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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN And Variety Red Carpet Live At The 98th Academy Awards. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired March 15, 2026 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:33]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: It's Hollywood's biggest night. And the superstars are about to arrive. Who will rule the red carpet? Which movies will take home a statue?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Watch this.
LEONARDO DICAPRIO, ACTOR: Viva la Revolution.
ANNOUNCER: And who will win acting's highest honors?
TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, ACTOR: And being completely sincere.
MICHAEL B. JORDAN, ACTOR: We're talking about freedom, baby. Just power.
JESSIE BUCKLEY, ACTOR: What do you wish to do, Hamnet?
EMMA STONE, ACTOR: Why have you shaved off my hair?
ANNOUNCER: Tonight, those big questions will all be answered. So let's get the party going.
CNN and Variety's Red Carpet Live starts right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN HOST: It's Hollywood's biggest night of the year. You're looking at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, where the stars are already starting to arrive.
Welcome to CNN and Variety's Red Carpet Live. I'm Elizabeth Wagmeister here on the red carpet with my co-host and good friend, Variety co- editor in chief, Ramin Setoodeh.
Hi, Ramin.
RAMIN SETOODEH, VARIETY CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF: Hi, Elizabeth.
WAGMEISTER: We are going to have the best time. I am so excited to be with you at the Oscars.
SETOODEH: I am, too. We're at Hollywood's prom night and I'm really excited.
WAGMEISTER: And you are my prom date. All right, now, right now the red carpet is ready. The stars are arriving. You can already feel the energy. You can hear the energy. The anticipation is building for the 98th Academy Awards Ceremony.
And we've got to talk about the fashion because soon some of the biggest names in the world will come in from this entrance. And we will be bringing you the very first looks at the nominees, at all the performers. And of course, as I said all the fashion surprises.
Now we have a really fun show planned for you all today. Ramin and I are so excited to be here with you, and there are a couple epic showdowns that we are watching tonight.
Ramin, what makes this Oscars so exciting certainly compared to recent years is we really don't know who is going to win. It's a wide open race.
SETOODEH: It's going to be a real nail biter tonight. And the front runners in a lot of the categories are not so clear. And I think one of the biggest surprises is going to be Best Picture. And we're looking at "One Battle After Another," Paul Thomas Anderson's movie, which has 13 nominations. And we have "Sinners" with 16 nominations. More than any film in the history of Oscars. That's more than "Titanic," more than "All About Eve," more than "La La Land."
And then the other category that we're really looking at closely is Best Actor which is going to be a showdown between Michael B. Jordan and Timothee Chalamet, who was the frontrunner for a lot of the season. And now he's kind of lost momentum in the last few days of voting so we're going to see what happens.
WAGMEISTER: Yes. And I mean, the fact that we really don't know who is going to win for Best Picture is a big deal because, as I said in recent years, we were able to predict really everything. The only race that seems to be a lock is Best Actress with Jessie Buckley. Other than that, we really have no idea what's going to happen. Other than the fact that we are about to see the biggest stars in the world come here right down this red carpet.
But first, our first interview of the night is actually a special award winner in a sense because the person who has the most nominations without ever winning, and we're going to have to pick a bone with the Academy over that one. Diane?
SETOODEH: Songwriter Diane Warren is here with us on CNN.
WAGMEISTER: We're live.
SETOODEH: You're joining us on CNN live. Diane hi, how are you?
WAGMEISTER: Yes. So I just teed you up by saying that you are a special award winner in our eyes, because you have the most nominations without ever winning, which we are personally upset about. Your 17th nomination tonight. DIANE WARREN, BEST ORIGINAL SONG NOMINEE, "DEAR ME": It is. You never
know. It could change. Or if it doesn't, I become the literal -- I'm tied with somebody right now. I'm tied with my friend Greg Russell. We're both at 16 for zero.
SETOODEH: Diane, do you have a speech prepared? You've come to the Oscars 17 times now waiting to win. Do you have a speech tonight?
WARREN: You know what? I didn't write one this time. I'm going to wing it. If that happens, I'm winging it.
WAGMEISTER: So I have a question.
WARREN: I know what I want to say.
WAGMEISTER: Does this mean that you've written a speech 16 times and maybe the good luck charm is you didn't write it for 17?
WARREN: It could be. I usually do write something down. This time I'm like, you know, if it happens, I'm just going to go up there, and if I'm conscious, I'm going to go up there and I know what I want to say.
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WAGMEISTER: I mean, 17 nominations, does it ever get old being nominated for an Oscar?
WARREN: No, I love it. I stay up all night and literally count the minutes down with my friends. We stay up all night.
SETOODEH: You've written for some of the biggest movies of all time, including "Up Close and Personal" with Robert Redford. There's going to be a tribute to him. You wrote this song "Because You Love Me" 30 years ago. What do you remember about working with Bob?
WARREN: Oh, I didn't work with him. In fact, I never met him. You know, I worked with Celine. I wish, I wish I'd met him in my life. He was a great man and a great actor. And I didn't realize he was an animal activist as well, that he had used fake fish in "A River Runs Through It." I thought that was amazing.
SETOODEH: Diane, Diane, good luck tonight. We're rooting for you. Who are you rooting for?
WARREN: Me.
SETOODEH: Good luck.
WARREN: I'm not going to lie.
WAGMEISTER: I love that. Root for yourself. Thank you so much, Diane. Have a great night. Thank you.
SETOODEH: Seventeen nominations, still hasn't win. And now we have another guest, Paul Feig, joining us.
Paul, Director Paul Feig.
WAGMEISTER: Come over. How are you?
SETOODEH: We love what you're wearing in pink. Who designed that?
PAUL FEIG, FILM DIRECTOR AND WRITER: This is Tom Ford, but I paid for it, so let's not think I was lonely.
WAGMEISTER: OK.
FEIG: And I loved it so much. But it's in honor of "Bridesmaids" and I like a good color.
WAGMEISTER: Yes. So tonight, " Bridesmaids," the cast is getting together for an epic reunion on stage. 15 years.
FEIG: Fifteen years.
WAGMEISTER: After the film. Tell us, what can we expect to see tonight?
FEIG: I wish I knew. I have not been told, so I'll be as surprised as you all are. Yes.
SETOODEH: Paul, come in a little closer. So "Bridesmaids" has gotten a lot of attention online. There's a lot of memes with Rose Byrne being in the Best Actress race. Do you have a favorite line from "Bridesmaids" that you like being quoted back to you?
FEIG: Oh, God. My favorite line is a line that nobody ever talks about. It's like I say yes, hello, chicken. It's when they're bringing the food around and Melissa says that when they bring chicken. So I don't know, that always sticks in my head. Weird, right? When you make the movie, you get different lines stuck in your head.
WAGMEISTER: Now, "Bridesmaids" was nominated for two Oscars when it came out, which was a really big deal certainly for the rom-com genre. Can you talk about what that did for the genre, or did it help at all?
FEIG: Well, I mean, it was unbelievable to get that kind of recognition. You know, look, when you make a movie with people going to the bathroom in a sink and in the street, you don't think you're going to win an Oscar.
WAGMEISTER: My favorite scene. Thank you, Paul Feig. My favorite scene.
FEIG: Thank you very much. So when that happened, it just, it taught me like, just make movies to entertain an audience and if you get an award, you get an award. But don't like just try to make movies to win awards. But then going forward, you know, I think we definitely helped a bit with getting more women in front of the camera, but it's not enough. We just need many more good three dimensional roles for women in comedy and beyond.
WAGMEISTER: Absolutely. SETOODEH: And when are we seeing a "Bidesmaids" sequel? When are we
seeing one?
FEIG: I -- that's up to Kristen Wiig, I would have to say. She and Annie Mumolo are the, are the geniuses behind that, I have to tell.
SETOODEH: Before we let you go, what was your favorite movie this year that you saw in theaters?
FEIG: I loved "Sinners." Really love "Sinners." I loved "Weapons." "Weapons" was kind of my favorite movie of the year because it's just so much fun. You know, look, you know, the movies I made, I mean, I had "Bridesmaids," wait. It's "Bridesmaids," "Housemaid." I'm only doing movies with maid in the word now because they're my two most successful films. But "Housemaid," I had a really great time making. But I like "Weapons" because it followed the same kind of formula we do where like it's scary, but it's funny and you have a good time.
WAGMEISTER: Now, I know Ramin just asked you about a sequel, but I'm going to be that annoying journalist and follow up with the question.
FEIG: Do it.
WAGMEISTER: Have there been any discussions ever about a sequel for "Bridesmaids"?
FEIG: Bridesmaids? There's -- it's been brought up from time to time. The problem is that movie worked so well. We remember all the crazy stuff, but it really works because there was a woman whose life was falling apart, who had to repair her life, and she comes out very strong on the other end. So to make a sequel, she can't fall apart again because the audience are like, oh, so then we just have a funny wedding. Maybe it could be fun, but you need the heart. If you didn't. If we didn't have the heart, that movie would not be this popular 15 years later.
WAGMEISTER: So with the cast getting together tonight on the Oscars stage, when speculation ensues and everyone says, is this because a sequel is coming, you can debunk it here, that's not in the works right now?
FEIG: It's not in the works right now. I wish I could give you a scoop, but that's the scoop. There is not.
WAGMEISTER: Well, thank you for clarifying that for us. Yes.
FEIG: Thank you so much. My pleasure.
WAGMEISTER: All right, Paul, thank you so much.
SETOODEH: Have a great time tonight. You look great. We'll see you on TV.
WAGMEISTER: Yes.
FEIG: See you there. WAGMEISTER: Pretty in pink. We love it. Oh, my god.
SETOODEH: So that was a lot of fun. I love "Bridesmaids," I remember seeing it in the movie theaters when it first came out, and that was a big deal because people were wondering whether or not it was going to work. "The Hangover" had just come out and there were some questions about whether female comedians could open a movie like that, and they absolutely did.
WAGMEISTER: And look, "Bridesmaids" is just one of the many surprises tonight. So they are getting the cast together. Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, who, as you said is a nominee for Best Actress tonight. But there's also going to be a Marvel reunion on stage. We don't know who is going to be a part of that. And I hear that there's going to be something with the "Devil Wears Prada." We know that Anne Hathaway is coming and that she's a presenter. So, so many surprises that even we do not know exactly what's going to happen on that stage.
SETOODEH: People love a reunion. They really do. So there's a "Devil Wears Prada," there's "Bridesmaids," and there's also "Moulin Rouge" reunion with Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor.
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And that movie came out over 25 years ago, and they're going to be back together on the Oscars stage talking about the love of movies and maybe there'll be even an AMC line from Nicole Kidman, because her commercials are so popular and beloved.
WAGMEISTER: Now, something else that we're looking out for tonight, Ramin, is the "In Memoriam" segment, which usually is a very somber moment, and I anticipate that it's still will be somber. But I have also heard from people who are in rehearsal that it is one of the most breathtaking "In Memoriam" segments that the Oscars has ever seen. We've lost so many stars.
You mentioned Robert Redford, also Diane Keaton, and of course, Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Reiner, while Billy Crystal is expected to lead a tribute for Rob Reiner, and they are expected to bring out tons of stars from all of his movies, including Meg Ryan from of course "When Harry Met Sally."
You I know are very excited about who is performing for Robert Redford.
SETOODEH: So Barbra Streisand will be singing for Robert Redford "The Way We Were." We don't know exactly what she's going to do or how much of the song she's going to sing but I think we're all going to be waiting in anticipation. And Barbara gets stage fright. Even now, given how successful she's been and she doesn't like performing that often, so this will be a real treat for the audience.
WAGMEISTER: And I just want to say, to shout out my friend Ramin here, if any of you remember a few years ago when Barbara said that she was cloning her dog? That was from Ramin's interview with Barbra Streisand. OK. SETOODEH: She cloned her beloved dog. That was a story that we did
about 10 years ago, and she revealed it in an interview she did with me and that was actually a joke that Jimmy Kimmel said on the Oscars stage. So we made the Oscar stage that year.
WAGMEISTER: Yes. So you never know what you're going to get with Variety and CNN live. We're talking about dog cloning. We're talking about it all. But let's talk about the race again, because we were in the middle of discussing Best Actor and Best Picture. And then we got Diane Warren and Paul Feig. But let's go back to the Best Picture race.
You were saying it's really going to come down to "Sinners" and "One Battle After Another." Does any other film even stand a chance in the Best Picture race?
SETOODEH: So let's set this up for the viewers at home. "One Battle After Another." Paul Thomas Anderson's movie that came out in October had a lot of momentum. It won a lot of awards from the Guilds. It was a presumed frontrunner all year round. And then "Sinners" came out and won the Actor Award which was the last award before the Oscars for Best Ensemble. And we've been talking to a lot of voters, and a lot of voters have a lot of affection for "Sinners." And so we're very excited to see who wins.
Now we have another guest joining us.
WAGMEISTER: We do. We actually --
SETOODEH: We do.
WAGMEISTER: Yes.
SETOODEH: Ken Jeong.
WAGMEISTER: You know what?
SETOODEH: He's coming.
WAGMEISTER: Ken Jeong is coming in a second.
SETOODEH: He's on his way right next to us. Many of you probably know "KPop Demon Hunter, and you've watched it with your family.
WAGMEISTER: He voices Bobby.
SETOODEH: And he voices Bobby, and he's no stranger to the Oscars.
WAGMEISTER: And I just want to say, you can really tell that we are live on this carpet because this is what's happening. Ken Jeong is right here. And then he's not here because it's chaos and you guys are here with us on this ride of beautiful chaos. It's going to be so fun. But while we wait for Ken, let's talk quickly about Best Actor, because of course we do have "One Battle After Another" starring Leonardo DiCaprio. We have Timothee Chalamet, we have Michael B. Jordan. I mean, no shade against Leo, of course. I love Leo. But the fact that
he is barely in the conversation really shows you the embarrassment of riches this year in this stacked race, doesn't it?
SETOODEH: This is the strongest acting category I think we've ever seen at the Oscars, and they're below us. We have the chyron with the five actors in the running, and I think any of the five could actually win. I think it's between Timothee and Michael B. Jordan, but there could be a real surprise in this category. Leo could win his second Oscar. Ethan Hawke has been nominated three times. He could win his first Oscar.
And then we have Wagner Moura, who is in the Brazilian movie, "The Secret Agent," and a lot of international voters have been telling me how much they love that film, and I think he could really be an underdog winner in the same year that when Adrien Brody won many years ago. We could have a surprise. So Ken is now here joining us.
WAGMEISTER: We're live. We are live.
SETOODEH: You're live with CNN.
KEN JEONG, ACTOR AND COMEDIAN: Hi, CNN.
WAGMEISTER: OK.
JEONG: This is CNN.
SETOODEH: Tell us about "KPop Demon Hunters" and the phenomenon that it's become. Are you surprised at how big it is?
JEONG: Yes. I mean, to me, just no one -- we knew we made a great movie, but no one thought it would be this pop cultural zeitgeist juggernaut that it is. It is the gift that keeps on giving. And it's also a shout out to Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, the filmmakers, and this amazing cast from Arden Cho, Ji-young Yoo, and May Hong, and also to Ejae -- there's so many people to, it's one of those moments. It reminds me of "Crazy Rich Asians" where I'm happier for everybody else more than myself. It's just this collective. It's one of the most beautiful things I've been a part of.
WAGMEISTER: Now tonight, one of the performances on the Oscars stage is going to be "Golden." You know, I have to ask you. Can you sing for us? Can you sing "Golden"?
JEONG: I can't sing it on -- we're going up, up, up.
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It's our moment, CNN. You know, together we're golden, CNN. You know together we're golden, CNN. Good rehearsal.
SETOODEH: That was fantastic.
JEONG: Thank you.
SETOODEH: So I heard --
JEONG: Put that on a loop?
SETOODEH: We're going to put that on loop and all over social media. So I heard that a few years ago, you actually threw your hat in the ring to be Oscar host. Would you be interested in the job for next year?
JEONG: Oh, I think Conan, he is one of my all-time comedy heroes. I honestly think there is no one more suited for the Oscars than Conan O'Brien. I cannot wait. He did such a phenomenal job last year and you talk about -- honestly he is. He is like mayor of show business. He's kids show business. And it's just so great to watch. I honestly can't wait to watch him tonight.
WAGMEISTER: Now I have to ask, of course, so many fans love you from "The Hangover" franchise. Are we ever going to get another one?
JEONG: I would be down for it. It really -- the beautiful thing about "The Hangover" series is that as of, when we filmed the last one, we knew it would be our last. To leave on our own terms would be -- it was incredible. And so you never, in the show business, you never really get to leave on your own terms. So there's something beautiful in the last day of filming "Hangover III" where I remember Todd Phillips had his camera and was just taking photos on set. It was one of those beautiful moments. So -- but having said that, they're family to me and so whatever they want to do, I'm down.
SETOODEH: Hollywood loves a reboot. Ken, we love talking to you. Have a great time tonight.
JEONG: Thank you so much, guys.
WAGMEISTER: Thanks so much, Ken. Have a great night.
SETOODEH: And now I believe we have Wolfgang Puck joining us.
WAGMEISTER: We do have Wolfgang Puck. We're bringing in --
SETOODEH: Come on, come on over, Wolfgang.
WAGMEISTER: Hi, Wolfgang. How are you? Hello.
SETOODEH: Hello. Nice to see you. Come on in a little closer.
WAGMEISTER: Yes. So --
WOLFGANG PUCK, CHEF AND RESTAURATEUR: OK. That's my son Byron here.
SETOODEH: How are you, Byron? Pleasure.
WAGMEISTER: So, Wolfgang, do we have the chocolate Oscars?
PUCK: Yes.
WAGMEISTER: Bring in the chocolate Oscars. Bring in the chocolate Oscars.
So, Wolfgang, you designed the menu for the Governors Ball every single year. The Governors Ball, for those at home, is the biggest party right after the Oscars. It's where all the stars go to get their Oscars engraved. Tell us what it is like when you walk into the Governors Ball.
PUCK: Well, it is really amazing because you have so many great food stations. We have an izakaya, we have our beautiful (INAUDIBLE), our beautiful Tomahawk steak. Then we have the Miyazaki beef then we have a steak river farm with horseradish sauce and Yorkshire pudding. We're going to have amazing pizzas, smoked salmon, tortellinis, different little salads. And what else? Oh, the Viennese fried chicken with a little creme fraiche and caviar on top. Like a little bite is amazing.
WAGMEISTER: You're making me very hungry.
SETOODEH: Isn't that your mom's -- your mom's recipe?
PUCK: Yes. And then we have my mother's recipe for the apple strudel with marzipan ice cream and caramel sauce. And then we have the (INAUDIBLE) schnitzel with Haley's berries and passion fruit, and also a Viennese chocolate cake.
SETOODEH: You're making both of us very hungry. Can I ask, Wolfgang, how many calories are in this chocolate Oscar? Can you bring this into the shot? How many calories would this be, would you say?
PUCK: How many calories? Oh, let me see. I think no calories at all. We took them out. It's pure chocolate.
WAGMEISTER: And before we let you go, how many chocolate Oscars did you make for tonight?
PUCK: We made almost 3,000 small chocolate Oscars so everybody is going to get one. And we have about 50 of the extra big ones and life size 120.
WAGMEISTER: All right. Wolfgang, we're about to go to break. Thank you so much.
PUCK: OK.
SETOODEH: Thank you very much, Wolfgang. Thank you, guys. Thank you.
WAGMEISTER: Have the best night. All right, we are live on the red carpet ahead of the Oscars. The stars are just starting to arrive. What will they be wearing on one of the biggest fashion nights of the year? Stick with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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WAGMEISTER: Welcome back to CNN and Variety's Red Carpet Live where the anticipation is building ahead of tonight's big awards. Now we are very excited because we are here with Alicia Silverstone.
Hello. Welcome to the Oscars. So --
SETOODEH: And welcome to CNN. We were just talking about "Clueless." The movie came out in 1995. Do you have a favorite line from "Clueless" that you love when fans quote to you?
ALICIA SILVERSTONE, ACTRESS: Well, I really love when Brittany Murphy says you're a virgin who can't drive. But I also really like the line, oops, my bad, because it's applicable most of the time.
SETOODEH: When was the last time you saw "Clueless"?
SILVERSTONE: I can't remember.
WAGMEISTER: So I have to tell you, "Clueless" is my favorite movie of all time. I am a real valley girl, born and raised in the valley, so the film really spoke to me. Will we ever see the "Clueless" crew get back together for another movie or some sort of reunion?
SILVERSTONE: We might. We might.
SETOODEH: That sounds like a maybe. Sounds yes.
WAGMEISTER: That sounds like a maybe.
SILVERSTONE: Maybe.
SETOODEH: What movie are you rooting for tonight? What movie have you really loved that you've seen this Oscar season?
SILVERSTONE: Well, I'm of course rooting for "Bugonia" because I'm a part of that beautiful film. Yorgos Lanthimos is the director and he's a brilliant genius. And Emma Stone is nominated. Jesse Plemons is so brilliant in this film. All of the cast. Will Tracy wrote the script. He's nominated. And we just have an incredible group of artists. I'm -- and there are so many really wonderful movies. I loved a lot of them.
WAGMEISTER: Thank you so much.
SETOODEH: Thank you for stopping by. Have a great time tonight.
WAGMEISTER: And good luck tonight. "Bugonia" nominated for Best Picture. Thank you so much.
All right. We are going to go to our friends in New York to talk about all the fashion in the CNN style spin room.
[16:25:03]
Cari, take it away.
CARI CHAMPION, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Elizabeth, thank you so much. The little girl in me got really excited just to see Alicia Silverstone. Meanwhile, from the red carpet in Los Angeles to the style spin room
at CNN headquarters, as we mentioned, we are teaming with Variety to celebrate the supernova night in Hollywood. So we need you folks at home to settle in as we break down all the trends for this year's awards season, and eagerly await some of these celebrities, these A- list celebrities. But before we do that, let's meet our team of experts, shall we?
I'm doing a delicate walk here. CNN senior style reporter, we have Rachel Tashjian in here, and then we have "Women's Wear Daily Style" director Alex Badia.
So first of all, Rachel, Alex, we've seen a little, not a lot. What are we looking forward to? I'll start with you first, Rachel.
RACHEL TASHJIAN, CNN SENIOR STYLE REPORTER: I'm looking forward to Teyana Taylor.
ALEX BADIA, WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY STYLE DIRECTOR: Me too. She's the new crown queen of the night, I hope.
TASHJIAN: Yes.
CHAMPION: Everything she does is perfect. I heard she styles herself. Is that true?
TASHJIAN: She does style herself primarily this season I think because she's nominated in, you know, the Best Actress category basically. Every award show she has been working with Wayman and Micah who are this incredible team of stylists, but she always surprises. She always looks confident, and it's always something only she could wear.
BADIA: She's driving the boat.
TASHJIAN: She is.
BADIA: Because she goes to the shows, she talks to the designer, she goes backstage, I'd seen her. She talks about dresses. You can tell that she's driving it.
CHAMPION: She's the boss. OK. Well, let's look at some past trends that have really been great this award season. I'm going to start with Jennifer Lawrence first. This nude trend, this naked trend. I'm a gal who doesn't like to wear a lot of clothes. So tell me, what are we looking at here?
TASHJIAN: Well, I think in part we're seeing women really embrace this new vision of confidence. I mean, that's what you really see with this Jennifer Lawrence dress. You know, this is a Givenchy --
BADIA: Sarah Burton.
TASHJIAN: Sarah Burton piece which, you know, it looks as if she's just draped or sort of delicately draped in, in flower petals. I mean, it's absolutely gorgeous.
BADIA: Yes.
TASHJIAN: You saw her wear it in person.
BADIA: Yes. I was there at the Golden Globes. I interviewed her, when she came at me, I thought, first of all, she's not wearing Dior. I thought, this is not Dior. And then it was really a naked dress, but it had the floral place in the perfect strategic places.
CHAMPION: Yes.
BADIA: And it looks so elegant.
CHAMPION: Peekaboo.
BADIA: But I have to say the craftsmanship of embroidery was to die for.
CHAMPION: Yes. What about the next one? Margot Robbie can do no wrong. But I also didn't realize, Rachel, we talked about this the other day. You can actually do a lot of things with the nude. She's wearing crystals and diamonds, and --
TASHJIAN: Yes. There's so many ways to be naked, Cari.
CHAMPION: OK.
(LAUGHTER)
BADIA: And gorgeous.
CHAMPION: And let me begin -- I'm kidding.
TASHJIAN: Yes. This Margot Robbie dress, it's an Armani Prive piece, so it is probably completely handmade. And these are, again, very strategically placed rhinestones that are covering her in just the right areas. But you know, again, it's like, this is something that we might think, oh, is this vulgar? Is this too much?
CHAMPION: No.
TASHJIAN: But I think this is women who are really feeling like I am feeling good.
BADIA: I would -- I love her.
CHAMPION: And by the way, how long can -- yes. How long --
BADIA: I love her.
CHAMPION: How long can we go outside and be nude as women? Just as long as you can.
BADIA: Look at her beauty, look at her -- look at the hair and the makeup. Also I have to say, she looks like a silver screen siren from the 1920s. She looks gorgeous.
TASHJIAN: She really does.
CHAMPION: Alex, you talked about strategically placed. Moving on to your queen of the carpet, your queen of the season, Teyana Taylor. Strategically placed --
BADIA: Amazing.
CHAMPION: Diamonds on the backside.
BADIA: Right. That's one of a kind. It's Capparelli couture, gorgeous. When she --
CHAMPION: All right, so we're going to -- we're going to go ahead and toss back to Elizabeth. I think she might have a star waiting for us on the red carpet. Sorry about that, Alex. We'll get back to Teyana Taylor just a minute.
BADIA: I don't mind.
CHAMPION: Elizabeth, back to you in Hollywood.
WAGMEISTER: All right. We are back.
SETOODEH: So we're back with Josh Groban. We're very excited to talk to you, Josh. I know you have a role in tonight's telecast and you can't really tell us. Can you give us a hint on what you're going to do?
JOSH GROBAN, AWARD WINNING SINGER AND SONGWRITER: Well, it is a very chivalrous and very classical style thing that I'm doing tonight. Conan called me and said, we got a really funny thing we want you to do. And anytime Conan calls for anything, I'm right there. And honestly, I've sung so many very serious things on stage, especially for events like this, to do something that's just really silly and celebrates the lightness of the night is a huge honor.
WAGMEISTER: Now, you said the word classic, and I have to bring up classic art forms, ballet and opera.
GROBAN: Yes. Oh, yes. Sure.
WAGMEISTER: Which you posted about after Timothee Chalamet's comments.
GROBAN: Yes. Sure.
WAGMEISTER: Can you talk about why ballet and opera are such integral art forms for all artists, including movie stars?
GROBAN: Of course. Well, I think especially now we're in such a divisive world we need the humanities. We need arts to remind us what our humanity is. We need the arts to remind us who we are as human beings. When everything is trying to tell us how different we are and how angry we should be, we need these art forms to bring us together, to make us feel about ourselves and the world around us.
I'm a big supporter of arts education. I have an arts education foundation called Find Your Light and it's just, it's a huge, it's a huge connector, I think, in the world that we're in right now. So vitally important.
SETOODEH: Were you offended by what Timothee Chalamet said?
[16:30:00]
GROBAN: You know, honestly, I think that the fact that it's galvanized people to talk about and celebrate these categories of the arts in a way that might actually not have happened had he not said those things. I think it's had accidentally positive effects.
And, look, we all say things. Certainly, I think he's had a lot of people saying a lot of things about it, and I'm not going to add to it. So, I will just say that, I -- you know, we should support them 100 percent. We should support those arts.
RAMIN SETOODEH, AUTHOR, VARIETY: Tell us about this year in the movies. I know you're a big movies' fan. What movie have you really loved this year, and what are you rooting for tonight?
GROBAN: Oh, my gosh, I have just -- I mean, "Hamnet." "Weapons" was so incredible. Oh, my goodness, I've just -- I've tried to watch as many as I could on tour. Mainly, I get to watch them on the airplane in between venues. And sometimes those are edited. And so, I had to make sure I could see "weapons" in a way that, like, didn't bleep all the bad words, and I could see some of the gore. Yes. But, you know, there's a lot of great ones.
WAGMEISTER: All right, Josh, thank you so much.
GROBAN: Thank you, guys (?).
WAGMEISTER: We can't wait to see what you have in store tonight.
GROBAN: It's going to be a lot of fun.
WAGMEISTER: We're going to be surprised.
GROBAN: I promise (?).
SETOODEH: We can't wait to see it.
WAGMEISTER: Oh, my God.
SETOODEH: What is it? Wait, what is the cost (?)?
GROBAN: I can't tell you that.
WAGMEISTER: All right. We can't wait.
GROBAN: Warmer than this, I'll tell you that.
WAGMEISTER: Thank you so much, Josh.
All right. We are just hours away from the start of the 98th Academy Awards Ceremony. And the Red Carpet, as you see, it is packed. We are waiting for the biggest names of the night. Timothee Chalamet, we were just talking about him. Michael B. Jordan, Jessie Buckley. Stay with us.
[16:31:20]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WAGMEISTER: Welcome back to CNN and Variety's Red Carpet Live. We are live here on the Red Carpet. You are seeing live images coming from Hollywood.
And we are very excited because we are here with Mr. wonderful, with Kevin O'Leary, the star -- the unexpected star of "Marty Supreme."
KEVIN O'LEARY, ACTOR: Thank you so much. I really enjoyed it.
WAGMEISTER: OK. So, we just need to know, you have a framed sports card of some sort. You can tell I don't do sports. Tell us what you are wearing around your neck.
O'LEARY: This is the most famous basketball card in history. It was made 22 years ago. It has all three stars. Their logo men, Kobe, Lebron and Jordan. And this is only one of one. Last time it traded privately, it was $26 million. So, it's probably worth somewhere around $30 now. Tiffany put the frame on it. Dolce dressed to it. Rolex made this amazing watch for it. And look what Cartier did for it.
So, I think this is amazing. I love this kind of stuff. And I think at this Oscars, men are going to outshine the women with just bling. I came in blasting for this.
SETOODEH: Kevin, what kind of security do you have with you, if you're having a $30 million card around your neck?
O'LEARY: I have a tank outside. When I leave here, I'm rolling out with a military tank. That's it.
SETOODEH: You're so wonderful in "Marty Supreme." I know that you weren't sure, if your agent wasn't sure, if you should do it or not. What made you say yes to acting?
O'LEARY: I always feel you should get out of your comfort zone as often as you can, because you exercise the most important muscle in your body, your brain. I really enjoyed it. Of course, I was working with A-listers. Gwyneth, I knew already. And Timmy was amazing.
And, you know, even my agent said, don't do this. You don't know how to act. I said, why don't I try it? Boom. Now, I'm going to try and do one a year.
WAGMEISTER: So, I --
SETOODEH: What's Timothee Chalamet like? I know there's been a lot of conversation about him. There's a lot of interest in him in social media. Can you let us know what he's like as a real person?
O'LEARY: He's a really great guy. His mother's really nice. That whole thing about the opera -- and, by the way, I just put a thousand bucks on Kalshi walking in here and he's going to win. Because I know the voting stopped long before that controversy happened. That kid is a great kid. He took a bum rap on that.
SETOODEH: And I --
O'LEARY: By the way, he gave a lot of promo out to opera houses and ballet.
SETOODEH: There you go. And I have one question for you. A very serious question. What was it like to smack Timothee Chalamet in the butt in "Marty Supreme"? That's all I want to know.
O'LEARY: So, there was a stunt rear end. But he stepped up at 3:45 in the morning and said, I want it to be mine. And I whacked his hiney. It was glowing red.
WAGMEISTER: Thank you so much, Kevin.
SETOODEH: Thank you very much, Kevin.
WAGMEISTER: Thank you so much.
SETOODEH: Hudson. Hudson.
WAGMEISTER: All right, we are bringing in --
SETOODEH: Hudson, come meet me (?) live on CNN.
WAGMEISTER: -- Hudson Williams, the star of "Heated Rivalry".
SETOODEH: We have one of the biggest stars of the Oscars, Hudson Williams. Welcome to CNN.
HUDSON WILLIAMS, ACTOR: Yes.
SETOODEH: Tell us what it's like being at the Oscars for the first time.
WILLIAMS: Surreal and gratifying. And, yes, that's it.
WAGMEISTER: Now, you have shared your skincare routine. And I have to tell you, if you are at home, his skin is incredible in person. How long did it take you to get ready to show up to the Oscars today?
WILLIAMS: It didn't take too long, actually. You know, there's just so much. A little, like, laughing and, like, wine-sipping, and coffee drinking, that it took longer. But, like, actual hands-on deck, not too long. I think we're talking, like, under an hour.
WAGMEISTER: Wow.
SETOODEH: Can you tell us anything about "Heated Rivalry" season two? WILLIAMS: Sex.
SETOODEH: Say that again.
WILLIAMS: Sex.
WAGMEISTER: Oh, I heard it loud and clear. Sex.
SETOODEH: And before we let you go, really quickly. What are you rooting for tonight? What movie have you seen that you've really loved?
WILLIAMS: There's too many. There's nitty gritty (?). Like, this person for Best Actor. This person for Best Actress. This movie for best -- so, I don't want to share.
SETOODEH: And have you been starstruck by someone you've met or someone you've seen over this weekend?
WILLIAMS: Not this weekend, no. Because I've seen some celebrities, but I just immediately kind of like, cool. You know, they're people. We're all people.
SETOODEH: Kerry Washington has been talking about how much she loves "Heated Rivalry".
WILLIAMS: Yes. Yes, I love Kerry, man. She's so talented. To hear that from her was amazing.
WAGMEISTER: Has the reception to the show really blown you away? Did you expect any of this?
WILLIAMS: No, I expected none of it. Yes, none of it.
SETOODEH: Well, have a great time. Thank you so much for stopping by. We're -- we can't wait to see season two.
WAGMEISTER: And congrats on all the success.
WILLIAMS: Thank you.
WAGMEISTER: Bye, Hudson.
All right. See? You don't know who you're going to get on the Red Carpet, T.V. stars, movie stars.
[16:40:02]
WAGMEISTER: You have $26 million necklaces. And, now, I believe --
SETOODEH: So, can I -- Elizabeth, can I just, really quickly.
WAGMEISTER: Here we go. Yes.
SETOODEH: Let's go to the monitor. Those are the Oscars accountants, and they're holding the ballots. Even the academy doesn't know who the winners are.
So, we're talking about Timothee Chalamet. Talking about Michael B. Jordan. If we talk to the academy, they would not know who the winner is tonight.
That is why the year of "La La Land" and "Moonlight", when the wrong winner was announced, it took a while for Ernst & Young to get on stage and correct the winner. Because the Oscars keep this very secret. And those ballots in those suitcases are being guarded very, very closely. So, we don't know who's going to win.
WAGMEISTER: All of the Oscar winners in those briefcases. If only we could get into them.
All right. We are just a little over two hours away from the start of the Oscar Awards. And the most stunning fashion moments on the Red Carpet are still to come. Don't go anywhere.
[16:40:58]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WAGMEISTER: All right. We are live on the Red Carpet at the Oscars. It is so hot in here, literally hot, that I am fanning down Shaboozey because we are sweating. That's what happens here. That's how glamorous it is.
SHABOOZEY: Too many superstars, man.
WAGMEISTER: Yes.
SHABOOZEY: It's hot in here for sure.
SETOODEH: So, you're going to be part of a special tribute that they're doing to "Sinners" tonight. It's a musical tribute. We don't know a lot about it, but can you reveal anything to us?
SHABOOZEY: Well, I'll say this. If you've seen the movie, you're going to love this performance. You know, they worked really hard on it. And this -- just them having me be a part of it is, like, honestly, I'm so honored.
You know, every day, I get up. I'm just, like -- when we do the rehearsals, I'm, like, man, the fact that I'm here, like, someone's got to wake me up. I'm singing with -- you know, with Buddy Guy who's a legend who's here. He's telling me all his stories about him coming up. You know, 70 years he's been, you know, playing music.
And his stories of Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger wanting to bring, you know, Howlin' Wolf on or, you know, I think, oh, Muddy Waters on stage with him. And then, being, like, who's that? And he's, like, what? You guys don't know who these blues legends are?
So, him telling me all these stories. I'm just learning so much and soaking it up. And I really hope that people just get more into the blues and the history, because it's really the origins of a lot of, you know, the music we know. You know? So.
WAGMEISTER: And how did this come about? Who called you and said, we want you to take the stage to pay tribute with "Sinners"?
SHABOOZEY: Man, I think -- you know, I think all of them, honestly. You know, I was able to -- I think I got reached out to by Ludwig, who does -- who did a lot of the music. Really talented. And then, me and Rafael, you know, we have a -- we developed a friendship over the years and we're always staying connected.
So, I think he always is just trying to figure out who can he bring to just -- you know, bring into that's from the community and can, like, represent it authentically. So, I think to them, they were just, like, man, who else? You know. So, I'm just --
SETOODEH: Shaboozey, can you tell us what you're wearing? There's -- I don't know if you can see on T.V., but there's a little of a corset action going on here and you're cinched in.
SHABOOZEY: Oh, I'm the master course -- I'm the master corseter (?). But Campeo (?), they do really great stuff. I think they dressed me for BET Awards two years ago. And it was, honestly, one of my favorite looks. So, I love always going with them. They do great work, great tailoring.
SETOODEH: Is it tight? Is it tight around the waist?
SHABOOZEY: No, honestly, it's better -- it's a lot better than my met gala corset, but -- you know what I mean? It's a lot better. But --
SETOODEH: Shaboozey, thank you so much. Have a great time tonight.
SHABOOZEY: Thank you. Thank you, guys.
WAGMEISTER: Thank you so much. Have a great night. Stay cool. Stay cool.
All right. Now, we are going to go back to our friends in New York, because we've got to talk more about fashion, not just Shaboozey's. Guys, take it away.
CHAMPION: Thank you so much, Elizabeth.
OK. So, some of the looks are just now coming in. And I know -- Alex, I'll start with you first. I immediately saw this dress that Li Jun Li, the actress from "Sinners", is wearing. And I thought, I love it. And you said, not so much, Cari.
BADIA: No, Cari. No, no, not for me. There's too many elements happening. The unevenness is very nice. I like the asymmetry. But -- and the peplum, OK, it's very much on trend.
But then, when you start adding the train, it's too many elements. Look, it looks slightly messy. She looks beautiful up here.
CHAMPION: Up here. BADIA: But everything else, there's too many ideas in one dress.
CHAMPION: So, you'd stop me before I leave the house.
BADIA: Yes, I would say, no, Cari, no.
CHAMPION: No, Carey, no. All right, you'll say, yes, Cari. Yes, though, to Rose Byrne.
BADIA: Oh, yes.
CHAMPION: There's a trend we're catching, right? Felicity is also here, Felicity Jones. We saw a beautiful -- oh, Rose is here first. I thought we were going -- I didn't see her on that carpet.
RACHEL TASHJIAN, FASHION CRITIC, THE WASHINGTON POST: Rose is dressed to win, I think, Cari.
BADIA: Yes.
CHAMPION: Oh, my goodness. She looks amazing.
BADIA: Oh, my God.
TASHJIAN: This is a Dior dress by giant -- by Jonathan Anderson, styled by Kate Young. Such a beautiful necklace as well.
CHAMPION: She looks amazing.
TASHJIAN: Sort of an unexpected piece.
BADIA: But you see black.
TASHJIAN: I see black, yes.
BADIA: We spoke about black. We saw -- we just came back from Paris, Rachel and I, and we saw a lot of black. But this is gorgeous. Look at the embroidery and the florals.
CHAMPION: Can I have a -- can I say something?
TASHJIAN: Of course.
BADIA: Yes.
CHAMPION: When you see this dress, -- I really thought we were going to show some of her dresses from the past. I didn't see her on the Red Carpet. This is stunning.
TASHJIAN: This is really stunning.
BADIA: Yes.
CHAMPION: Isn't it jaw dropping?
TASHJIAN: It is. Yes. It has a timeless quality to it. There's a little feeling of the 1950s --
BADIA: Totally.
TASHJIAN: -- with the embroidery and the hourglass. But she really makes it modern, I think, --
CHAMPION: She's stunning.
TASHJIAN: -- with her beauty and with that necklace.
CHAMPION: And that flip (?).
BADIA: And can we talk about Dior one, Chanel zero so far? Because she's been wearing Chanel throughout the season and killing it.
TASHJIAN: Yes.
CHAMPION: Yes.
BADIA: Because Chanel is such a good brand right now, but it's a beautiful dress on Dior.
CHAMPION: She looks amazing. I played charades with her one night in New York, just my one little brag here.
Moving on to Felicity Jones, shall we?
BADIA: Yes, please.
CHAMPION: She looks amazing. This is the trend we were talking about.
TASHJIAN: Yes.
BADIA: Oh, my God. This is gorgeous Prada dress.
CHAMPION: This is stunning.
BADIA: Again, the retro feeling that we've been talking about.
CHAMPION: Stunning.
BADIA: Light yellow, not an easy color.
[16:50:02]
BADIA: We've seen it before in this season but this is gorgeous.
CHAMPION: She looks (INAUDIBLE.)
BADIA: I love that the little sheer sort of -- it's very romantic and ethereal.
CHAMPION: It's very romantic.
TASHJIAN: It is really romantic.
BADIA: And she looks gorgeous. Look at that beauty on her.
TASHJIAN: Yes, she -- it feels like a princess. This feels very, like, --
CHAMPION: It does.
TASHJIAN: -- special and set apart.
CHAMPION: Do you love it?
TASHJIAN: Yes, I love it. I love it and I feel like there's something a little bit happening here, where we're, like, challenging the trad wife. You know, like, --
BADIA: Totally.
TASHJIAN: -- it's a little 1950s.
BADIA: Yes.
CHAMPION: It is. It is. It is. It's giving me that --
BADIA: "Stepford Wives".
CHAMPION: So far, you say Dior one, Chanel zero. I'm going to send it back to Elizabeth in Hollywood.
WAGMEISTER: Thanks so much, guys. Now, it is Hollywood's biggest night. And we are just getting started. Ahead, we are going to talk about some of this year's biggest stars, including the one, the only Timothee Chalamet. The man that everybody is talking about. Will he take home a win for Best Actor? Stick around with CNN as we count down to the start of the Oscars.
[16:51:09]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WAGMEISTER: Right now, stars are arriving here at the Dolby Theatre. You are looking at the Red Carpet on Hollywood's biggest night of the year. Welcome to CNN and Variety's Red Carpet Live. I'm Elizabeth Wagmeister, here outside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles with my good friend and co-host, the co-editor in chief of "Variety", Ramin Setoodeh. Ramin, we are having so much fun.
SETOODEH: We are having a lot of fun. Time's going by really fast and some of the biggest stars in the world are stopping by. And, now, we have a huge star right next to us, Felicity Jones with her portable fan. Hi, Felicity.
FELICITY JONES, ACTRESS: Do you want some air?
SETOODEH: Yes, please. We'd love some.
JONES: It's very hot. It's very hot in here.
WAGMEISTER: Thank you so much. So, your first Oscar nomination was about 10 years ago, for "The Theory of Everything".
JONES: Yes.
WAGMEISTER: You can keep fanning yourself.
JONES: How do you shut this off?
WAGMEISTER: It doesn't matter that we're live. Keep cool, girl. Keep cool.
JONES: Yes, OK. OK. Yes, sorry.
SETOODEH: You can have the Beyonce fan.
WAGMEISTER: Yes, you've got the Beyonce fan. That's what we provide here at CNN. So, your first nomination for "The Theory of Everything". Last year, nominated for "The Brutalist". What does it feel like to be back after being nominated twice?
JONES: Well, I should have just camped out on the Red Carpet and waited from last year.
WAGMEISTER: For a full year.
JONES: Yes, for a whole year. It's pretty amazing. And it's just cool. You know, I felt like when I read those scripts that they were stories that would connect with people. And so, it's fantastic that that has proved to be -- proved to be the case.
SETOODEH: And you're here, of course, tonight with "Train Dreams" which is nominated for best picture. How has it been working on that movie and seeing the response from everyone who's discovering it on Netflix?
JONES: It's been fantastic. It's one of those films where it really -- people come up to you and they say, I've really -- was really affected by that film. You know, I was in floods of tears and -- which is obviously great because that's what we want. People in floods of tears, being moved by cinema.
WAGMEISTER: So, we are going to give you a random bowl of questions.
SETOODEH: We have a game that we're going to play.
WAGMEISTER: And you are the first person that we are giving the random bowls of questions to. Do you want to pick one?
SETOODEH: So, it's like a raffle.
JONES: OK. What's the nature of the question?
WAGMEISTER: They're just fun.
JONES: All over the place.
WAGMEISTER: Fun and random. That's what we do. SETOODEH: Social security number, credit card, passport information.
JONES: OK.
SETOODEH: Do you want us to read it? We can read it. OK. What's the one role that got away in your career?
JONES: The one role. That was probably -- I had a -- my agent said to go and meet on "The Favorite" to play Emma Stone's character. And then, for some reason, I could -- it didn't -- I didn't -- couldn't make it work or it didn't happen or -- and then, I was, like, damn, that was a good role.
SETOODEH: You never met with Yorgos? You never got to?
JONES: It didn't happen. No, it didn't happen in the end.
WAGMEISTER: So, you never met -- you never auditioned.
JONES: No, never met. But my agent, my wonderful agent, was, like, this is amazing. This is going to be so good. And it was the only time, the one thing where, for various reasons, it just didn't -- you know, sometimes life is like that. It just -- we just didn't connect. And then, it went on to be a fantastic film.
But I do think that it needed Emma Stone to -- it needed Emma to do it.
SETOODEH: Felicity Jones making news on CNN. Thank you so much. Have a great time at the Oscars.
WAGMEISTER: Have a great night.
JONES: Thank you. And I will give this back.
SETOODEH: Oh, thank you.
JONES: As much as I would like to (INAUDIBLE.)
WAGMEISTER: Thank you, Felicity.
SETOODEH: Felicity Jones. This is Felicity's fan. We're going to put it here for our next star.
WAGMEISTER: I'm telling you, we are sweating. All the stars are loving our fans.
SETOODEH: Let me give that thing back. OK.
WAGMEISTER: Now, let's talk about some of the other races, Ramin. Let's talk about --
SETOODEH: Yes.
WAGMEISTER: -- the race for Best Supporting Actress, because this is another stacked race. I mean, another one where you look at it, and it's hard to pick who is going to win.
Of course, award season kicked off with Teyana Taylor winning the Golden Globe. Then, we've had a lot of momentum for Amy Madigan from "Weapons".
SETOODEH: Yes.
WAGMEISTER: What do you foresee happening or can you even pick anyone in this race?
SETOODEH: I think this is another race where it's been really split. I think Amy and Madigan from "Weapons" has some momentum. She's beloved in the industry. Her last Oscar nomination was 40 years ago. But "Weapons" is a genre movie. And so, there could be a surprise here.
Teyana Taylor won the Golden Globe. "Sinners" was successful at -- and you can see in (INAUDIBLE) below. "Sinners" won the Actors Award. So, this is going to be a very, very close race. And I think we're going to be on the edge of our seat.
And the supporting races often have surprises. And so, I think we're going to see who opens the envelope and who gets on stage.
[17:00:01]
WAGMEISTER: Yes. And, you know, let's actually take a look at the latest odds from the prediction market on Kalshi.
