When you tune into the Oscars this weekend, you won't see performances by two of the Best Original Song nominees. As it's been reported, performances from Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lang and two-time Oscar nominee J. Ralph have been cut from the televised program.
The 88th Academy Awards, which takes place Feb 28, will include premieres from Lady Gaga, Sam Smith and the Weeknd, who will perform their nominated tunes from The Hunting Ground, Spectre and Fifty Shades of Grey, respectively. Dave Grohl will take the stage, too.
As reported by Variety:
"The Oscar-nominated songs 'Manta Ray,' from the documentary 'Racing Extinction,' and 'Simple Song #3,' from Paolo Sorrentino's 'Youth,' will not be performed on the 88th Academy Awards, Variety has learned. The reason, according to a source: 'time constraints.'"
This has happened at Oscars prior. In fact, J. Ralph was snubbed once before this in 2012 when he was up for "Before My Time" from the 2012 doc Chasing Ice.
In 2010 and 2012, no nominees performed, but prior to that the only song not be included was Eminem performing "Lose Yourself" in a 2003 telecast because he did not attend.
He did, however, win the Oscar.
The performers and composers representing the five nominated songs gathered earlier in the year for a photo shoot and lunch with a podcast to follow. That podcast can be found here.
Preview Lang's superb "Simple Song #3," which will not receive an Oscar premiere, below.
