Only two out of the five artists nominated in the category of Best Song at the 2019 Oscars may perform during the Academy’s ABC telecast, leaving three performances out of the February 24 show, alleges a new report by Variety .
The news outlet reported that they have learned only Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar will perform their nominated hits, “Shallow” from A Star is Born and “All The Stars,” Lamar’s collaboration with SZA from the film Black Panther .
The other three honored songs which include Mary Poppins Returns’ “The Place Where Lost Things Go,” RBG’s “I’ll Fight,” and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings” may not be performed live on the telecast, per the Variety story.
Fans will reportedly not get to see Emily Blunt, Jennifer Hudson nor Willie Watson and Tim Blake Nelson perform their tunes. The aforementioned songs will instead be acknowledged at the telecast during the distribution of the category’s awards.
It is believed that the song performance exclusions, an integral part of the academy’s broadcast for many years, added to the length of the nearly three-hour-plus broadcast, and it is rumored that it was in the interest of time as to why the academy may cut the three performances, per the Variety article.
Variety also noted that the Academy has not yet made a formal decision on which songs will be performed.
Thank you @theacademy ?? pic.twitter.com/WK4MtYmsku
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) January 23, 2019
The current telecast has come under scrutiny in recent weeks as it continues to move forward without a formal host in place.
The Academy originally asked comedian and actor Kevin Hart to host the 91st annual awards, but after a series of homophobic tweets were uncovered on his Twitter account from several years past, Hart stepped down from the position.
Hart then took to Twitter and released the following statements regarding his past comments.
I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscar’s….this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018
“I’m sorry that I hurt people… I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again,” Hart continued in a separate statement.
Most recently, Anne Hathaway, who hosted the 2011 awards show alongside James Franco, admitted during an appearance on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live that “sometimes it’s better to go with no host than force something that’s just not working.”
The 91st Annual Academy Awards will air on February 24 on ABC Television.
