Amy Schumer tried to get Zelensky to appear at Oscars
Amy Schumer is co-hosting the 94th Academy Awards with Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes, and she’s revealed at least one idea she planned for the upcoming ceremony: having Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy appear during the ceremony via satellite or a pre-taped video segment. The 2022 Oscars will take place while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, and many celebrities have raises millions of dollars for Ukrainian aid.
“I think there is definitely pressure in one way to be like, ‘This is a vacation, let people forget we just want to have this night,’ but it is like, ‘Well we have so many eyes and ears on this show,’” Schumer told Drew Barrymore on an upcoming episode of her eponymous daytime talk snow (via ET Canada). “I think it’s a great opportunity to at least comment on a couple of things. I have some jokes that kind of highlight the sort of current condition. I mean, there are so many awful things happening that it seems hard to focus on which one.”
“I actually pitched, I wanted to find a way to have Zelenskyy satellite in or make a tape or something just because there are so many eyes on the Oscars,” Schumer added. “I am not afraid to go there, but it’s not me producing the Oscars.”
Variety has reached out to the Academy and ABC for further comment.
Details about the 2022 Oscars telecast have slowly been revealed over the last several weeks. Presenters for the show include last year’s acting winners Daniel Kaluuya, Anthony Hopkins and Youn Yuh-jung, plus John Travolta, Mila Kunis, Naomi Scott, Wesley Snipes, Simu Liu, Uma Thurman, Rami Malek, Lily James, Ruth E. Carter, John Leguizamo, Kevin Costner, Lady Gaga, Rosie Perez, Chris Rock and Zoë Kravitz.
The Oscars will also feature an all-star band featuring Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, legendary singer-percussionist Sheila E. and iconic jazz pianist Robert Glasper, along with musical director Adam Blackstone. This year’s telecast is being produced for ABC by Will Packer and Shayla Cowan.
The 2022 Oscars air Sunday, March 27 at 8pm ET on ABC.
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