By LEANNE ITALIE, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Mikey Madison, Timothée Chalamet, Danielle Deadwyler, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. The list of celebrities with red carpet wow momentum at the Oscars is long.

Julianne Hough kicked things off Sunday in an elegant light beige ethereal look straight off the Christian Dior spring 2025 runway.

The 97th Oscars come less than two months after the devastating Los Angeles fires subdued carpet dressing for a time. As the city moves into rebuild mode, stars have been upping their fashion games heading into the biggest awards night of the season.

Julianne Hough arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Some are notable for playing it glam but safe.

Like Margot Robbie’s Barbie pink, Grande has been mostly sticking to a far paler hue, her signature and an homage to her “Wicked” good witch, Glinda. Castmate and carpet bestie Erivo has always taken fashion risks. She ditched her Elphaba black for last week’s Screen Actors Guild awards, opting for a silver Givenchy look with a high shaggy collar worthy of her bad witch role.

Chalamet has been all over the place on carpet dressing as he navigates his Bob Dylan attention from “A Complete Unknown.” At the SAGs, he married a bright brat green button-up shirt from Chrome Hearts with a shiny black leather suit and a bolo tie as he continues to channel the real-life icon he plays.

 

Deadwyler is a risk-taker, too. She wore a bright red strapless 3D structured tiered gown from Louis Vuitton at the SAGs.

Some planning to attend as nominees and presenters have generated fashion buzz for different reasons. Jeremy Strong wore a mint green velvet Loro Piana suit with a bucket hat in the same color to the Golden Globes. His white turtleneck topped it all off. He’s nominated for supporting actor at the Oscars.

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At the SAGs, strong wore a different shade of green. It was a dusty green for a custom Haans Nicholas Mott suit with satin shawl lapels. He wore it with a bowtie.

Madison, a new fashion darling, was among several stars to go vintage at the recent dinner for Oscar nominees. The star of “Anora” wore a dark blue velvet gown by Bill Blass from 1987. She collected a BAFTA award earlier this month in a custom Prada in ivory, accessorizing with a long matching stole and a vintage Tiffany & Co. diamond necklace.

She also went Hollywood bombshell at the SAGs with a strapless silver Louis Vuitton look with a large pleated bow at the waist. She’s been working with stylist Jamie Mizrahi, who has dressed Adele and Jennifer Lawrence, among many other celebs.

Mario Lopez arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Kensington Tallman arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Quenlin Blackwell arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Bowen Yang, center, and Matt Rogers arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Julianne Hough arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Nic Kaufmann arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Amelia Dimoldenberg arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Nischelle Turner arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Wolfgang Puck holding a statuette arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It’s almost time to see how the biggest nailbiter Oscar season of recent years concludes.

Stars are converging at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday for the 97th annual Academy Awards, which will undoubtedly see some first-time Oscar winners in top categories.

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It’s the second year the Oscars are starting earlier in the hope that the best picture award will be announced before audiences go to bed.

The best picture race has been a real horserace this year, with “Anora” and “Conclave” scooping up top awards at other shows in recent weeks. “Emilia Pérez,” the leading nominee this year, has had its Oscar chances upended by the surfacing of racist tweets by star Karla Sofía Gascón, so it remains to be seen how often the divisive Netflix narco-musical has its name out after the envelopes are opened Sunday.

The Oscars red carpet is a major fashion showcase. Oscar nominees and winners from past, present and future pose and mingle ahead of the ceremony. The Associated Press has a livestream of stars’ arrivals available below:

Here’s how to watch and other key things to know before Sunday’s show:

What time do the Oscars start?

The Oscars start at 7 p.m. Eastern, 4 p.m. PST. ABC is available with an antenna or through cable and satellite providers.

How can I stream the Oscars?

The show is being livestreamed this year on Hulu. It’s also available on services offering live streaming of ABC such as Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and FuboTV.

I don’t live in the U.S. How can I watch the Oscars?

The Oscars are widely broadcast beyond the United States.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has a handy guide to dozens of international territories that have Oscar telecasts.

What’s likely to win and how can I watch the nominated films?

AP Film Writers Jake Coyle and Lindsey Bahr have made their predictions for this year’s show. And for the first time, you can make your own predictions on APNews.

This year’s nominees are widely available on streaming platforms. The AP has compiled a guide of where to watch, whether you’re trying to cram a film in before the show or catching up after the awards.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid is done for the season, at last shut down following the lingering effects of knee surgery.

The final answer on the perpetual will-he or won’t-he play tonight question that canvassed the 76ers’ season came Friday when the Sixers said Embiid was “medically unable to play” and will focus on treatment and rehabilitation of his left knee.

Uncertainty, however, remains in Philadelphia.

Is Embiid finished for good? At the very least, as a productive All-Star player?

Are the 76ers faced with years of mediocrity or worse with fat contracts tied to aging, unproductive players all while facing the possibility of losing a first-round pick this season?

There are no easy answers for team president Daryl Morey headed into the offseason and Embiid’s uncertain future only complicates any potential long-term success for the Sixers.

“Not what we hoped,” coach Nick Nurse acknowledged Saturday night.

This setback was the latest in a steady string of them with Embiid since the 76ers made him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 draft.

What’s wrong with Embiid?

Embiid’s career has been ravaged by injury — a bone bruise here, a meniscus tear there, a busted orbital bone, a sprained shoulder, tendinitis, torn ligaments, even Bell’s palsy — over a career that started with him missing his first two full seasons.

The latest one: Embiid had meniscus surgery on Feb. 6, 2024, after he was injured when Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga fell on the 7-footer’s left leg. Embiid returned in time for the playoffs, where the 76ers were eliminated by the Sixers in the first round.

Embiid never fully recovered from the knee injury, and he played only 19 games this season.

Nurse said Embiid didn’t have a setback from the knee surgery, it simply never got back to 100% for the 2023 NBA MVP.

“It felt good at times, it felt not as good at times,” Nurse said. “It’s been kind of an up-and-down thing. It gets to the point where it feels a little bit better and he can go play. Then it swells up again and it doesn’t feel that good and he can’t play as well, can’t move as well.”

Embiid could still opt for surgery if rest and rehab doesn’t work and any invasive procedures on his knee could cost him a significant amount of time next season.

What’s next for the 76ers?

The short answer is the same process that got Embiid to the 76ers: Tank.

The 76ers’ first-round pick is top-six protected or else it goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Sixers race to the bottom took a hit when they snapped a nine-game losing streak and beat Golden State on Saturday.

The 76ers are 21-38 headed into Monday’s game against Portland. There are six teams ahead of them with worse records but the Sixers could pass Toronto and Brooklyn with a collapse down the stretch.

The bigger concern for the Sixers is the financial hit.

With no real reason to offer one other than goodwill, the 76ers signed Embiid to a three-year extension before the season, locking him in to four more years at $248.1 million in guaranteed money. The 76ers could get salary cap relief if Embiid’s injury is considered career-ending but that decision can be kicked far down the road.

The Sixers signed Paul George and Tyrese Maxey to $400 million worth of contracts over the summer that — along with Embiid’s contract — puts the franchise on the hook for $146 million in total payroll next season. That leaves the Sixers with little financial flexibility in the offseason and without much talent on the roster from those that stick around.

George turns 35 in May and he’s been riddled with injuries and ineffectiveness in his first season in Philly.

Should he have played in the Olympics?

Embiid conceded this season he didn’t give himself enough time to recover from his knee surgery — and that can be blamed in large part on his decision to play for Team USA in the Olympics.

The 76ers publicly supported Embiid last season in his decision to go for gold (which USA won) but had little input on the decision. Embiid had his moments in the Paris Games but was mostly along for the ride and on the bench when Steph Curry went 3-point crazy in the gold-medal win over France.

Team USA coach Steve Kerr deflected questions on Embiid’s health during the Olympics ahead of the Warriors’ game against the 76ers.

“We’re just playing,” Kerr said Saturday night. “Ultimately, it’s a decision the player has to make.”

Embiid’s legacy

Embiid turns 31 this month, and, given his age and his overall physical condition, it’s absurd to think he can ever regain his MVP form. His career scoring average of 27.7 points ranks only behind Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Luka Doncic on the career list. He dropped 70 points. Won an MVP and two scoring titles. He was a five-time All-NBA selection.

Just on those accolades alone, Embiid would seem destined for the Hall of the Fame. Whether he’s destined for a championship ring, however, is a thought that fades with every extended absence.

Embiid is the only NBA MVP who has never led his team beyond the second round of the playoffs. The Sixers have five second-round exits and were twice eliminated in the first round in his tenure. In a Game 7 loss in the the 2023 East semifinals in Boston, Embiid managed just 15 points on 5-of-18 shooting and he missed all four 3-pointers.

He has never played in more than 68 games in a season and only topped 60 three other seasons.

His absences cloud the legacy of a player who — as elite as anyone in the league when he’s at his best — simply hasn’t shown the durability, in both games played and overall greatness over a decade-long career, required to stamp himself an all-timer.

Don’t rule out the Hall quite yet. Big men Yao Ming, Ralph Sampson and Bill Walton all posted inferior NBA numbers to Embiid over injury-shortened careers (though with great cultural impact) and still made it to Springfield.

ENTERTAINMENT

Andrew Rosendorf

Six Points Theater, St. Paul, announced that playwright Andrew Rosendorf has been named director of Wellsprings and new play development. Rosendorf’s work has been produced or developed at numerous theaters nationwide. The theater’s Wellsprings program advances development of works with a Jewish perspective.

AGRICULTURE

The Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association announced that Little Timber Farms in Blackduck, Minn., was recognized by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association as a regional winner of the 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program.

ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING

Minneapolis architectural firm Alliiance announced that Amanda Aspenson has joined the firm as a principal, senior project manager and co-leader of the firm’s higher education practice. Aspenson previously was with BWBR, where she was a leader on higher education projects.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Northborne Partners, a Minneapolis-based investment bank, announced the appointment of Dan Davidson as managing director of its health care advisory practice. Davidson previously held leadership roles at Brentwood Capital Advisors.

HEALTH CARE

Fulcrum Health, a Plymouth-based health insurer focused on physical health provisions, announced that its ChiroCare network has been named a 2024 Human Experience Guardian of Excellence Award winner by Press Ganey, a health care market research organization. … R3 Continuum, a Bloomington-based workplace behavioral health care consultant for businesses, announced it has named Sergio Bonadona as vice president of leadership support services. … Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, an Eagan-based health insurer, announced the following changes and additions to its leadership team: Chris Fanning, promoted to chief growth officer; Carey Smith, promoted to chief technology and innovation officer and president of Xcelerate Health, a newly established business unit, and the hire of David Im as chief operating officer.

HONORS

The Economic Development Association of Minnesota announced the following Excellence in Economic Development Award winners: Economic Developer of the Year: Amanda Taylor, Greater MSP; Emerging Professional of the Year: Eric Van Oss, City of Rosemount; Innovation Award (greater Minnesota): goMARTI, (Twin Cities metro): The Heights Community Energy Collaborative Team; Project of the Year (greater Minnesota): Block 52 Redevelopment, Monticello, (Twin Cities Metro): Meta Tech Campus, Rosemount. …  MarketBeat.com, an online financial news outlet, named three Minnesota coffee shops to its list of the best coffee shops in the country for remote work: Wild Grind Coffee, Minneapolis, No. 66; Luminary Coffeehouse, St. Paul, No. 96, and Spyhouse Rochester, Rochester, No. 103.

LAW

Flaherty & Hood, St. Paul, announced the promotion of Nicholas Garcia Lisle (Nico) to senior attorney; Lisle joined the firm in January 2022. … Nationwide employment law firm Jackson Lewis announced that Jennifer A. Nodes has rejoined its Minneapolis office as a principal. Nodes’ litigation practice includes the defense of employers in single and multi-plaintiff actions in state and federal court.

OPENINGS

Five Iron Golf, a national chain offering indoor golf and other recreation activities, announced the opening of its first Minnesota location at 729 N. Washington Ave. Suite D, North Loop, Minneapolis.

REAL ESTATE

Edina Realty, Edina, announced the promotion of Jim Young to president of Edina Realty Title, succeeding Brad Fisher, who is retiring. Young first joined Edina Realty’s Maplewood office in 1996.

RETAIL

Simon, a real estate investment trust focused on shopping malls, announced the following new retailers to its Southdale Center in Edina: Aritzia, Mango, Athleta, JD Sports (apparel); Pandora (jewelry), and CAMP (family recreation).

TECHNOLOGY

AVI Systems, an Eden Prairie-based provider of audio-visual systems for business, announced the following promotions: John Bagnell to executive vice president; Shannon O’Reilly and Roland Schlegel, senior vice presidents; Michael Safranski, senior vice president of operations, and Keith Yandell, senior vice president of innovation. … Calabrio, a Minneapolis-based provider of human resources software and services, announced the appointment of Carl Gillert as chief financial officer. Before joining Calabrio, Gillert served as CFO of Litera.

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