Showbiz411

The big guns have just been announced for Sunday’s Oscar show: Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman. Not to say other big guns haven’t already been announced– Jane Fonda, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand (singing).

Few are missing from what you might call Hollywood’s reigning top tier. Clint Eastwood told us he’s staying home, Warren Beatty and Annette Bening may have had a scheduling issue. Sean Connery is a curmudgeon. But wow–the Oscars are pulling out every stop to make Sunday’s show memorable.

Then there are the “newer” reigning stars: Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson, John Travolta, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Robert Downey Jr. Christoper Plummer will present Best Supporting Actress because he won Supporting Actor last year.

“James Bond” will be saluted in music–Shirley Bassey and Adele. Movie musicals “Chicago” and “Les Miserables” will bring their entire casts. Those two casts will do medleys from their shows– so yes, Anne Hathaway will sing at least part of “I Dreamed a Dream.”

Newer stars like Jeremy Renner, Kristen Stewart, Reese Witherspoon, and Jamie Foxx will each get their moments.

And lovely music superstar Norah Jones is going to sing the “Lullaby” from “Life of Pi.” So the Best Songs will be represented by Adele singing “Skyfall,” Hugh Jackson “Suddenly,” the show’s host Seth MacFarlane – “Everybody Needs a Friend” from “Ted.”

The last big musical surprise will no doubt be Scarlett Johansson singing and Joshua Bell playing violin on the song from “Chasing Ice.”

Plus of course Barbra, Jennifer Hudson, and Shirley Bassey. And tons more names that have already been announced.

My advice: have lots of snacks, caffeine, pillows, blankets, and no plans until Monday at noon!

Roger Friedman

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News. Friedman previously wrote the Intelligencer column at New York Magazine, He writes for Parade magazine and has written for Details, Vogue, the New York Times, Post, and Daily News and many other publications. He is the writer and co-producer of a film about R&B Music called “Only the Strong Survive,” which was released by Miramax in 2003 and was a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals.