A Real Pain, Alien: Romulus, Elton John: Never Too Late, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and Sugarcane.

Who is the hosting the 2024 Oscars?

As announced in November 2024, Emmy Award-winning television host, writer, producer, and comedian Conan O’Brien will host The Oscars, marking his first time doing the honors.

“Conan is a preeminent comedic voice whose decades-long success is marked by his distinctive humor and perspective,” Craig Erwich, President, Disney Television Group, said when O’Brien’s involvement was announced. “He joins an iconic roster of comedy greats who have served in this role, and we are so lucky to have him center stage for the Oscars.”

Who is performing at the Oscars?

Doja Cat, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, LISA of Blackpink, Queen Latifah, and RAYE will participate in showstopping performances celebrating the filmmaking community and some of its legends. The Oscars also will feature a special appearance by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. The producers will continue to announce talent joining the show leading up to the ceremony.

Who is presenting at the Oscars?

Joe Alwyn, Dave Bautista, Halle Berry, Sterling K. Brown, Penélope Cruz, Disney Legend Miley Cyrus, Willem Dafoe, Ana de Armas, Lily-Rose Depp, Disney Legend Robert Downey Jr., Elle Fanning, Disney Legend Harrison Ford, Gal Gadot, Andrew Garfield, Disney Legend Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Goldie Hawn, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, John Lithgow, Cillian Murphy, Connie Nielsen, Amy Poehler, Margaret Qualley, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Alba Rohrwacher, Zoe Saldaña, June Squibb, Ben Stiller, Emma Stone, Miles Teller, Disney Legend Oprah Winfrey, Bowen Yang, and Rachel Zegler are confirmed to present during the show.

How do I play Oscars Pick ‘Em?

Oscars Pick’em is a free to play game on ESPN.com/ABC.com, the ESPN App, and the ESPN Fantasy App that serves as a second screen experience for movie and gaming fans alike. Players compete by predicting who they think will win in all 23 categories. During the live broadcast, their selections will be scored in real time as each winner is announced. The grand prize is a trip for two to Los Angeles for the 2026 Oscars Watch Party and $5,000, and 10 first prize winners will receive an Oscar prize pack. (See complete rules for details.)

How can I follow along on social media?

Chicken Shop Date‘s Amelia Dimoldenberg will serve as The Academy’s official social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent, after first holding the position in 2024.

“We are thrilled to welcome back Amelia as our social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent to provide viewers with exclusive access to the Oscars,” Jennifer Davidson, The Academy’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, said in a statement. “Amelia’s widespread appeal and unique approach resonated with global audiences, and we are looking forward to her affable and engaging perspective on the Oscars experience.”

Fans can also follow along via ABC’s official Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X accounts.

GoodMorningAmerica.com — as well as GMA‘s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X accounts — will provide live coverage of the red carpet and award show starting at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. ABCNews.com will also publish real-time updates on Oscars Sunday.

Who is on the Oscars production team?

The team behind this year’s ceremony includes executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor; executive producer Katy Mullan; co-executive producer Rob Paine; producers Taryn Hurd, Sarah Levine Hall, Jeff Ross, Mike Sweeney; director Hamish Hamilton; production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley; music director Michael Bearden; supervising choreographer Mandy Moore; and lighting designers Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz. Joining Conan O’Brien as a writer are Amberia Allen, José Arroyo, Josh Comers, Dan Cronin, Jessie Gaskell, Skyler Higley, Berkley Johnson, Ian Karmel, Brian Kiley, Laurie Kilmartin, Carol Leifer, Jon Macks, Matt O’Brien, Agathe Panaretos, and Mike Sweeney.

What happens after the Oscars?

During the Oscars, Disney Legend Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos will be waiting in the wings to speak with winners the moment they walk offstage. Overnight, the Live with Kelly and Mark team will create the fan-favorite “After the Oscars Show” special, featuring the best moments with the biggest Oscar winners and, of course, the night’s most fabulous fashions. Come Monday morning, Ripa and Consuelos will walk onto the stage — ready or not — to talk to special guests, introduce a show-stopping musical performance, and more.

This December, ESPN is giving fans the opportunity to experience both an NFL game and an NBA game in a unique, animated fashion — as only The Walt Disney Company can do.

First, on December 9, ESPN will offer three distinctly different viewing options across six platforms for Monday Night Football’s Week 14 matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Dallas Cowboys. ESPN, Disney, The Simpsons, and the National Football League will present The Simpsons Funday Football — an animated Monday Night Football game transformed in real-time into the Simpsons world using Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology.

“We do a number of alt-casts at ESPN, and this is the best example of us expanding our audience by reaching beyond the typical sports fan,” Phil Orlins, Vice President, Production, ESPN, says. “It offers us an opportunity — as it’s done before with the NHL Big City Greens Classic and Toy Story Funday Football — to appeal to children as co-viewers with their parents, and now teens, in the case of The Simpsons. It’s a best-case scenario to reach a different audience for ESPN.”

Then, on Christmas Day, Disney, ESPN, and the NBA will team up to present Dunk the Halls — the first real-time animated NBA game using Sony’s Beyond Sports technology, and the first NBA game to stream on Disney+. The alt-cast will be presented on ESPN2, Disney+, and ESPN+, with the New York Knicks hosting the San Antonio Spurs at noon ET/9 a.m. PT. All five NBA Christmas games will also be available on ABC, ESPN, Disney+, and ESPN+.

By utilizing IP from across The Walt Disney Company in its immersive, innovative alt-casts of NBA, NFL, and NHL games, ESPN has been able engage with casual and diehard sports fans alike — while also welcoming new fans who feel a stronger connection to the IP. The NHL Big City Greens Classic was ESPN’s first alt-cast to combine animation with optical tracking technology, and it was a hit with fans from every demo. This month’s alt-casts should be even more spectacular.

“The technology is improving at an incredibly rapid pace,” Orlins says. “Something that was inconceivable five years ago became the first Big City Greens alt-cast, and it’s only gotten better since then.” Beyond Sports makes it possible to combine two data sources and quickly analyze, validate, enhance, and translate to a 3D environment, and then stream to a desired platform in real-time. Plus, Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations’ optical tracking creates dynamic player and character movement.

“We have this vivid ability to recreate the actual game action in close to real-time,” he says. “It gets better and better each time we do it — and now, we’re able to show the detailed movements of the players’ limbs, joints, and so forth.”

The Simpsons Funday Football

Thanks to such technological advances, The Simpsons Funday Football is more seamless than ever. Just as Disney Television Animation did for the NHL Big City Greens Classic and Pixar Animation Studios did for Toy Story Funday Football, TheSimpsons creators worked closely with ESPN and the NFL on the presentation’s look, sound, and feel to ensure the spirit of the hit series remains intact.

“The participation of The Simpsons creative team is really prevalent in every aspect of this telecast,” Orlins says. “There will be endless jokes that we collaborated on with the team.”

Outside of the live game, The Simpsons producers wrote original content for the telecast that will be utilized before, during, and after the game. Animated segments incorporating ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, and others will appear in the telecast, with their segments also written in collaboration with The Simpsons creators. Players from both teams will have pre-recorded segments that include interactions with Simpsons characters.

With Springfield’s Atoms Stadium as the setting, The Simpsons Funday Football will feature Homer Simpson as a Cowboys player and Bart Simpson as a Bengals player. Each will select key moments to play offense and/or defense, replacing a player and joining their fellow teammates on the field. Meanwhile, Marge Simpson and Lisa Simpson will interview players during the game, while Maggie Simpson will fly the SkyCam. Additional characters, references, and more will bring a real Sunday-night-with-the-Simpsons feel to Monday Night Football. “Homer and Bart will make terrible or great plays,” Orlins teases, “depending on the how the game unfolds.”

The Simpsons Funday Football alternate viewing presentation will stream on Disney+ and ESPN+, and, on mobile, with NFL+. The traditional Monday Night Football telecast will be available on ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes, with Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli airing on ESPN2. Both the traditional telecast and Monday Night Football withPeyton and Eli will stream on ESPN+, with each presentation available in the ESPN app. Telecasts will start at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Dunk the Halls

Dunk the Halls will begin with Mickey asking Santa Claus to bring the NBA players to Main Street, USA, to play the first NBA game at Magic Kingdom Park on Christmas Day. His wish is granted, and he joins Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, Goofy, and Chip and Dale in cheering on the teams at Walt Disney World Resort during the virtual, live re-creation of the game.

Dunk the Halls will feature other famous Magic Kingdom Park landmarks, such as Cinderella Castle. And at halftime, characters will compete in a slam dunk contest. Adding to the magic, Santa’s Elves will operate the cameras, while Santa himself will operate ESPN’s SkyCam during the game. Disney characters will deliver pregame and halftime speeches to the players and also decorate a large Christmas tree during the game.

“The history of the Disney characters is second to none,” Orlin says. “We’re always looking to find the right collaboration with the most exceptional IP, and this was so perfect. Main Street, USA, and the Disney characters felt like they’d fit with the NBA on Christmas Day.”

Through state-of-the-art real-time visualization technology enabled by Beyond Sports, combined with Hawk-Eye Innovations’ optical tracking, fans watching Dunk the Halls will see every three-pointer, dunk, layup, and pass, from the real-life game at Madison Square Garden in New York, with each player appearing as a motion-enabled, animated character.

Drew Carter will serve as the play-by-play commentator alongside ESPN basketball analyst Monica McNutt and will be joined by Daisy Duck, who will serve as the sideline reporter. Carter and McNutt will be animated in the style of the telecast and wear ESPN Edge Innovation Partner’s Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from Main Street, USA, utilizing VR technology and Sony’s Beyond Sports’ Virtual Commentator Technology.

Orlins says it’s “mind-boggling” to see the artistry and technology work in tandem, in real-time, during a broadcast like Dunk the Halls. “It’s really, really hard to get your brain around,” he explains. “Even before 2020, to accomplish this would’ve been unimaginable.”

The Future of ESPN’s Alt-Casts

ESPN’s investment in alternate presentations such as The Simpsons Funday Football and Dunk the Halls underscores how The Walt Disney Company is constantly adapting to meet audiences where they are — while also offering something exceptional and unexpected.

“Part of what makes this exciting and interesting to people is that it involves some sort of IP that they already have an interest in, and therefore it makes them curious to experience it and see what it will be like,” Orlins says. “Because of Disney, we at ESPN are incredibly fortunate to create these opportunities for them.”

The results speak for themselves, as past animated alt-casts have not only entertained audiences but also increased overall interest in regular broadcasts of ESPN sporting games.

“In an era where it’s increasingly difficult to get young people to sit and watch sports games in their entirety, we’re now offering a way to see a sports event in a different way — one that may appeal to people before they reach the age where they might want to watch ESPN. It’s just invaluable,” Orlin says. “I also think there’s a real possibility that there is a group of people who will develop a relationship with a sport that they otherwise would not experience. An interest and a curiosity develops from that.”

It’s the kind of magic that only Disney can create.

“We have the best set of assets to do this better than anybody else,” Orlins says. “The strength of the Disney IP is essential; the rights that ESPN holds with the major sports leagues is essential; and the willingness of ESPN to take on the production of the alt-casts is essential. The ability to distribute these on Disney-owned platforms is extraordinary. To have access to Disney+ is extremely important for their success — and for ESPN’s growth.”

Emmy^® Award-winning television host, writer, producer and comedian Conan O’Brien will host the 97th Oscars, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang announced today. It will be O’Brien’s first time hosting the broadcast. The Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST, with the official live red carpet show airing at 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST.

“We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year,” said Kramer and Yang. “He is the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies, and his live TV expertise. His remarkable ability to connect with audiences will bring viewers together to do what the Oscars do best — honor the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year.”

“America demanded it, and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars,” said O’Brien.

“Conan is a preeminent comedic voice whose decades-long success is marked by his distinctive humor and perspective,” said Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group. “He joins an iconic roster of comedy greats who have served in this role, and we are so lucky to have him center stage for the Oscars.”

“Conan has all the qualities of a great Oscars host — he is incredibly witty, charismatic and funny and has proven himself to be a master of live event television,” said Oscars executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan. “We are so looking forward to working with him to deliver a fresh, exciting and celebratory show for Hollywood’s biggest night.”

O’Brien is best known for hosting the late-night talk shows Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and Conan. Before his more than two-decade-long hosting career, he served as a writer for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. O’Brien currently hosts the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend and recently starred in the 2024 travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go. He has won five Primetime Emmys and earned 31 nominations for his work.

The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby^® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Dana Walden and The Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. announced today an unprecedented new 10-year global deal for The GRAMMYS to be exclusively simulcast on ABC, Hulu, and Disney+ beginning in 2027 — making The Walt Disney Company the first new home for Music’s Biggest Night in 50 years.

The Recording Academy and Disney entered into an agreement that solidifies the company as the destination for The GRAMMYS through 2036. As part of this deal, The Recording Academy will also produce multiple GRAMMY-branded music specials and additional new programming for audiences around the world across Disney’s platforms.

TheGRAMMYS is a marquee addition to The Walt Disney Company’s slate of some of the best and most prestigious live event programming across entertainment and sports — from The Oscars, The CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest to the leading multiplatform sports entertainment brand, ESPN. In fact, in the first year of this agreement, 2027, ABC will present The GRAMMYS, The Oscars, and Super Bowl LXI.

“As The Walt Disney Company combines forces with The Recording Academy to open this exciting new chapter in the history of The GRAMMYS, we do so with pride and gratitude,” said Walden. “Live events have never been more important to our culture and industry, and we just acquired one of the crown jewels, adding to our portfolio of world-class programming across all genres.”

“We are completely thrilled to be bringing The GRAMMYS and other new music programming to the Disney ecosystem,” said Mason. “We are grateful to our long-standing partners at CBS and now honored to be joining with Disney, an iconic company where creators have always been at the forefront. This partnership represents another important milestone in the Academy’s transformation and growth, and strengthens our ability to fulfill our mission of uplifting and serving music people around the world.”

For The Recording Academy, this announcement follows a series of notable achievements: the addition of 3,000 new women voting members; an announcement of the Academy’s global expansion of its mission; the enactment of over a dozen pro-creator laws at the state and federal levels, championed by Academy members; two consecutive GRAMMY telecasts with substantial ratings growth; and recognition by Fast Company on its Most Innovative Companies list.

70 years ago this Sunday, Walt Disney greeted viewers in their homes across America as the host of the first episode of Disneyland — a series later known as The Magical World of Disney, amongst other names — on ABC.

From the start, he offered viewers the opportunity to share in his “latest and greatest dream:” Disneyland, the park. For the first time, folks all over the country were able to get a tantalizing glimpse at yet another creation from Walt Disney.

Excavation for the park had begun only about two months prior to the broadcast, with a planned opening less than nine months away.

That initial Disneyland broadcast represents an inflection point for The Walt Disney Company — and the entire entertainment industry. It paved the way for a theme park with no antecedent, it helped reveal the potential of television for Hollywood, and formed the basis for what a modern and diversified entertainment company could look like.

This is the story of how that all came to be.

“Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy”

Back one night in the summer of 1953, Walt Disney was lying sleepless in bed.

Over the years taking his daughters to fairgrounds, zoos, and outdoor attractions across the globe, Walt began dreaming up a family fun park that would outdo them all. It would be clean, imaginative, and a happy place for the whole family to “visit the worlds of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.”

Walt knew how innovative of a vision he had in his head, saying to the board of directors at Walt Disney Productions that “there’s nothing like it in the entire world. I know, because I’ve looked. That’s why it can be great.”

He already had a grand vision, but what was keeping him up at night was figuring out how to create such an endeavor.

Walt needed a way to not only fund the creation of the park, but to make sure that potential guests knew that it was there at all.

As insomnia was getting the best of him, an idea struck — television would be how he would create and share his dream with the world.

Reaching Fans in a Whole New Way

While it now seems matter of fact, getting into television in the early 1950s was seen as a risk for a company that was until then primarily involved in producing theatrical films.

The Disney board was concerned over adding a new field for the company, in addition to already entering the amusement park business.

However, the Disney studio had enjoyed some success earlier in the decade with a couple of TV specials, so “Walt was able to plainly see how the fruits of his studio’s creative labors could be leveraged to good — and wide — use for the mass audience that television provided,” Kevin M. Kern, regional manager for the Walt Disney Archives, said.

Walt’s argument for television was multi-pronged and proved to be prophetic for the future of the company.

“There’s a way we can get to the public,” Walt had said of TV. As Kern puts it, television would allow Walt to “create new content, promote new projects, and re-introduce a library stable of previous theatrical hits and characters all in one package. That was an enticing prospect.”

Once Walt convinced both his brother and business partner, Roy, and the Disney board to go in on the plan for the park and television, they were able to join with ABC to create an arrangement that impacted both companies immensely.

ABC would initially support Disneyland, and in exchange, Disney would provide its vast library of feature-length and short films to be aired on ABC, in addition to producing a new weekly program, Disneyland. The program would be used to give regular updates on the progress of the park, inciting what Kern calls “a sense of wonder as to what was being built in the orange groves of Anaheim.”

The result of that initial broadcast on October 27, 1954, was “wildly successful,” Kern noted, “with an audience that continued to grow over time.”

It enabled Walt to experiment with television storytelling methods and provide “real-time” Disneyland updates on ABC, which “allowed for both entities to grow and draw in even wider audiences than before,” Kern said.

“Disney cartoons were being seen by a larger audience each than had seen them during their entire theatrical releases,” biographer Bob Thomas reflects in his seminal read, Walt Disney: An American Original. “Mickey’s status as a folk hero was guaranteed for another generation.”

For Disneyland, it helped drum up excitement to the tune of over 33,000 guests pouring through the gates on its Opening Day, July 17, 1955 (an event that was also broadcast live on ABC).

Success on ABC would continue for Disney. Davy Crockett and Zorro would prove huge hits. Disney and ABC’s partnership would also lead to another hugely influential series, the Mickey Mouse Club. We have that series “to thank for the now ubiquitous mouse ear hats we see at Disney Parks around the globe,” Kern said. “Try imagining the American pop culture landscape without an element like that, and one quickly sees the vast impact of programs such as these on both the televised fare of the era and our mass consciousness.”

Disneyland Leads to a Modern Entertainment Company

On that first episode of Disneyland, Walt states “you’ll find that Disneyland the place and Disneyland the TV show are all part of the same.”

In a sense, that would come true over four decades later, when The Walt Disney Company merged with Capital Cities/ABC in 1996.

“There was a mutual respect between the entities in their approach to storytelling,” Kern explained. “Which, when fully combined, opened the door for even greater success across a plethora of platforms, from broadcast news to print, radio, film, TV, theme parks, and beyond.”

As Kern notes, even before TV or the parks or cruises or streaming services, Walt and Roy Disney felt that “the Disney name had to mean something, and that something, they always hoped, was quality.”

With quality at the center, “the Disney brothers knew that their product could feed multiple sources and venues once it was created,” Kern said. “Shorts could be re-aired on television, feature films could be serialized and spotlighted in specialty programming, film stories and characters could serve as the basis for unique theme park attractions, merchandise could support and feature any number of storytelling needs, be they books, records, comics, or the like.”

After that initial Disneyland broadcast in 1954, Disney would soon become ubiquitous across not only film and merchandise, but also television, live experiences, and more — all the while ensuring that the characters and stories from each segment would feed into one another. This strategy — that came to life 70 years ago with the debut of the Disneyland TV series — created the sort of multifaceted entertainment company that Disney is still known as today.

Kern puts it succinctly: “This understood interconnectivity is why a concept like Disneyland, and really the whole company, ended up being so successful.”

Season 4 of Abbott Elementary is one for the books.

“Each season has been better than the last, and I think that is because we all feel so comfortable with each other now,” Chris Perfetti, who plays sixth grade history teacher Jacob Hill, said in August at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa. “We all speak the same vocabulary—not just us actors, but everyone else who makes the show.”

Premiering Wednesday, October 9, at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streaming next day on Hulu, Season 4 of Abbott Elementary will give audiences a deeper look at the Philadelphia educators as they face everything from a potential budding romance to (gulp!) a ringworm outbreak.

“I like to have a North Star—a place where I’d like each character to end up,” said creator and executive producer Quinta Brunson, who plays second grade teacher Janine Teagues. “None of these characters were ever one-note, [because] people aren’t one-note. That forces us to continue to peel away layers… Even though this is a comedy, we use those 22 minutes to say, ‘How can we be funny and peel back another layer for all these characters?’”

One of the ways in which Brunson and the writers achieve that is by regularly pairing different characters together, creating natural tension—and, as a result, room for growth.

“We switch it up by saying, ‘I want to see Barbara [Sheryl Lee Ralph] and Gregory [Tyler James Williams] go through this together,’” Brunson said. “We started the journey with Barbara mentoring Janine, but then it became clear that she was a mentor to more than just Janine. We started with Ava [Janelle James] kind of on the outs, but she and Janine have more in common than you’d think. With Melissa [Lisa Ann Walter] and Ava, we realized they share ideologies. Sometimes they team up to fight crime together, and that’s important. When you have characters that are this rich, the possibilities are really endless.”

Speaking of pairings, audiences are eager to know what’s next for Janine and Gregory following their long-awaited kiss in the Season 3 finale—and they’re not alone! While their relationship status will be revealed in the Season 4 premiere, Williams said he’s just glad that the characters are no longer denying their feelings for one another.  “People don’t understand. I have to live in his skin,” he said. “I can feel it, too. I know. What’s so nice about the writing is that we squeezed all of the juice out of it that we possibly could. If as the actor you’re starting to feel it, then you know it’s time. And it felt like the timing was right.”

While Brunson didn’t want to spoil too many plotlines in Season 4, she did confirm that it will contain more episodes than it did the season prior. “I’m very happy to have 22 episodes again, because I think it’s so much more room for storytelling, and I noticed that audiences have been asking for TV shows to have more episodes,” she said. “We are fortunate enough to be able to do that, because we are on network television. We get to showcase all of these character sin such different ways, and that’s exciting to me. The more episodes that we have, the more pairings that can happen—like Ava and Jacob, or Melissa and Barbara.”

To wrap things up, Ralph shared a heartfelt message with fans: “Don’t stop watching. Keep talking about it. Keep telling people how great this show is. We are what a real comedy is!”

From the brilliant mind of Ryan Murphy comes Doctor Odyssey, a new high-octane procedural premiering Thursday, September 26, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streaming next day on Hulu.

Doctor Odyssey follows Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson), a new on-board doctor for a luxury cruise ship where the staff—including Captain Massey (Don Johnson) and nurses Avery Morgan (Phillipa Soo) and Tristan Silva (Sean Teale)—works hard and plays harder.

“Doctor Odyssey is both old-fashioned and very modern in that it has all the elements of a traditional, big network show with gloss and a great deal of style, while also not being afraid to talk about the world now—our emotional states, the tensions between men and women, pandemics, hedonism, you name it,” explains Jon Robin Baitz, who writes and executive produces the new series alongside Murphy and Joe Baken. “And yet, it’s really funny—it’s smart, fun, and a pleasure to sink into the comfiest chair you have and watch.”

Baitz adds, “It feels like a new way of doing something wonderfully old school.”

Charting a New Course

With procedurals dominating broadcast and streaming charts, Doctor Odyssey couldn’t set sail at a better time. ABC closed out the 2023–2024 season as No. 1 in entertainment among Adults 18-49 for the fifth consecutive season, marking the longest winning streak in over 10 years—and weeks before its premiere, Doctor Odyssey generated record-breaking buzz across social media. Released September 17, the trailer logged 77.8 million views within 48 hours, making it the most-watched trailer ever for a new network television show.

As momentum builds, the showrunners remain focused on one thing: telling good stories.

“The only way I know to keep that machine functioning is to collaborate with Ryan and Joe and write inventive, smart, entertaining scripts that respect the audience’s intelligence while taking seriously the mandate to entertain,” Baitz says. “Ryan brings a kind of brilliant showmanship along with his great storytelling instincts. Joe has tremendous oddball takes while also being very serious about the emotional life of the show. So, we must keep challenging ourselves to be really good at the brief: making a juicy, joyous, big-hearted, lively, contemporary, funny show. I like broadcast, the gloss of it, the traditions of it, the pace of it. So, it’s to make beautiful content that reminds you of a bygone time but is brand-new.”

It also helps that Jackson and Johnson are no strangers to making primetime TV, with the former having starred in Dawson’s Creek (1998–2003), Fringe (2008-2013), and The Affair (2014-2018), and the latter having starred in Miami Vice (1984–1990) and Nash Bridges (1996–2001). The two also serve as executive producers alongside director Paris Barclay, Eric Paquette, Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, and Nissa Diederich.

According to Baitz, Jackson and Johnson are “smart, charming, wise, and easy-going.”

“They bring a collective plethora of TV experience: instincts for what makes a show tick, how to lead a company of actors, how to protect those characters and argue for them, and how to advocate for them,” Baitz continues. “They know how to love the work and respect the process and the crew. They are the real deal—grown-ups who are intimately familiar with all the moving parts of making TV and know how to be of value to the process.”

All Hands on Deck

Given its setting aboard a luxury cruise ship, Doctor Odyssey will feature dozens of guest stars—from Kelsea Ballerini, Rachel Dratch, Gina Gershon, and Laura Harrier to Cheyenne Jackson, Chord Overstreet, John Stamos, and Shania Twain. “One of the pleasures in my life is casting,” Baitz says. “A couple dozen plays Off- and on Broadway—a life in the New York theater—gives you a real sense of how to ‘people’ a show. The talent out there is simply unending, and so is the generosity of actors who want to come play and be part of a fun.”

“There is an infinite pool of the known and unknown—new faces, old hands,” Baitz continues. “What a joy to see someone you’ve missed onscreen for a while showing up. What a surprise to see new faces being jaw-droppingly good—and knowing you’ll see more of them. Then there are the relationships we have with actors; one example is that Gina Gershon and I went to high school together and behaved very badly in plays. Well, I did, because I tried to make her laugh. This is one of the best things about Doctor Odyssey—there’s a panoply of glamorous and exciting folk coming along for the cruise.”

And according to Baitz, the fun—and the drama—are just getting started.

Throughout the season, he says, viewers can look forward to “deepening relationships between the principals and complicated turns in their emotional lives.” As if that weren’t enough, Baitz teases, Doctor Odyssey will feature “fun and tragedy, heroic medical thinking, fast action, heartbreak, feuds, love, marvelous costumes, and life choices questioned.”

For more than 400 episodes, Grey’s Anatomy has followed the personal and professional lives of the doctors, residents, nurses, and patients at Grey + Sloan Memorial Hospital, captivating millions around the world with its curious cases, riveting romances, and more.

“I think originally the draw was that it looked like everywhere in America. It looked like a hospital,” says Chandra Wilson, who plays Dr. Miranda Bailey. “People were drawn to these characters, and the stories were universal stories. And that’s the thing that hasn’t changed.”

In the video above, stars Wilson, Camilla Luddington (Dr. Jo Wilson), and Kim Raver (Dr. Teddy Altman) look back at some of their favorite storylines from the past 20 seasons of television’s longest-running prime-time medical drama—and tease what’s coming up next.

Season 21 of Grey’s Anatomy premieres Thursday, September 26, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streams next day on Hulu. All 20 seasons are currently available to stream on Hulu.

Television’s biggest night is just days away. The 76th Emmy Awards will recognize preeminent programs, phenomenal performances, and superb storytelling across multiple platforms. So, before the Emmys air live on ABC, get all the details on this year’s ceremony. 

What’s airing before the Emmys?

Disney Legend Robin Roberts will host The 76th Emmys: A Night of Firsts, airing Friday, September 13, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. A special edition of 20/20, ABC News’ primetime special will give viewers insight into the milestone moments, historic nominations, and powerful storytelling that has defined an epic year of firsts for this year’s television season. The special will feature interviews with nominees Hiroyuki Sanada (Shōgun), Lionel Boyce (The Bear), and Lily Gladstone (Under the Bridge), along with television icon Carol Burnett. Chris Connolly will interview hosts Eugene and Dan Levy, as well as Only Murders in the Building stars Disney Legend Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, and Meryl Streep.

FXX will broadcast an edited presentation of the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday, September 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Across two nights—Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8—The Walt Disney Company won 51 Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Finally, Will Reeve will join Roberts on Sunday, September 15, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, to host ABC’s official preshow, On the Red Carpet: Live at the Emmys (streaming next day on Hulu).

When are the Emmys on TV?

The 76th Emmy Awards will air live on ABC from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 15 (8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT), and stream next day on Hulu.

Who are the 2024 Emmy nominees?

The Walt Disney Company received a record-breaking 183 nominations across the following content brands and studios: ABC, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios (20th Television Animation, 20th Television, and ABC Signature), FX, FX Productions, Hulu Originals, National Geographic, and The Walt Disney Studios (Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios, Marvel Animation, Marvel Television, Lucasfilm Ltd., and 20th Century Studios).

Shōgun leads this year’s Drama category with 25 nominations, while The Bear set a new record for nominations in a single year in the Comedy category with 23. Other notable nominees include Only Murdersin the Building with 21; Fargo with 15, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans with 10; Abbott Elementary with nine; Jim Henson Idea Man and What We Do in the Shadows with eight each; The Oscars with seven; Welcome to Wrexham with six; Ahsoka and Dancing with the Stars with five each; and Reservation Dogs with four; among others.

For the full list of The Walt Disney Company’s nominations, click here.

Who is the hosting the 2024 Emmys?

Eugene Levy and Dan Levy will host the 76th Emmy Awards, making them the first father-son duo to do so. “We are thrilled to welcome two generations of comedy genius to the Emmys stage as hosts,” Cris Abrego, Television Academy Chair, said. “Eugene and Dan Levy are known for creating unforgettable laugh-out-loud moments onscreen, and together, they are super-charged. I cannot wait for Emmy fans to see what they have in store for all of us.”

Who is presenting at the Emmys?

Christine Baranski, Kathy Bates, Meredith Baxter, Candice Bergen, Gael García Bernal, Matt Bomer, Zach Braff, Connie Britton, Nicola Coughlan, Disney Legend Billy Crystal, Viola Davis, Giancarlo Esposito, Colin Farrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Lily Gladstone, Selena Gomez, Dulé Hill, Ron Howard, Brendan Hunt, Joshua Jackson, Allison Janney, Don Johnson, Mindy Kaling, Jimmy Kimmel, Padma Lakshmi, Greta Lee, John Leguizamo, George Lopez, Diego Luna, Jane Lynch, Steve Martin, Nava Mau, Reba McEntire, Janel Moloney, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Niecy Nash-Betts, Taylor Zakhar Perez, Mekhi Phifer, Melissa Peterman, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Sam Richardson, Maya Rudolph, Richard Schiff, Martin Sheen, Martin Short, Jean Smart, Jimmy Smits, Antony Starr, Gina Torres, Disney Legend Dick Van Dyke, Susan Kelechi Watson, Damon Wayans, Kristen Wiig, Henry Winkler, Bowen Yang, and Steven Yeun are confirmed to present. In addition, there will be appearances from Olympic gold medalist swimmer Caeleb Dressel and Olympic bronze medalist rugby player Ilona Maher.

Who is on the Emmys production team?

For the second consecutive year, Jesse Collins Entertainment’s Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay are executive producing the show. The production team also includes director Alex Rudzinski, co-executive producers Brittany Brazil and Eric Cook, producer Taryn Hurd, production designer Brian Stonestreet, head writer Jon Macks, music director Rickey Minor, lighting designer Noah Mitz, and screens producer Drew Findley.

This Sunday, ABC will broadcast the 76th Emmy Awards live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (streaming next day on Hulu), celebrating the work of performers, producers, writers, directors, craftspeople, and others in the television industry. Hosted by Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, this year’s telecast will be produced by Emmy Award winners Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon and Emmy nominee Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment. In an exclusive Q&A, Rob Mills, Executive Vice President, Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, Walt Disney Television, teases what they have in store for this year’s show.

What makes ABC and Hulu the perfect home for this year’s Emmy Awards—particularly since The Walt Disney Company received a record-breaking 183 nominations this year?

I think for a company that just turned 100 and was built on creativity, there is no better home to celebrate the very best in television than ABC and Hulu! As proven by the record number of nominations, we have a huge hand in that, and now we need to make a show that is as entertaining, funny, and as heartwarming as all our amazing programs being highlighted on Sunday!

Some of The Walt Disney Company’s nominated series include Shōgun, The Bear, Only Murders in the Building, Fargo, and Abbott Elementary, among others. How will you creatively utilize popular programs such as those throughout this year’s ceremony?

I think some of that will come organically when—knock on wood—these shows and creators win and we are reminded why we love them through the speeches. We are also fortunate to have some of the talent behind these shows presenting, and I’m sure Eugene and Dan will have fun with these shows throughout the night.

What inspired you to ask Eugene and Dan to co-host the 76th Emmys?

They said yes! Additionally, there has never been a father and son to host the Emmys, so that is really exciting. They also won every award for Schitt’s Creek four years ago when we had a virtual Emmy presentation, and this feels a bit like an in-person victory lap, which is fun.

What element of this year’s ceremony most excites you?

We have an incredible artist performing for In Memoriam that will be like nothing you’ve seen in this type of awards show before. You will tear up, for sure.

What do you think makes for a good show? Come Monday morning, will you measure the Emmys’ success by its ratings, the hosts, the wins, the upsets—or something else?

I think long after the ratings are remembered, it will be the sentiment for the show. Did people like the hosts? The winners? Were the speeches heartfelt and memorable? If we can answer yes to those questions, I will view the show as a good one.

This weekend, multitalented stars Eugene Levy and Dan Levy will host the 76th Emmy^® Awards on ABC, making them the first-ever father-son duo to do the honors. The annual ceremony will air live coast to coast from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 15, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC and will stream next day on Hulu.

Eugene—a 14-time nominee and four-time winner—says it’s an “incredible honor” to host such a “major event in television” alongside his son, a six-time nominee and four-time winner. “Dan started out in television on MTV for many years; I was on SCTV,” he says. “TV really has been such a major part of our lives that just being a part of the show—being tapped as a presenter—is an honor. But [hosting] is kind of the penultimate honor for me.”

Dan adds, “It’s a huge moment in people’s lives and in people’s careers. And as a TV lover, to have been nominated—and luckily win—was a career-defining, life-changing moment.”

When a winner’s name is announced, it’s important to make the most of such a “career-defining, life-changing moment.” And luckily, both of the Levys have tips for doing just that.

“I just embarrassed myself from the beginning to the end of that entire night,” Dan says, laughing about his multiple acceptance speeches in 2020. “Not that I’ve ever watched it back, but I’ve seen some photos, and I look so thrilled. It was one of the most joyful nights of my entire life. I was most excited for everyone else winning; I was more excited about Annie [Murphy] winning [Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series] than I was about myself. We live in a culture where you always try to play it cool, but I think in a situation like this, when something happens in your career where you’re being recognized by the best of the best at the top of your industry—[you should] just feel it all and regret it later.”

Above all, “honesty” is the key to delivering a memorable acceptance speech, according to Eugene: “There are two ways to go: speaking from the heart or just being insanely funny and giving everybody a great, big laugh. Both are good ways to give an acceptance speech.”

“Now, as hosts,” Dan adds, “we recommend keeping it very short and sweet!”

Danny Amendola, Anna Delvey, Joey Graziadei, Dwight Howard, Chandler Kinney, Ilona Maher, Brooks Nader, Phaedra Parks, Eric Roberts, Tori Spelling, Jenn Tran and Reginald VelJohnson Join Previously Announced Celebrity Stephen Nedoroscik

Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars Premieres Live Tuesday, Sept. 17, on ABC and Disney+, and Is Available Next Day on Hulu

Today, the Dancing with the Stars season 33 celebrity cast and their professional dancing partners were announced on ABC’s Good Morning America. Cohosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, the series returns for its 33rd season TUESDAY, SEPT. 17 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), simulcast LIVE on ABC and, and available next day on.

This season’s celebrities and professional dancers are as follows (in alphabetical order):

• Super Bowl Champion Danny Amendola with partner Witney Carson
• Notorious ankle bracelet fashionista Anna Delvey with partner Ezra Sosa
• From “The Bachelor,” Joey Graziadei with partner Jenna Johnson
• NBA Champion Dwight Howard with partner Daniella Karagach
• TV star Chandler Kinney with partner Brandon Armstrong
• Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher with partner Alan Bersten
• Model and cover girl Brooks Nader with partner Gleb Savchenko
• Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik with partner Rylee Arnold
• Reality royalty Phaedra Parks with partner Val Chmerkovskiy
• Movie star Eric Roberts with partner Britt Stewart
• TV icon Tori Spelling with partner Pasha Pashkov
• From “The Bachelorette,” Jenn Tran with partner Sasha Farber
• Sitcom and movie actor Reginald VelJohnson with partner Emma Slater

The pairs will be judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts, including Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough.

Dancing with the Stars is produced by BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions.

DANNY AMENDOLA – Danny Amendola is a former NFL wide receiver who played 13 seasons and is a two-time Super Bowl Champion as a member of the New England Patriots. Amendola was recently inducted into the Texas Tech Red Raiders Hall of Fame in 2024. His professional football career in the NFL began when he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 2008. After one year on the practice squad with Dallas and Philadelphia, he got elevated to the active roster with the St. Louis Rams in 2009. He became a breakout star in St. Louis before signing a five-year contract with the New England Patriots in 2013. While in New England, Amendola became a trusted receiver of quarterback Tom Brady and a fan favorite known for making his biggest plays and having his best games when the stakes were highest in the NFL playoffs. Amendola retired from the NFL in 2021.

ANNA DELVEY – Anna Delvey is an artist, fashion icon and infamous NYC socialite who gained international attention after Netflix purchased the rights to her story and developed it into the 2022 miniseries “Inventing Anna.” Delvey’s life story has been the subject of several other television shows, interviews, podcasts and theater productions. Some view her as a cunning scam artist, while others see her as a charismatic and ambitious entrepreneur who took advantage of New York City’s social elite in an effort to open a prestigious art studio. Her case has also sparked discussions about wealth, privilege and social climbing in modern society. Her story continues to captivate the public’s imagination.

JOEY GRAZIADEI – A 29-year-old teaching tennis pro from Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Joey Graziadei is most well known as the Bachelor from season 28 of the ABC hit show of the same name. With his loyalty, thoughtfulness and compassion, Graziadei won the hearts of America and, ultimately, his fiancée, Kelsey Anderson. Now that finding love has been checked off his to-do list, Graziadei keeps busy spending time with family, traveling the world, and raising awareness for causes he’s passionate about like cancer research.

 |DWIGHT HOWARD – Dwight David Howard II is one of the NBA’s most charismatic veteran players. Playing basketball 19 years professionally as one of the greatest players in the NBA, he has made a global impact across the lives of people around the world. He is an NBA Champion, eight-time NBA All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team member, five-time All-Defensive Team member and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. He holds the record for having the most dunks in NBA history along with being the only player in NBA history to earn the honor of Defensive Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons.

Howard is also an entrepreneur, filmmaker, community leader, media figure and philanthropist. Expanding his focus over the past few years, he is currently the co-owner of a professional basketball league in Asia with plans to go global. He is an avid traveler, dedicated father and global ambassador of basketball internationally bringing smiles to everyone he encounters around the world.

 |CHANDLER KINNEY – Chandler trained at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and the Los Angeles Ballet Academy, and discovered acting at age 9. Currently, Kinney can be seen starring in the HBO Max series “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin” and “Pretty Little Liars: Summer School.” She also portrays Willa in the Disney Channel musical film franchise “Zombies.” Previously, she was in FOX’s “Lethal Weapon,” FX’s “American Horror Story: Asylum,” the CW’s “90210,” Amazon’s “Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street,” “The Haunted Hathaways” for Nickelodeon, and Disney’s “Girl Meets World” and “K.C. Undercover.”

 |ILONA MAHER – Ilona Maher is a Team USA Rugby Sevens bronze medalist and two-time Olympian, having represented the United States in Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020. Maher is a viral sensation across social media for sharing her authentic and witty journey as a professional female athlete to help grow the game of rugby and promote body appreciation. An ambassador for ChildFund Rugby, an organization that uses integrated rugby and life skills to help young people from vulnerable communities across the world overcome challenges, Maher traveled to Laos to help in their mission of inspiring positive social change.

 |BROOKS NADER – Brooks Nader is a supermodel and actress, known for her impeccable style and captivating presence. Through campaigns, runway shows, branded partnerships, strategic collaborations and more, Nader’s career has continued to skyrocket since she made her debut in the 2019 edition of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. Throughout her career, Nader has worked with esteemed brands and fashion houses. Most recently, in May 2024, she was named a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Legend and featured on the cover of the magazine for the second time in celebration of the magazine’s 60th anniversary.

 |STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK – Stephen Nedoroscik, more popularly known as the “pommel horse guy,” is a distinguished American gymnast. At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, he captured America’s heart by helping the U.S. Men’s Gymnastics team secure their first team medal (bronze) in 16 years. He also won an individual bronze medal on the pommel horse. Beyond his athletic achievements, Nedoroscik is a passionate advocate for men’s gymnastics and works to raise awareness for the sport. He is also dedicated to supporting individuals with low vision, using his platform to promote inclusivity and accessibility in the gymnastics community and beyond.

 |PHAEDRA PARKS – Phaedra Parks is a successful attorney, businesswoman, author, mortician, television personality, motivational speaker, social activist, certified reiki master healer and mother to two young sons. As managing partner of The Parks Group, Parks practices law in the areas of entertainment, intellectual property rights, and civil and criminal litigation. Parks has been an on-air legal analyst for media outlets including NBC, Fox, CNN, truTV, EXTRA and Entertainment Tonight. As a television personality, she has appeared on “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “Ultimate Girls Trip,” four-time Emmy® Award-nominated and People’s Choice Award-winning series, “The Traitors” as well as “Will Trent.”

Parks earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Wesleyan College, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia as well as a degree in mortuary sciences from Jefferson State College.

 |ERIC ROBERTS – Eric Roberts is a Georgia native, whose first professional acting job in front of a camera was “Another World” at age 19 in New York. He entered into features in “King of the Gypsies” at 21 and earned multiple Golden Globe® nominations and an Oscar® nomination. One of his favorite jobs was the portrayal of Junior in Danny McBride’s “Righteous Gemstones.” He has also made proud appearances in music videos from The Killers, Keaton Simons, Akon, Ja Rule, Mariah Carey, Rihanna and numerous artists from around the world.

TORI SPELLING – Tori Spelling is best known for playing Donna Martin on the long-running hit show “Beverly Hills 90210,” which she also executive produced. She created, executive produced and starred in the long-running series “Tori and Dean,” the spinoff series “sTORIbook Weddings,” as well as “True Tori,” HGTV’s “Tori & Dean: Cabin Fever” and “At Home With Tori.” Spelling is also a five-time NY Times bestselling author with her first (of six) memoirs, “sTORI Telling,” reaching No. 1 and being named the best celebrity autobiography of 2009. She has also authored the children’s book “Presenting Tallulah,” as well as the coffee table, party planning book “CelebrTORI.” Spelling has had multiple product lines and she currently hosts two podcasts on iHeart, “90210MG with Jennie Garth,” and her own podcast “MisSPELLING,” which she also executive produces.

 |JENN TRAN – Jenn Tran is a sweet and compassionate woman who has dedicated her life to helping others and is currently studying to become a physician assistant. The bilingual Vietnamese beauty currently resides in Miami; and when she’s not studying, the 26-year-old Bachelor Nation fan favorite loves reading, paddleboarding and traveling whenever she has the chance.

 | REGINALD VELJOHNSON – Reggie VelJohnson is the iconic TV dad from the sitcom “Family Matters” and well known as Al Powell in “Die Hard” and “Die Hard 2.” He was recently the TV dad on five versions of Progressive’s national commercial campaign and sings on the Planters Christmas commercial. He recently costarred in the indie feature “Roswell Delirium,” played the lead in the TV movie of the week “Ghost of Christmas Always,” had a recurring role on Disney+ “Turner & Hooch” and was featured in the leading role in the indie feature “Christmas Lottery.”

He also appeared in the mega successful feature “Avengers: Endgame,” “The Prayer Box” and “The Very Excellent Dundee.” Additionally, VelJohnson guest starred on CBS’s “Mom,” ABC’s “Station 19,” “Sydney to the Max,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Ryan Hanson Solves Crimes on Television” and “Ray Donovan; was the lead in the Lifetime movie “Pride and Prejudice: Atlanta”; and was a recurring character on “Hart of Dixie.”

Almin Karamehmedovic has been named president, ABC News; it was announced today by Debra OConnell, president, News Group and Networks, Disney Entertainment, to whom Karamehmedovic will continue to report.

In his new role, Karamehmedovic will oversee the day-to-day operations of the nation’s No. 1 news network. He will lead the teams responsible for the many iconic, award-winning shows across the division, including ratings leaders World News Tonight with David Muir, Good Morning America, The View, 20/20, and Nightline, as well as ABC News Live, ABC News Studios and special events coverage.

“Almin has devoted his career to ABC News, mastering every role and elevating excellence in journalism by connecting with viewers in a very meaningful and profound way that resonates with them,” OConnell said. “He is a widely respected, seasoned journalist of the highest order who has worked his way up to senior executive producer of World News Tonight with David Muir, earning the trust of colleagues and industry peers along the way. I have no doubt ABC News will reach new heights under his leadership.”

“I approach this role with great respect and humility, not only for the hundreds of colleagues around the world whose tireless contributions fuel the unflinching and unbiased reporting of ABC News but also for the viewers we serve,” Karamehmedovic said. “Our team represents the best in journalism. We are grateful to have Debra OConnell, who sets the bar for all of us in a meaningful and supportive way that enables us to thrive in a profession we revere and love.”

Karamehmedovic has overseen the production and all daily operations of World News Tonight with David Muir, the most-watched newscast in America across broadcast and cable, and often, the No. 1 program on all of television, since August 2014. In January 2022, News Content Development, including short- and long-form projects on streaming and broadcast, was added to his purview as his role expanded from executive producer to senior executive producer.

Under Karamehmedovic’s leadership, World News Tonight with David Muir ranks as the No. 1 evening newscast in Total Viewers for the eighth straight year. In addition, the program ranks No. 1 in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 for the fifth consecutive season.

Prior to World News Tonight with David Muir, Karamehmedovic was executive producer of Nightline, ABC News’ late-night flagship newsmagazine. He also executive produced Nightline in primetime for two consecutive seasons as well as numerous other ABC primetime hours, 20/20 specials and ongoing breaking news special reports.

Karamehmedovic joined ABC News as a freelance video editor based in London in 1998. Three years later, he was one of the first journalists to gain access to Tora Bora, Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden was hiding. In 2003, he embedded with the U.S. Army during the invasion of Iraq, and in 2005, he was one of the first journalists to travel to Darfur/Sudan to report on the genocide. The following year he covered the war in Southern Lebanon and in 2010 was one of the first to arrive in Haiti following the devastating earthquake. More recently, Karamehmedovic returned to Al Anbar in Iraq to document the fight against ISIS and traveled to the frontlines of Afghanistan. He has been to Auschwitz with survivors of the Holocaust 75 years later; to Normandy with America’s heroes; and to Madagascar to report on the children of climate change.

After he moved to New York and joined Nightline in 2008, Karamehmedovic traveled the world producing notable pieces for the program, including living among the Indigenous people of the Enawene Nawe tribe in the remote and uncivilized Amazon; detailing the ongoing Mexican drug wars; and exposing American pedophiles permitted to leave the United States and abuse children in Cambodia.

Karamehmedovic was part of the first wave of producers trained to shoot, produce, edit and broadcast from anywhere in the world. He has used those abilities to great effect at ABC News, infusing many reports with an intimacy and immediacy that brings viewers closer to the heart of a story. He has traveled to more than 100 countries and is the recipient of the prestigious DuPont Award, as well as 16 Emmys, nine Edward R. Murrow Awards, two Christopher Awards and a Peabody Award.

Karamehmedovic graduated from the University of Greenwich in London.

Emmy Award-winning multihyphenates Eugene Levy and Dan Levy are set to host the 76th Emmy Awards on ABC and will be the first-ever father-son duo to do so. The ceremony will air live coast to coast from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 15, from 8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT on ABC and stream next day on Hulu.

“For two Canadians who won our Emmys in a literal quarantine tent, the idea of being asked to host this year in an actual theater was incentive enough,” said Eugene and Dan. “We’re thrilled to be able to raise a glass to this extraordinary season of television and can’t wait to spend the evening with you all on September 15.”

“Eugene’s and Dan’s comedic intuition and uncanny ability to capture the hearts of viewers will make for a memorable Emmys telecast honoring this year’s best and brightest,” said Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group.

“We are thrilled to welcome two generations of comedy genius to the Emmy’s stage as hosts,” said Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego. “Eugene and Dan Levy are known for creating unforgettable laugh-out-loud moments on screen, and together, they are super-charged. I cannot wait for Emmy fans to see what they have in store for all of us.”

“Eugene and Dan Levy created two of the most iconic TV characters in recent history and are a perfect fit to host television’s biggest night,” said Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay for Jesse Collins Entertainment. “We look forward to the audience having an unforgettable experience with this dynamic duo.”

As previously announced, Jesse Collins Entertainment executive producers Collins, Harmon, and Rouzan-Clay have reassembled the production team from last year’s critically acclaimed 75th Emmy Awards telecast. Alex Rudzinski returns as director; Brittany Brazil returns as co-executive producer alongside producer Taryn Hurd, production designer Brian Stonestreet, and head writer Jon Macks. Emmy Award winner Rickey Minor will serve as music director for the sixth time. Lighting designer Noah Mitz and screens producer Drew Findley are returning from last year as well. Eric Cook is joining the team as co-executive producer.

In July, The Walt Disney Company received a record-breaking 183 Emmy Award nominations across its content brands and studios: ABC, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios (20th Television Animation, 20th Television, and ABC Signature), FX, FX Productions, Hulu Originals, National Geographic, and The Walt Disney Studios (Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios, Marvel Animation, Marvel Television), Lucasfilm Ltd., and 20th Century Studios). Disney’s streaming platforms are home to 181 nominations, with 152 on Hulu and 32 on Disney+ (with some titles streaming on both platforms). Disney also set a new record with the three most-nominated series of the year: Shōgun, The Bear, and Only Murders in the Building.

A version of this article originally appeared on ESPN Press Room

• 13 Consecutive Hours of Exclusive Christmas Day Coverage Tips Off at Madison Square Garden
• Ninth Season of Marquee National NBA Game of the Week: NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC Returns with January 25 Tripleheader during NBA Rivals Week
• Emirates NBA Cup Tournament Action

ESPN and ABC today, in conjunction with the NBA, unveiled their 2024-25 regular season broadcast schedule. The 2024-25 campaign marks ESPN’s 23rd consecutive season broadcasting NBA games. The two entities — ESPN and the NBA — recently announced a landmark 11-year rights extension that will keep ESPN as the primary partner of the NBA and the exclusive home of the NBA Finals through 2036.

Season-Opening Action

The 2024-25 season opens on Wednesday, October 23, when the Philadelphia 76ers and Paul George host the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN in George’s first game with the 76ers. At 10 p.m., ESPN will televise the first regular season game from the Intuit Dome — the new home of the LA Clippers. The Clippers will host the Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant.

ESPN’s season-opening action continues Friday, October 25, when the New York Knicks and Jalen Brunson host the Indiana Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton at 7:30 p.m. At 10 p.m., four members of the U.S. Men’s Olympic gold-medal team will be featured as LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers host Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns.

Christmas Day Star Power

The NBA’s biggest superstars will be on display as ESPN platforms exclusively broadcast all five NBA Christmas games, starting at noon ET, on Wednesday, December 25, from historic Madison Square Garden. The New York Knicks and Jalen Brunson will host the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama on ESPN in what will be the French sensation’s first Christmas game. ESPN will bookend Christmas coverage at 10:30 p.m. as the Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant host the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokić.

ABC will broadcast a Christmas tripleheader starting at 2:30 p.m. when the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Dončić host the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Edwards. At 5 p.m., the reigning NBA Champion Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum host the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid. Icons clash at 8 p.m. as the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry host the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James. All three ABC games will also be available to watch on ESPN.

Additional ABCschedule highlights:

• Six appearances each by the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James and the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum;
• Five appearances each by the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Dončić and the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry;
• Ninth season of NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC – the marquee national NBA game of the week — returns during NBA Rivals Week with January 25 tripleheader: Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks in an NBA Finals rematch, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors — LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry;
• Coast to Coast: LeBron James at Madison Square Garden as the Los Angeles Lakers visit the New York Knicks on February 1;
• Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo square off as the Philadelphia 76ers visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Super Bowl Sunday;
• The Denver Nuggets vs. Boston Celtics game will precede ABC’s coverage of the 2025 Academy Awards for the first time on March 2.

Additional ESPNschedule highlights:

• League-leading 11 appearances by Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets;
• 10 appearances each by the reigning NBA Champion Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks;
• Nine appearances each by the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder;
• ESPN’s first regular season NBA game from Paris, France on January 25, as the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama take on the Indiana Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton;
• NBA Rivals Week — January 22 through 25 — featuring five matchups across platforms;
• 2025 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on February 14;
• Ascendant teams and rising stars collide when the Oklahoma City Thunder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander visit the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Edwards on February 23.

NBA on ESPN Opening Week Schedule

Christmas Schedule

NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC Schedule

NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC

Emirates NBA Cup on ESPN and ABC Schedule

Full ESPN and ABC Broadcast Schedule

ESPN’s regular season NBA coverage generally includes primetime doubleheaders on Wednesday and Friday nights, Emirates NBA Cup action on Fridays in November, NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC — the marquee, national NBA game of the week — as well as the longstanding NBA Sunday Showcase franchise on ABC. ESPN platforms are also home to all five Christmas games, the NBA Finals on ABC, the 2025 Western Conference Finals, and first and second round playoff games.

All ESPN NBA programming is available on the ESPN App. ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes also offer robust NBA packages and those schedules will be revealed in the coming weeks. ESPN’s NBA pregame show is NBA Countdown, which generally airs 30 minutes prior to ESPN and ABC games. NBA Today, ESPN’s weekday NBA studio show, airs Monday through Friday from 3-4 p.m.

Fresh off an exciting NBA Finals on ABC, NBA basketball is back on ABC and ESPN for the NBA Draft. For the first time the event will air across two days, and ESPN and ABC will be offering exclusive coverage.

“Hundreds of people… prepare for months for this event,” Malika Andrews, host of ESPN’s NBA Today and NBA Countdown, said. This is the third time Andrews will be hosting the NBA Draft, after becoming the first woman to do so in 2022.

ESPN and ABC will offer distinct NBA Draft broadcasts for round one on Wednesday, June 26. ESPN’s coverage tips off at 7:30pm ET, while ABC’s broadcast begins at 8pm ET. The event continues with round two on Thursday at 4pm ET on ESPN.

We spoke with Andrews more about how she prepares for such a busy event, how the ESPN team works to ensure a special presentation, and what’s most interesting to look out for.

The NBA Draft is one of the busiest events of the year for you. Can you walk us through your preparation?

I’m lucky to have an amazing team of researchers. Matt Williams and I are on the phone for an hour a day, sifting through prospects’ stats, stories and bouncing around ideas to best capture these players’ big moments. Gil Bransford and I have worked together on the last three NBA Drafts and he is my right hand during the event. Not to mention, Jonathan Givony, our draft expert, is the best in the business. Reading everything he has written through the year is essential.

What’s the most interesting thing about the NBA Draft from your perspective?

Watching the parents’ faces of the draftees the moment they hear their son’s name. It’s like watching the groom at a wedding the minute the bride appears: joy, tears, pride, excitement.

What makes the NBA Draft a special television presentation?

Hundreds of people — spearheaded by our wonderful producer Brian Boyle — prepare for months for this event. Editing features, preparing graphic elements, building relationships with players. But when it comes down to 8 o’clock, anything can happen. Any player can move up or fall, another could be traded. There’s no scripting the night — and that’s the beauty of it.

From a pre-event perspective, how do you get viewers hyped up for a broadcast that is ultimately Adam Silver reading names from a list?

This is a night about hard work paying off, lifelong dreams achieved, generational wealth earned. Those stories speak for themselves, but we certainly incorporate segments on these draftees on NBA Today.

What is one thing about hosting the NBA Draft that most people would be surprised by?

The entire group races to get to Shake Shack before it closes at the end of the night. It’s a tradition. We blame Jay Bilas.

The 2024 Stanley Cup Final on ABC, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes came to a close Monday night with the Florida Panthers defeating the Edmonton Oilers in a closely contested Game 7, ending with the Panthers hoisting the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.

Monday’s Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final averaged 7.7 million viewers and reached an average of 3.1 million people 18-49, up 182% and 170% versus last year’s Stanley Cup Final Game 5 clincher (Florida-Vegas), and up 32% and 39% versus 2022’s Stanley Cup Final Game 6 on ABC (Colorado-Tampa Bay).

Oilers-Panthers Game 7 viewership peaked at 10.3 million in the 10:45 p.m. ET quarter-hour and drew the largest non-Original Six audience on record. It also ranks as the most-viewed NHL game ever on ESPN+.

This season’s Stanley Cup Final averaged 4.2 million viewers and 1.5 million people 18-49 – up 58% and 43% versus 2023’s Stanley Cup Final average.

Through 48 games, the2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC averaged 1.8 million viewers and 724,000 viewers 18-49, an increase of 60% and 46% versus 2023’s Stanley Cup Playoff average, and up 14% and 19% versus 2022’s Stanley Cup Playoff average.

Female viewership of the Stanley Cup Final delivered an increase of 66% versus 2023’s Stanley Cup Final. Stanley Cup Playoff viewership across ESPN platforms among females 18-34 increased 73% versus 2023’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, with viewership among females 18+ and 2+ experiencing notable increases of 63% and 62%, respectively.

Digital & Social

ESPN’s NHL digital content across ESPN.com and the ESPN App throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs experienced double-digit growth in unique viewers and total minutes. From the beginning of the Stanley Cup Playoffs through June 24, digital content was accessed by 35 million unique visitors, who spent 983 million total minutes of engagement – an increase of 11% and 28% versus 2023.

Across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X/Twitter, ESPN NHL social media content generated 27.8 million total engagements and 300.5 million total video views throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs – an increase of 43% and 44% versus 2023. Additionally, the NHL on ESPN TikTok account surpassed 1 million followers during the Stanley Cup Final.

2024 NHL Awards and NHL Draft

ESPN’s NHL coverage continues with the 2024 NHL Awards on Thursday, June 27, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+.

Coverage of the 2024 NHL Draft begins on Friday, June 28, with live Round One coverage from 7-10 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+. Saturday’s day-two coverage of Rounds 2-7 begins at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+.

A mere four years after the 1955 opening of the Disneyland Resort — and 65 years ago this Friday — Walt Disney welcomed celebrities, fans, and even a full television crew to witness an event so grand, it felt like a “second opening” of Disneyland.

During a TV special on ABC titled Kodak Presents Disneyland ’59, Walt showed off six new and updated attractions as part of the first ever major expansion of Disneyland.

“Disneyland formally introduced the iconic E-Ticket attractions Submarine Voyage, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System,” Mike Buckhoff of the Walt Disney Archives, said. There was also “an all-new Skyway experience — which flew guests through the caverns of the Matterhorn’s Glacier Grotto — the reopening of the Motor Boat Cruise, and the Fantasyland Autopia.”

Never Finished

Walt Disney once remarked that “Disneyland will never be completed, as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

Seeking to ensure that all areas of the park were as robust as others, and that guests would regularly have something new to enjoy with each visit, Disneyland — and later all other Disney parks and resorts — would thrive on innovation.

However, innovation isn’t so simple, and ideas can push beyond the limits of what’s possible at the time.

Buckhoff states that Walt would “regularly envision changes and expansions for his new theme park, even as the turnstiles began revolving with the entry of the first guests to Disneyland in 1955.”

Forward Thinking Innovation

“Since the very beginning, Disneyland attractions and experiences have been at the forefront of innovation,” Buckhoff noted.

While traveling across the globe, Walt would often find new ideas to implement at his park.

“Ever the forward thinker, Walt drew inspiration from the innovative monorail systems of Europe which he adapted to fit his Tomorrowland ideals,” Buckhoff said. “And the Matterhorn mountain was based on the towering peak in Switzerland which he visited during the filming of 1959’s Third Man on the Mountain.”

But to translate his inspiration into attractions, Walt needed time to allow his engineers at WED Enterprises (later Walt Disney Imagineering) to create what he had envisioned.

By 1959, “advancements in technology and available storytelling methods were providing some of the necessary tools for the creative evolution that Walt intended and actively sought out,” according to Buckhoff.

Buckhoff added that Matterhorn Bobsleds “was no exception, as it was the first roller-coaster style thrill ride at Disneyland and was also the first to use tubular steel tracks and an electronic dispatch system which allowed more than one car to be on the track at one time.”

Of those new additions introduced in 1959, Buckhoff explained that the most influential may have been the Monorail.

It “would go on to serve as not only an enjoyable voyage,” ­­­­Buckhoff said, “but also an efficient means of transportation at other Disney sites, such as the Walt Disney World Resort and Tokyo Disney Resort.

For the Nation to See

“Well Walt… how do you feel?” Disney Legend Art Linkletter asked.

“Like an expectant father: nervous, but wonderful,” Walt Disney replied from in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Those were the words that greeted viewers when they tuned in to ABC on June 15, 1959 to view the broadcast of Kodak Presents Disneyland ’59, “an event chock-full of lively entertainment, including an extravagant parade down Main Street, U.S.A.,” Buckhoff stated.

“Walt Disney understood the rising importance of television in the 1950s,” Buckhoff added. He “quickly realized the medium could be an important asset to his theme park venture.”

Just as he had done with Dateline Disneyland, which showcased the opening of Disneyland on national television, “Disneyland ’59 afforded Walt Disney priceless publicity for the new adventures that awaited guests at the park,” Buckhoff declared.

The broadcast wouldn’t only live on television. “The Disney studio later released a 25-minute Technicolor featurette of the festivities in theatres entitled Gala Day at Disneyland.” Buckhoff explained.

Still Innovating

Six and a half decades later, Disneyland Resort is getting ready to welcome in yet another new era of growth.

The company is investing $1.9 billion in the resort over the next 10 years through DisneylandForward.

“Now, it’s time for the next chapter in the legacy of Disneyland,” said Ken Potrock, President of the Disneyland Resort. “We’re ready to build on decades of innovation, creativity, and storytelling to bring new, exciting experiences for our guests.”

And the growth doesn’t stop in Anaheim.

Disney Experiences has opened a bevy of new lands and attractions all over the world, and has announced plans to turbocharge growth in its Experiences segment with even more new and exciting developments in the years to come.

Much like Walt did with Disneyland ’59, the company continues to regularly imagine and implement new innovations at its parks and experiences across the globe.

As the total solar eclipse passed over North America on Monday, ABC News and National Geographic partnered to take viewers on a journey along the path of totality for a day of unparalleled solar eclipse coverage.

Spanning 10 cities — from Mazatlán, Mexico to Houlton, Maine — and dozens of anchors, correspondents, producers, and crew members, Eclipse Across America offered audiences a diverse array of ways to watch a one-in-a-generation phenomenon.

Here’s how the teams at ABC and Nat Geo pulled off such a complex production:

Built in Real Time

“Our ABC News Live operations team started laying the groundwork in Summer 2023,” Seni Tienabeso, Executive Director of ABC News Live, said.

According to Molly Shaker, Executive Producer of ABC Special Events Unit, it took a lot of planning for what became a “truly unprecedented” broadcast.

Unlike a scripted broadcast, “the eclipse show was being built in real time by our teams in the field.” Shaker said. “Whatever they were seeing — they pitched to us, and we tossed to it… so everything was very fluid and in the moment.”

While the ABC News team was prepared for the scope of the project — having regularly planned and covered multi-city events like Super Tuesday — it wasn’t without obstacles.

“Our biggest challenge was making sure that we thought through how to best follow the path of the sun,” Tienabeso explained. “We had to secure extra camera crews in locations to make sure they not only had the right lenses but were able to follow the sun properly.”

A Scientific Boost

While ABC brought the broadcast chops, it got a scientific boost from the folks over at National Geographic.

“Partnering with Nat Geo gave us unparalleled access to a breadth of world-class expertise and insight,” Kim Godwin, President, ABC News, said. “That allowed us to connect with audiences on a scientific level while celebrating this extraordinary event.”

Nat Geo began consulting on the project in December, and “came in to help brainstorm the editorial and talent,” Chad Cohen, Executive Producer of Nat Geo Unscripted, said.

“There is no better authority when it comes to science and photography than Nat Geo,” Tienabeso noted. “An eclipse is a scientific and photographic event, so being able to leverage Nat Geo’s expertise with our live TV and news skills was a match made in heaven!”

From January on, the teams met weekly to ensure a topflight broadcast.

“The amount of coordination from both ABC and Nat Geo was just extraordinary,” Cohen said. “It took dozens of people across multiple departments — from production to marketing and communications, social and talent relations to programming and operations — to bring it all to fruition.”

A Massive, Multi-Platform Event

The preparation converged on the day of the eclipse for over three hours of coverage. ABC’s David Muir and Linsey Davis anchored from Burlington, Vermont, with help throughout the country from ABC anchor Robin Roberts, ABC meteorologists Ginger Zee, Rob Marciano, and Somara Theodore, and many others.

“Several of them covered the last total solar eclipse visible from North America in 2017,” Godwin said. “They drew from that experience with unique perspective and comparisons.”

“Having so many remarkable reporters and scientists in the field made it easy to bring our viewers outside of the path of totality, into it,” Shaker said.

The broadcast was able to follow the sweep of the eclipse across the nation — making stops with correspondents in cities that each fell under 100% totality of the eclipse.

Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and even Niagara Falls were among the towns featured during the programming.

Courteney Monroe, President, Nat Geo Content explained that “by combining National Geographic’s 136-year legacy in science and exploration with ABC News’s unrivaled leadership in live news, we provided audiences across all Disney platforms with a rich and unique viewing experience.”

That large swath of Disney platforms on which to watch included: ABC, ABC News Live, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Disney+ and Hulu as well as network social media platforms.

“Being a part of the The Walt Disney Company allowed us to make Eclipse Across America a massive, multi-platform event where we could flex our news-making muscle for a positive story that we all so desperately need,” Tienabeso said. “Bringing audiences together across multiple Disney platforms on all devices helps to ensure that no one misses a moment live or on demand.”

As Disney gears up to celebrate World Storytelling Day on Wednesday, March 20, we are highlighting storytellers from all corners of our company, including Disney Entertainment Television.

Meg Marinis is the new showrunner of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, airing Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streaming next day on Hulu. She joined the series in 2006 as a writer’s assistant and was later promoted to medical researcher, staff writer, story editor, and producer, before ultimately, showrunner. “Writers have a lot of weird steps!” she explains.

According to Marinis, good storytelling relies on more than the written word; it takes a collaborative effort and a commitment to helping audiences identify with the characters.

How do you use storytelling in your role?

It’s not just about what goes on the page for me. We tell stories in the writers room, but then also we tell stories through the medicine. We tell stories through the props. We tell stories through costumes. Even deciding when one of our characters is in scrubs versus when they’re in their street clothes is a story point. There’s more to telling stories in TV what’s written on the page. And then we’re changing the stories in editing. We’re making things funny or we’re making things sad. The storytelling is really across the board, and I think that’s why I love this job so much: You have to think of different ways to tell stories.

What do you love most about being part of the Disney story?

I love being a part of something that affects people around the world. That’s rare. The platform Disney provides is incredible; not everyone gets to tell such wide-reaching stories. It’s an amazing feeling to reach audiences far and wide—and Disney make that all happen.

Why do you think storytelling is so important at Disney?

Disney has been a part of my life since I was born; it has something for everyone, and it’s something we’ve all grown up with. We watched Disney stories as little kids, we watched Disney stories as teenagers, and we’re still watching Disney stories as adults. Disney stories are relatable at any age—and in today’s world, we need those stories to process our own emotions and feelings about everything that’s going on. I think a lot of people feel pressure to keep everything inside, but when you watch these stories, it’s like an emotional catharsis, right? The stories allow you to feel your feelings while you’re feeling a character’s feelings.

What is the secret to telling a really good story?

Authenticity—really getting into a character’s lived experience. For us, it’s also medical accuracy. Understanding medical cases from the beginning to the end allows us to find the real, emotional moments that the people who are going through those things might feel.

How has your storytelling perspective changed from the beginning of your career until now?

There’s the obvious one: I’m older! I got married and had a kid on the show, and with those things comes a maturity that I think we all hope to come to as adults. It’s really nice that I’ve had almost 20 years to reflect on how I tell stories differently. The history of the show—knowing what has been successful and what hasn’t been—has evolved how I tell stories. And now that I know how hard it is to shoot certain scenes, I also want to make sure that I’m doing everything responsibly and safely. I always have that going on in the back of my head, as someone who’s now in a leadership role. I often have to ask myself, “Is this story financially responsible? Is this safe to shoot for the cast and crew?” It’s things like that.

Which stories are you most proud of telling on Grey’s Anatomy?

I’m not bragging, but I’m so proud of so many! I’m just grateful I’ve gotten to do it. When you first start out, you can’t believe that you got this job. And then when an episode airs, you’re like, “I can’t believe it!” You can’t help but be proud. But some highlights for me include anything with a catastrophe on location—things like the tunnel collapse or the wind storm. Those require huge collaborations between all the different departments. I’m so proud of all the teamwork that goes into making those, because it’s one thing to write it on the page, but it’s another thing for a group of people to build something out of nothing.

I was very proud of the episode [Disney Legend Ellen Pompeo] directed, about Maggie’s mom dying. It was just so wonderful to watch Ellen in that new role—and gosh, she was amazing! I also love that episode because going through the death of a parent is so universal. That one that really resonated with the fans…. I was really proud of part of the 350th episode, were Meredith had to fight for her medical license. It was my love letter to Meredith Grey—what she meant to all of her patients and what she means to all the fans.

Grey’s Anatomy is a very quotable series. Do you have any favorite lines?

I’m grateful that people think that it’s good enough to quote! There are some lines you read in a script and you’re like, “Oh… that’s going to be a meme!” And most of them are Bailey’s lines. I’m personally a sucker for the Meredith/Ellis dynamic, so any of the “extraordinary or ordinary” lines from the early seasons always resonate with me. Cristina’s line about the E.R.—”It’s like candy, but with blood, which is so much better”—is a good one. The comedy on our show is so specific, and that’s a credit to the writers and to Shonda Rhimes. I always say to new members of the staff, “If you think you’ve heard it, erase it, because that’s what this show is so good at—inventing new terms, flipping jokes upside down, and saying the opposite of what you think a person might say.” That’s what keeps the show interesting. I mean, Grey’s has named body part! You can’t get bigger than that, right?

New episodes of Grey’s Anatomy are just what the doctor ordered.

Grey’s Anatomy—the longest-running primetime medical drama in television history—returns for its landmark 20th season Thursday, March 14, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, picking up in the immediate aftermath of the two-part Season 19 finale. “It’s been quite a while since our cliffhanger,” says showrunner Meg Marinis. “We handle in a great way that will help people feel like they just watched the last episode. I’m pretty proud of how we did it.”

With Dr. Meredith Grey (Disney Legend Ellen Pompeo) rethinking her research plans, Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) struggling with his sobriety, Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) collapsing in the middle of surgery, and the interns losing a patient, the season premiere covers a lot of ground. “We do not abandon any of the mess that we left,” says Marinis. “I didn’t foresee the break [between seasons] being as long as it was, but we intentionally left things in messy places because we were excited to pick things back up.”

As previously announced, Season 20 will feature the return of two-fan favorite doctors, Arizona Robbins (guest star Jessica Capshaw) and Nico Kim (guest star Alex Landi). That’s because Grey’s Anatomy has an “open-door policy” for former cast members to return, Marinis explains. “In our minds, the characters keep in touch offscreen, just like real people do.” In the case of Dr. Robbins, “You’re going to get everything that you loved Arizona for: You’re going to see her laugh, you’re going to see her challenge people, and you’re going to see her practicing amazing medicine. People will be really satisfied to see her. When I heard her laugh on set, it was like, ‘Oh! She’s home.’ It was so nice to have her for a visit.”

Season 20 will also introduce new characters, including Monica Beltran (guest star Natalie Morales), a best-in-class pediatric surgeon whose willingness to push boundaries can be both admirable and aggravating. “This no-nonsense, very practical, pragmatic surgeon walks into a hospital that’s filled with emotional doctors, so it’s really fun to see them butt heads,” Marinis says. Introducing new characters like Dr. Beltran 20 seasons into the series’ run is “so important,” she adds, “because that new dynamic brings things out from our existing characters that we’ve never seen before. It’s so amazing to discover new things about characters who’ve been there for so long, just by putting a new person in the room.”

Thanks to its ensemble cast—which includes Chandra Wilson, Kevin McKidd, Caterina Scorsone, Camilla Luddington, Jake Borelli, Chris Carmack, Anthony Hill, Scott Speedman, Alexis Floyd, Harry Shum Jr., Adelaide Kane, Midori Francis, and Niko Terho—the Grey’s Anatomy writers have no shortage of stories to tell heading into Season 20.

In addition to consistently being ABC’s No. 1 scripted series, Grey’s Anatomy has regularly been one of Hulu’s top performing next-day titles. Thanks to streaming—all 420 episodes are now exclusively available on Hulu—the series continues to grow its fanbase. “It boils down to the characters that Shonda Rhimes created,” Marinis says. “Those relationships, dating back to Season 1, are timeless. They’ll always hold up. Being at the start of your career, competing with people, working so hard that you don’t have time to do your laundry or go on dates so you’re just hanging out with the people you’re going through fire with—that’s relatable in any field, and in any generation. Romantic relationships are timeless. Mentor/mentee relationships are timeless. There is so much that people can identify with.”

If you need 9-1-1, you can reach it by dialing into a new network. After airing for six seasons on FOX, the hit drama is now on ABC.

“This crew has completely stepped up to the historic challenge of moving the No. 1 show in television from one network to another,” said Karey Burke, president of 20th Television. While the network is new, the thrills and excitement customary to 9-1-1 will remain intact for audiences of the show.

Viewers should prepare to hold their breaths as season seven kicks off with Athena Grant (Academy Award® nominee Angela Bassett) and Bobby Nash (Emmy® Award nominee Peter Krause) taking their long-awaited honeymoon aboard a cruise ship—but unbeknownst to them, it’s one that’ll soon be hijacked by terrorists.

The season premiere, airing Thursday, March 14, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, will also find a civilian trapped in a fighter jet, helping to kick off an action-packed three-episode arc.

“We just wanted to show up at ABC and put our worst foot forward,” joked series co-creator and showrunner Tim Minear, “and do a big disaster.”

Adding depth to the thrills are the familiar characters that audiences have come to know and love. “This is a family of people who work together and love each other through thick and through thin,” said Krause, before noting “it’s mostly thick.”

Along with Bassett and Krause, the cast that makes up that family is rounded out by Jennifer Love Hewitt, Oliver Stark, Kenneth Choi, Aisha Hinds, and Ryan Guzman.

“The thing about 9-1-1 is that it can be a rom-com, it can be a soap, it can be satire, it can be a heartbreaking melodrama. It can be all of those things in the same episode,” said Minear. “The canvas on this show is absolutely unlimited.”

And audiences are ready for the latest swarm of disasters, with the Season 7 trailer already amassing 5.1 million views.

“We’re still in the same walls, the same set, the same lot,” Bassett noted. “A lot of it feels familiar, and that part is good.”

But with a new home comes added perks. “The thing that’s exciting about ABC is it feels like the first year of the show in a lot of ways. The enthusiasm at the network is through the roof. The promotions are fantastic,” said Minear. “I just think it’s a shot in the arm for all of us.”

“To have this new infusion,” Bassett added, “it does feel brand-new.”

9-1-1—created by Brad Falchuk, Minear, and Ryan Murphy – will also hit a major milestone during its run on ABC: It’s set to air its 100th episode on Thursday, April 4.

While the show has built up a devoted fan base over the years that has grown to know the characters, the cast and crew are prepared to allow new audiences into those dynamics quickly and seamlessly.

“Maybe there are going to be some ABC viewers who aren’t familiar with the show,” Minear said. “We’re not taking for granted that everybody’s going to know who these characters are. So, I’ve been careful to make sure that it’s in the scenes.”

And what’s Minear’s message to loyal viewers who know the show on another network?

“Come on over.”

Starting one hour earlier than usual, the 96th Oscars on ABC drew an average audience of 19.5 million Total Viewers and scored a 3.81 rating among Adults 18-49 based on Fast National Live+Same Day program data.

• “The Oscars” hit a 4-year high in Total Viewers (19.5 million) – since the 2020 broadcast.

• “The Oscars” grew for the 3rd straight year in Total Viewers, improving over last year’s broadcast by nearly 1 million viewers (19.5 million vs. 18.8 million).

• ABC’s broadcast of the 96th Oscars peaked in the final half-hour (10:00-10:29 p.m.) with 21.9 million Total Viewers.

• The 96th Oscars stood as the strongest awards show telecast on any network in 4 years in Total Viewers (19.5 million) – since ABC’s broadcast of the 2020 Oscars on 2/9/20.

• The 2024 Oscars also ranked as the top entertainment special in primetime on any network in 4 years in Total Viewers (19.5 million) – since ABC’s broadcast of the 2020 Oscars on 2/9/20.

• With 19.5 million Total Viewers, “The Oscars” on ABC outdrew “The GRAMMYS®” on CBS by 14% (17.1 million on 2/4/24) and “The Golden Globes®” by 105% (9.5 million on 1/7/24) and “The 75th Emmy Awards®” on Fox by 333% (4.5 million on 1/15/24).

• The 96th Oscars ranked as the No. 1 most social program on Sunday, generating 28.5 million total social interactions and growing 4% from last year’s ceremony (27.4 million).

• “The Oscars” stood as the No. 1 entertainment program of the year to date in terms of social video consumption with 71.8 million video views.

• #Oscars was the No. 1 trending topic in the U.S. on X throughout the telecast and the No. 1 most used X hashtag worldwide on Sunday.

• Following the 96th Oscars, a special original telecast of “Abbott Elementary” scored new series highs in both Total Viewers (6.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.42 rating).

• Excluding repeats, “Abbott Elementary” delivered the highest-rated telecast for any sitcom on any network in nearly 4 years among Adults 18-49 (1.42 rating) – since the series finale of ABC’s “ModernFamily” on 4/8/20.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast National Live+Same Day Program Ratings for 3/10/24 and National Live+Same Day Program Ratings, unless stated otherwise. Talkwalker Social Content Ratings, based on linear episode-level interactions, U.S.-based activity, 1/1-3/10/24. Twitter Trending Archive, Worldwide Twitter Trends, 3/10/24.

Before the 96th Oscars airs live coast to coast on ABC, get all the details on this year’s ceremony, from the host and the nominees to the presenters and the performers—plus pre- and post-awards coverage featuring all the stars, the fashions, and, of course, the films.

How and when can I watch the Oscars pre-shows?

Leading up to Hollywood’s biggest night, the Good Morning America team will interview Jimmy Kimmel, who will host the show, and Wolfgang Puck, who is crafting the menu for the Governors Ball, the official post-Oscars celebration. GMA‘s Lara Spencer will report from the red carpet on Thursday, March 7, and Friday, March 8, and Whit Johnson will co-anchor the Saturday and Sunday broadcasts of Good Morning America live from Hollywood.

On Friday, March 8, and Monday, March 11, ABC News’ DeMarco Morgan and Eva Pilgrim and chief health and medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton will originate special editions of GMA3: What You Need to Know from the red carpet and live from the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, respectively. In addition to interviews with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer, Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘s Guillermo Rodriguez, and Academy social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent Amelia Dimoldenberg, there will be segments highlighting the Best Costume Design nominees; a tour of the Academy’s museum, library, and archive; and more. In the March 11 broadcast, comedian Roy Wood Jr. will share his takes on all the winners from the big night. Also, on March 8, Linsey Davis will anchor a special edition of ABC News Live Prime live from the red carpet.

ABC News will broadcast Countdown to Oscars: On the Red Carpet Live! on Sunday, March 10, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. The pre-show coverage will begin streaming on ABC News Live at the same time and continue throughout the day until the start of the Oscars ceremony. Davis and Johnson will host live from the red carpet, where they will preview the ceremony and interview nominees and presenters and share an exclusive preview of the Governors Ball. The pre-show will also feature ABC News’ Pilgrim, Morgan, Chris Connelly, Kelley Carter, and Mike Muse, in addition to Variety‘s Clayton Davis and celebrity stylist Joe Zee.

Local red carpet coverage starts Sunday, March 10, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT with Countdown to Oscars: On The Red Carpet Live and will continue at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT with On The Red Carpet at the Oscars, hosted by George Pennacchio with Roshumba Williams, Leslie Lopez, and Rachel Brown. Watch all the action from the red carpet live on ABC or stream each show live on OnTheRedCarpet.com or On the Red Carpet’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

At 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on ABC, Vanessa Hudgens and Julianne Hough will host The Oscars Red Carpet Show, the official lead-in to the 96th Oscars. This will mark Hough’s inaugural year and Hudgens’ third consecutive year hosting the official pre-show. The 30-minute special will highlight Oscar nominees, performers, and presenters, and provide a multi-view experience of the red carpet arrivals, showing viewers every can’t-miss moment from Hollywood’s biggest night. The pre-show is executive produced by David Chamberlin.

Want more Oscars? Tune in to the all-new Oscars On the Red Carpet Encore Unlocked Channel to see memorable moments from years past during the epic celebration that takes place on Hollywood’s biggest night. The fashion, glamour, and star power can currently be streamed for free 24/7—with no sign-in needed—in the ABC app (available on iOS and Android), on ABC.com, or via connected devices using Amazon Fire TV, AppleTV, and Roku.

When are The Oscars on TV?

Live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, the 96th Oscars will take place Sunday, March 10, and air live beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide. Viewers can also watch on abc.com and the ABC app* by authenticating with their provider. An American Sign Language (ASL) livestream with Deaf Interpreters will accompany the 96th Oscars broadcast, also starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

How else can I get real-time Oscars updates?

GoodMorningAmerica.com, the Good Morning Americasocialmediaaccounts, and ABCNews.com will have live coverage of the red carpet and awards show beginning at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on March 10. Additionally, ABC Audio will have full coverage of Oscars night. Live reports will be heard throughout the evening on ABC News Radio affiliates across the U.S., along with full audio, video, and written recaps of big moments on March 11.

Who are this year’s Oscar nominees?

The Walt Disney Company received a combined 20 nominations across its Walt Disney Studios, content brands, and platforms, including 20th Century Studios, Disney+, Hulu, Lucasfilm Ltd., Marvel Studios, National Geographic Documentary Films, Pixar Animation Studios, and Searchlight Pictures. Poor Things leads with 11, followed by The Creator with two. Bobi Wine: The People’s President, Elemental, Flamin’ Hot, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Last Repair Shop, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó each received one. (See the full breakdown of The Walt Disney Company’s nominations here.) ABC offers a printable ballot so fans can play along and predict who will go home a winner!

Stream select Oscar-nominated films now on Disney+ and Hulu.

How do I play Oscars Pick ‘Em?

Visit abc.com and make at least one pick to get started. Winning picks are worth 10 points, and each pick will lock at the time indicated on the matchup. The grand prize winner will receive an Oscars All-Star Winner prize package: a three-day/two-night trip for two to Los Angeles and tickets to the 2025 Oscars Watch Party at the Academy Museum, plus $5,000. Also, there are 10 first prize packs that each include an official Oscars water bottle, a shirt, a notebook, playing cards, and an embroidered cap. Click here for the official rules.

Who is the hosting the 2024 Oscars?

Emmy Award-winning late-night talk show host Kimmel will once again do the honors, marking his fourth time since 2017. “After his triumphant return to the Oscars stage last year, we are honored to have Jimmy back to guide us through one of the most beloved celebrations in entertainment,” says Craig Erwich, president of ABC Entertainment, Hulu, and Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals. “He is such a valuable member of our Disney family, and we could not be more appreciative of him and his entire team.”

Quips Kimmel, “I always dreamed of hosting the Oscars exactly four times.”

“What sets the Oscars apart from other live events?” Kimmel asks. “Well, it’s not as sweaty as the Super Bowl. It’s classier than any of the other award shows. This is the big one. It’s the granddaddy of them all, and everybody is aware of that and pretty excited to be there.”

Who is presenting at the Oscars?

Mahershala Ali, Emily Blunt, Bad Bunny, Nicolas, Cage, Jamie Lee Curtis, Cynthia Erivo, America Ferrera, Sally Field, Brendan Fraser, Ryan Gosling, Ariana Grande, Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Ben Kingsley, Jessica Lange, Jennifer Lawrence, Melissa McCarthy, Matthew McConaughey, Kate McKinnon, Rita Moreno, John Mulaney, Lupita Nyong’o, Catherine O’Hara, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ke Huy Quan, Issa Rae, Tim Robbins, Sam Rockwell, Octavia Spencer, Steven Spielberg, Mary Steenburgen, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlize Theron, Christoph Waltz, Forest Whitaker, Michelle Yeoh, Ramy Youssef, and Zendaya are all confirmed to present at the Academy Awards.

Who is performing at the Oscars?

This year’s Best Original Song nominees and performers are as follows:

• “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot – Performed by Becky G
• “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie – Performed by Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson
• “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony – Performed by Jon Batiste
• “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon – Performed by Scott George and the Osage Singers
• “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie – Performed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell

Who is on the Oscars’ creative team?

Showrunner Raj Kapoor is executive producing the ceremony with Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan, with Hamish Hamilton returning to direct for the fourth time. Kenny Gravillis is the creative director; Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley are the production designers; Chamberlin is the red carpet show executive producer; and Lisa Love and Raúl Àvila are the red carpet creative consultants. Also returning are co-executive producer Rob Paine; talent producer Taryn Hurd; producers Sarah Levine Hall, Erin Irwin, and Jennifer Sharron; music director Rickey Minor; and lighting designers Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz.

“Having worked with Raj, Katy, and Hamish on many special and memorable projects over the years, we have full confidence in their vision for the 96th Oscars,” says Rob Mills, Executive Vice President, Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, Walt Disney Television. “Their creativity, infectious energy, and sincere love for the movies will be the ticket to making this year’s ceremony a night to remember.”

Writers include Jamie Abrahams, Rory Albanese, Amberia Allen, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Bryan Cook, Blaire Erskine, Devin Field, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Eric Immerman, Jesse Joyce, Kimmel, Carol Leifer, Jon Macks, Mitch Marchand, Greg Martin, Jesse McLaren, McNearney, Keaton Patti, Danny Ricker, Louis Virtel, and Troy Walker. “This was an exceptional year for movies,” says McNearney, who returns to executive produce for the second consecutive year. “I’ve watched every single one of them, and I can’t wait to see all of the [nominees] in one room. It’s really exciting to connect with an audience at home, who I believe also felt really joyful watching all of these movies.”

What’s airing on ABC after the Oscars?

Immediately following the ceremony, ABC will broadcast a new episode of the Emmy-, Golden Globe-, and Peabody Award-winning comedy Abbott Elementary. In “Willard R. Abbott,” Abbott Elementary is deemed a Philadelphia historical landmark, much to the delight of Ava Coleman (Janelle James) and Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson) and the chagrin of Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter). The school plans a celebration honoring its namesake, but not everything goes as planned.

Good Morning America will air its signature “Oscars After Party” on March 11, live from Times Square. It will include post-show updates, as well as Spencer’s backstage interviews. Later that day, GMA3 hosts Morgan, Pilgrim, and Dr. Ashton will originate a special edition of the broadcast from the red carpet and live from the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

Meanwhile, Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, and the Live team will work through the Oscars Sunday in preparation for TV’s biggest morning of the year! The fan-favorite After the Oscars special will air live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood at 9 a.m. ET/PT on Monday, March 11, and feature unforgettable moments with the winners—captured the moment they walk offstage. Live’s highest-rated show of the year will take place in front of a supersized audience and include musical performances, fashion panels—and much more!

*Livestream on abc.com and the ABC app is available with a participating TV provider account in select markets only. Visit abc.com/faq for details.

Disney, Good Morning America, and Make-A-Wish concluded the 100 Disney Wishes series on Sunday, December 31, which shared powerful and inspirational stories from 100 wishes on Good Morning America and its digital and social platforms, as well as ABC stations across the country, in honor of The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary.

The 100 Disney Wishes series kicked off Monday, October 16, with an on-air surprise for 8-year-old Madison, who wished to visit Walt Disney World Resort. Since then, Good Morning America and ABC stations, reported on another 99 Disney wishes across the broadcast and its digital and social platforms, including wish reveal moments, Disney wishes granted throughout the year, and a look back on other powerful stories from the more than 150,000 wishes Make-A-Wish and Disney have granted together for kids with critical illnesses since 1980. The heart-warming wish stories featured on Good Morning America included Raelyn’s wish to be a Pixar pastry chef; Connor’s Star Wars wish for a signed Boba Fett helmet; Carter’s special visit to EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort; Caleb’s Buffalo Bills Wish with ESPN; and many more. The series concluded with a heartwarming feature on Aulani Wish Week—a week-long event dreamed up for 20 wish kids and their families to experience the magic of Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii.

The largest wish-granting event ever held at Disney’s Aulani Resort, the unforgettable Aulani Wish Week was jam-packed with magical Disney and Make-A-Wish touches, including a dinner party with Stitch and Angel and the beloved KA WA’A Lū’au, which was brimming with rich Hawaiian traditions, delicious food, and enchanting performances.

During the week, 11-year-old wish kid Elijah’s wish was granted. While fighting an aggressive form of bone cancer, his life was changed by a music therapist, whose guitar melodies provided solace and momentarily interrupted his pain. Music is a beautiful and meaningful part of Hawaiian culture, and guests will often hear the delightful chords of the ‘ukulele fill Aulani Resort—making the perfect wish fit for Elijah.

This unique event was filled with tropical surprises, heartwarming moments, and activities catered to each child’s wish, while also creating a supportive community of kids and families sharing in the wish experience together.

“Our goal always at Make-A-Wish is to deliver strength and hope and joy when it’s needed most. And that’s what this week is all about,” said Trini Kaopuiki Clark, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Hawaii. “With multiple families here, not only is each child and their family having the times of their lives and creating memories that will last a lifetime, but they’re also able to connect with other families and share about their journey and support each other.”

For more than 40 years, Disney and Make-A-Wish have worked together to deliver joy when it’s needed most to wish kids and their families, and Disney is honored to be the world’s largest wish granter for Make-A-Wish. The entire Disney family works with Make-A-Wish to grant life-changing wishes, including theme park and resort vacations, cruises, shopping sprees, studio visits, talent meet-and-greets, sports-themed experiences, and more.

To learn more about how Disney and Make-A-Wish continue to create magical wishes together, visit wish.org/disney.

For over a century, Disney has created a legacy of making wishes come true, whether it is on a star, from a genie, in a wishing well, or through collaborations with wish-granting organizations like Make-A-Wish. ABC News’ Good Morning America marked The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary by teaming up with Make-A-Wish to celebrate 100 transformational wishes on the broadcast. The monthslong effort kicked off Monday, October 16, with a surprise for 8-year-old Madison, who battled cancer over the past year:

Goofy joined Madison and her family at the GMA studios in New York City to receive the very special message. Madison completed her medical treatment in early August and wished to have a magical family vacation at Walt Disney World Resort. This morning, Madison received a message from her favorite princess, Tiana, sharing the news that her wish is about to come true, including gifts from shopDisney to make her trip extra special.

“For 100 years, Disney has been a force of good throughout the world—and what better way to celebrate this incredible milestone than through our partnership with Make-A-Wish, where we have fulfilled more than 150,000 wishes over the last several decades,” Lisa Haines, SVP, Corporate Social Responsibility, The Walt Disney Company, said.

GMA‘s “The Power of Wishes” campaign will see 100 wishes fulfilled and shared on America’s most-watched morning newscast through December. The wishes will also be highlighted across GMA‘s digital and social platforms, as well across local ABC stations.

“So many Disney characters were part of our viewers’ lives growing up,” said Simone Swink, executive producer of GMA. “I hope this morning’s celebration—and the wishes we are fulfilling—are all a part of making new memories with the families that watch GMA and love Disney. Every morning on GMA we have the opportunity to share and enrich people’s lives in the ways that matter most to our viewers. Using our platform to inform and for the greater good is our top priority—a great way to celebrate Disney’s 100th!”

In 1981, Disney granted the first official wish to Frank “Bopsy” Salazar at the Disneyland Resort.  Now, over 40 years later, Disney has grown this relationship, granting its 150,000th wish this year to 16-year-old Mikayla who began her battle fighting cancer three years ago.

Along with granting this landmark wish, Disney has gone bigger to create magical experiences in 2023 to support Make-A-Wish, including launching the Wish Together campaign, Disney Create 100, dedicated windows at the Disneyland Resort, custom Florida license plates, the ‘Once Upon A Wish Party,’ and more. Many Disney cast members are also wish-granting volunteers, parents of wish kids, or wish alumni themselves.

Disney is committed to delivering joy and comfort to children facing serious illness and to the people who care for them by providing transformative experiences including theme park and resort vacations, cruises, shopping sprees, studio visits, talent meet-and-greets, sports-themed experiences, and more. Every wish granted allows kids to feel like kids while creating special memories with their families. These moments of normalcy inspire hope for a brighter future and the majority of kids go on to beat their illness and live fulfilling lives, often crediting their wish for giving them the physical and emotional strength they needed to fight.

To learn more about how Disney and Make-A-Wish create magic together, visit wish.org/disney.

Good things take time. After years of anticipation, The Golden Bachelor debuts on ABC this Thursday when audiences will join charming 72-year-old patriarch Gerry Turner on his journey to find love again.

A retired restaurateur and doting father and grandfather, Gerry lives in his dream house on a beautiful lake in Indiana. He’s often busy hosting barbecues, playing pickleball, cheering on his favorite Chicago sports teams, four-wheeling, and spending time with friends and family at restaurants and local haunts. Always a romantic, Gerry married his high school sweetheart, Toni, in 1974. Together, they lived a full and happy life with their two daughters, Angie and Jenny, and later two granddaughters, Charlee and Payton. Sadly, after 43 years together, Toni suddenly fell ill and passed away in 2017.

Six years after Toni’s passing and with the support of his family, Gerry is ready to put himself out there and find a love that will stand the test of time in his golden years.

Though part of the storied Bachelor franchise, The Golden Bachelor is a new kind of love story rarely depicted in media, generating a fervent level of buzz before it has even premiered. Building on the cultural conversation, striking the right tone, attracting the existing fan base and drawing in a new audience is no easy feat, so we sat down with Erin Weir, EVP of Marketing for ABC and Disney Entertainment Television, to learn more.

Behind every great marketing campaign is a strategy with cohesive positioning and messaging. Can you describe the macro-level creative approach to this campaign? The Golden Bachelor is showing us a love story that hasn’t been widely told—and the time is right to change that. We’ve designed a campaign that is tonally heartfelt, optimistic and full of hope. It’s never too late to fall in love… again. In our audience approach, we’re of course saturating our beloved Bachelor Nation but also connecting with a mass broad audience—who are lapsed or completely new to the franchise.

What are the most important messages you want to get across, and are there any tropes or stereotypes you are looking to avoid?

When launching a big priority, we often talk about “event-izing.” A smart member of our team coined the term “communit-izing,” and it’s been a rallying cry for our team on this campaign. We want the campaign to be pervasive but most importantly connected to our viewers. We want people to be invested in Gerry, to support him and come together to have a shared experience as his journey unfolds. There is a warmth and relatability to this show that is resonating with viewers.

How do you want audiences to feel when interacting with the marketing creative for The Golden Bachelor?

As soon as we announced the show, we felt the outpouring of positivity and curiosity from viewers. And we’ve made a moment out of each announcement. First, we revealed Gerry as our Golden Bachelor and that announcement was the most successful announcement of a Bachelor ever with nearly 300 million combined impressions across social platforms and press. And, of course, once Gerry was announced, the next question was who are the women? And the answer to that is a stunning, impressive group of women that we introduced in a long-form video so that we could hear their stories directly from them. That cast reveal reached over 36 million social media views in under a week.

Speaking of the Bachelor franchise, what do you think is the central thread across all the shows that has built such a fervent Bachelor Nation fanbase? And how do you tap into that for the marketing campaigns? The Bachelor franchise is the unrivaled gold standard when it comes to dating shows, and Bachelor Nation is made up of some of the most passionate and engaged fans across any franchise. We’re bringing them along on this new journey through dedicated engagement and retargeting tactics.

What makes this campaign different from others? 

It’s a very special show. And it’s no surprise that fans are as invested in Gerry as we are. Let the golden journey begin!

One New York City institution had its 75 anniversary this week and another helped to celebrate.

The NYC landmark and world-famous Empire State Building lit up in ABC7 Eyewitness News blue on Thursday to celebrate the beloved station’s jubilee. New York City Mayor Eric Adams also declared August 10 as “WABC-TV Day” throughout the Big Apple.

ABC7 has been a mainstay for the New York area for decades by covering some of the most important cultural events and newsworthy moments in the city’s history.

“Over 75 years, this team has reported on some of the biggest stories in the city’s history,” Marilu Galvez, WABC President and General Manager, told employees on Thursday. “From the 9/11 attacks to the NYC blackouts, and of course, the most recent Covid pandemic—to name a few—you’ve been there for it all, providing breaking news, critical reporting, and important—often lifesaving—resources from the front lines.”

Galvez added, “We don’t just report on issues; we roll up our sleeves and do everything we can to support, celebrate and entertain New Yorkers.”

“We shine a light on important organizations and community defining events like the NYC Marathon, the annual NYC Pride March, and the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, among others,” she said. “And of course, we bring viewers the No. 1 syndicated daytime talk show with Live with Kelly and Mark, as well as America’s favorite gameshows, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.”

Chad Matthews, president of ABC Owned Television Stations, added he’s “incredibly proud of all the amazing work, dedication, and community partnerships from the WABC and Live with Kelly and Mark teams that led to today’s milestone anniversary.”

“I have no doubt this talented team will continue the excellence that our audience expects for many years to come,” he said.

WABC-TV is the No. 1 station in the country and has held that position for more than 20 years. It produces more than 45 hours of live, local news and weather each week, Channel 7 Eyewitness News is the most-watched local news in New York and the United States.

“I always say our people are the best in the business and this amazing milestone and WABC’s long reign as the No. 1 station in the country is a shining example,” said Debra OConnell, president, Disney Entertainment Television Networks & TV Business Operations.

Mayor Adams dedicated the anniversary by saying that WABC has always been there to give New Yorkers “real information and allow people to familiarize themselves with how we navigate the challenging times.”

“Lighting the Empire State Building the color that is representative of this station is only because you have lit our hearts for over 75 years,” he added.