Film Music Reporter

Academy Awards producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today the first slate of presenters and performers for the 88th Oscars telecast. The list includes Lady Gaga, Sam Smith and The Weeknd who are expected to perform their Oscar-nominated songs at the ceremony. Lady Gaga is nominated alongside Diane Warren for the song Til it Happens to You from the documentary The Hunting Ground, while Smith received a nomination the song Writing’s On the Wall from the James Bond film Spectre, which he co-wrote with Jimmy Napes. Abel Tesfaye (aka The Weeknd) is nominated with Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio for the track Earned It from Fifty Shades of Grey. Also among the presenters/performers is Pharrell Williams who was previously Oscar-nominated for his song Happy from Despicable Me 2. The 88th Academy Awards will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center and will air in the U.S. on ABC