In 2023, the Oscars remain one of the most prestigious American awards for filmmaking, despite dips in viewership. WIRED’s extensive coverage of the nominated films includes thoughtful analysis of Everything Everywhere All at Once, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Tár, as well as behind-the-scenes looks into how the movies achieve those magical special effects.
If you’re watching the Academy Awards from the comfort of your living room, make sure you’ve got plenty of snacks on hand, a few drinks in the fridge, and a cozy blanket nearby. (For those who often fall asleep on the couch and could use a few tips to stay awake until the Best Picture award, check out this helpful article.) Whether you have access to cable or not, we put together a list of the best ways to watch the 2023 Oscars ceremony live, and how to stream the awards show after it airs.
How to Watch the Oscars
The 2023 Oscars will be streamed live from Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 12 at 8 pm Eastern on ABC. After last year’s experiment with multiple hosts, late-night talk show comedian Jimmy Kimmel returns as the sole host to lead the 95th Academy Awards. If you already have a cable subscription that includes ABC, you can watch the 2023 Oscar awards on your TV, on ABC.com, or through the ABC app on your smartphone.
Viewers who often watch shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX may want to consider investing around $60 in a TV antenna that receives over-the-air channels. Depending on local availability, you may be able to stream the awards ceremony live on your ABC affiliate without any subscription needed.
Another solid choice for watching the live presentation of the 95th Academy Awards without cable is to use a live TV subscription service like YouTube TV, FuboTV, or Hulu + Live TV. All three options provide at least a one-week free trial for new users. The standard monthly rate for YouTube TV is $65 for over 100 channels, and new members currently get three introductory months for $55 each. FuboTV also has more than 100 channels and costs $75 a month.
I would recommend Hulu + Live TV for anyone who watches a decent amount of on-demand entertainment alongside their live TV consumption. The service has around 85 channels. What Hulu + Live TV lacks in obscure channels you’ll likely never watch, it makes up for with ad-supported access to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu for $70 a month. For $13 more a month, the bundle can be upgraded to include Disney+ and Hulu without ads.
A supplemental American Sign Language live feed for the 95th Academy Awards will be streamed on the Oscars YouTube channel.
Willing to wait to watch it until after the awards ceremony airs? The Oscars are expected to arrive on Hulu for on-demand streaming the following day.
Which Movies Are Nominated?
Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once has the most potential opportunities to win at the 95th Academy Awards, securing 11 nominations in total, including: Best Picture, Director, Music, Costume Design, and Actress in a Leading Role. The Banshees of Inisherin and All Quiet on the Western Front received nine nominations each. With 8 nods, the Elvis biopic is the third-most-nominated film at this year’s awards, with Austin Butler up for Actor in a Leading Role. The other nominees for Best Picture are Avatar: The Way of Water, The Fablemans, Tár, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness, and Women Talking.
Considering watching more of the top-notch films at home? WIRED’s roundup of where to find the nominated movies will point you in the right direction. Many of then require an on-demand video rental to watch at home, but a few are available as part of a streaming service. (The new Avatar isn’t even available to rent at home yet.) All Quiet on the Western Front is on Netflix, Everything Everywhere All at Once is on Showtime, and Top Gun: Maverick is on Paramount Plus.