The stars will shine bright when Hollywood rolls out the red carpet for the 97th Academy Awards this Sunday, March 2.
But one group of nominees won’t have long to wait to find out which of them takes home Oscar gold.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role is typically the very first award handed out on Oscar night.
Here’s a look at the actresses hoping to hear their name this Sunday.
Monica Barbaro for ‘A Complete Unknown’
Monica Barbaro earned her Oscar nomination for her role playing folk singer Joan Baez in Best Picture nominee “A Complete Unknown.” The movie charts the rise of singer Bob Dylan and his now-legendary performance of “Like A Rolling Stone” at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. At the time, Dylan and Baez were in a romantic relationship. Timothée Chalamet’s turn as Bob Dylan has earned him a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Ariana Grande for ‘Wicked’
First-time nominee Ariana Grande got the Oscar nod for bringing “Glinda the Good” to life in Best Picture nominee “Wicked.” The screen adaptation of the Broadway show by the same name tells the story of what happened before Dorothy arrived on the scene in “The Wizard of Oz.” Grande’s co-star Cynthia Erivo’s turn as Elphaba won her a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
The Academy confirmed that the pair will kick off the show with a medley of songs from the film. The BBC reports that medley could be as much as 10 minutes long.
Felicity Jones for ‘The Brutalist’
Felicity Jones is nominated for her role as Erzsébet, the wife of visionary architect László Toth in Best Picture nominee “The Brutalist.” The three-and-a-half hour-long film also earned Adrien Brody a Best Actor nomination. Brody plays Toth, a Hungarian-born Jewish immigrant who comes to the U.S. after surviving the Holocaust and World War II. The architect struggles until his work catches the eye of a wealthy industrialist.
Isabella Rossellini for ‘Conclave’
Isabella Rossellini is a first-time Oscar nominee at the age of 72! Rossellini is nominated for her role as Sister Agnes in Best Picture nominee “Conclave.” The movie tells the story of priests from around the world gathering in Vatican City to pick the next pope. Ralph Fiennes, who is nominated for Best Actor in a Lead Role, plays The Dean of the College of Cardinals. But critics agree that Rossellini has some of the most scene-stealing lines in the film.
Zoe Saldaña for ‘Emilia Pérez’
In “Emilia Pérez,” Zoe Saldaña plays a high-powered attorney named Rita. Rita is is tasked with helping a Mexican cartel leader fake her death and “disappear” by undergoing sexual reassignment procedures. The movie is a musical that showcases Saldaña‘s singing and dancing skills. Karla Sofía Gascón earned a Best Actress in a Lead Role nomination for taking on the title role. Gascón is the first trans woman to be nominated for a best actress Oscar .
Who Will Win? Experts Weigh In
“Vanity Fair” predicts Zoe Saldaña will bring Oscar home, pointing to her wins at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, BAFTA, and SAG Awards, saying “this trophy is hers.”
And “The Hollywood Reporter” agrees, writing, “there’s no disputing the excitement of watching Zoe Saldaña sing and dance with aplomb, while stepping away from the greenscreen and into a complex character whose professional ethics, needling moral conflicts and ultimate fealty to the bonds of sisterhood are the backbone of Jacques Audiard’s musical.”
And “USA Today” doesn’t dispute those opinions, also throwing its prediction to Saldaña, writing “the Marvel and ‘Avatar’ star sings, dances and showcases a new level of her acting talent.”
How to Watch the 97th Academy Awards
The Oscars, hosted by Conan O’Brien will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 2, at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT, with the official live red carpet show airing at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
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Oscars : Best Supporting Actress (Who’s Nominated, Who’s Favored to Win)