By now, it’s pretty clear that awards shows will look a lot different in the New Year as the COVID-19 pandemic maintains its hold on society. That’s why the Academy tapped some of the brightest minds in television to produce the 93rd Oscars, which will air Sunday, April 25, 2021.
The Emmy-nominated Jesse Collins will produce the 2021 Oscars alongside producer Stacey Sher and filmmaker Steven Soderbergh. Collins boasts an impressive resume, having produced numerous awards shows and events including the “Grammy Awards,” “BET Awards,” “Super Bowl LV Halftime Show” “BLACK GIRLS ROCK!,” and the “Soul Train Awards.” He’s also got TV credits to boot with his work on American Soul which chronicled the life of Soul Train creator Don Cornelius, Netflix’s Rhythm + Flow and The New Edition Story.
“We’re thrilled and terrified in equal measure. Because of the extraordinary situation we’re all in, there’s an opportunity to focus on the movies and the people who make them in a new way, and we hope to create a show that really FEELS like the movies we all love,” said Collins, Sher and Soderbergh said in a joint statement.
Collins, 59, hails from Canada and currently sits at the helm of Jesse Collins Entertainment. In 2000m he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for his direction of the animated series, Zoboomafoo. His production of the 61st Grammy Awards landed him an Emmy nomination.
According to Variety, the Academy has extended the window of eligibility from Dec. 31 to Feb. 28, 2021. Due to the global closures of movie theaters in light of coronavirus, films that premiere on streaming platforms now qualify for submission.