Academy President Sid Ganis took the stage at a press conference held on
Valentine's Day and said the show is moving "full-steam ahead" on a crunched schedule. Writers will be working overtime (as will caterers and all the folks who make the pretty people look gorgeous) for the next nine days preparing for the 80th Academy Awards. Oscar producer Gil Cates admitted the writers are behind but says the team will be working 12-13 days in order to finish up with the jokes in time for the Oscar broadcast on February 24.
At the same press conference, Ganis and Cates unveiled the list of presenters for this year's ceremony. The major acting award winners -
Forest Whitaker,
Helen Mirren,
Alan Arkin, and
Jennifer Hudson - will be there to hand out Oscar statuettes in the top acting categories.
Amy Adams, Jessica Alba, Cate Blanchett, Josh Brolin, Steve Carell, George Clooney, Penelope Cruz, Miley Cyrus, Patrick Dempsey, Cameron Diaz, Colin Farrell, Harrison Ford, Jennifer Garner, Tom Hanks, Anne Hathaway, Katherine Heigl, Jonah Hill, Dwayne Johnson, Nicole Kidman, James McAvoy, Queen Latifah, Seth Rogen, Martin Scorsese, Hilary Swank, John Travolta, Denzel Washington and Renee Zellweger are also confirmed as presenters.
Amy Adams will be pulling double duty on the show as she's been tapped to sing "Happy Working Song" from
Enchanted. Cates and Ganis also confirmed they've lined up Kristin Chenoweth and Marlon Saunders to sing "That's How You Know" and Jon McLaughlin to perform "So Close," the other two Original Song nominees from Disney's fairy tale film
Enchanted.
The Irish romantic musical
Once will be represented by actors/singers Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. The two stars of the film will perform their nominated song, "Falling Slowly." "Raise It Up", the Oscar nominated song from
August Rush (did anyone see that movie?), will be brought to life on stage by Jamia Simone Nash.