How to watch the 2023 Academy Awards live on ABC without cable, including free options

 

By Christopher Zara

 

Armed with one of the most talked-about Best Picture lineups in years (from the endlessly buzzy Everything Everywhere All at Once to the budget-busting Avatar: The Way of Water), the Academy Awards will return to their home at Hollywood’s Dolby Theater on Sunday.

 

This year’s ceremony will look much more like a typical Oscars telecast than 2021’s awkward outing at Union Station Los Angeles, and of course everyone has their fingers crossed that none of the celebrities will hit each other. Broadcast rights-holder ABC, meanwhile, is no doubt hoping for a ratings rebound, as is the broader entertainment industry as a whole. And if you’re a movie lover, you can do your part by watching or streaming the event live. Here’s what to know:

When and where will the Oscars take place?

The 95th Academy Awards ceremony take place on Sunday, March 12, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. They will be broadcast live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Jimmy Kimmel will host. Nominations for Best Picture include:

  • All Quiet on the Western Front
  • Avatar: The Way of Water
  • The Banshees of Inisherin
  • Elvis
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once
  • The Fabelmans
  • Tár
  • Top Gun: Maverick
  • Triangle of Sadness
  • Women Talking

You can check out the full list of nominations here.

 

Where to watch the Oscars

If you’re a cord-cutter without a traditional cable TV package, the following streaming services will stream the ceremony, but be sure to check to make sure ABC is offered in your area. These are paid services. However, you may be able to get a free promotional week:

You can also stream the event on a computer at ABC.com or on your mobile devices via the ABC apps. You’ll need to log in with a pay-TV provider.

Are there any totally free ways to watch the Oscars?

Yes! ABC is a broadcast network that is technically available over the air for free. Sadly, one of the best ways to stream free broadcast TV—the nonprofit service Locast—shut down in September 2021 in the wake of a lawsuit by the very companies whose channels it let you stream. But there’s nothing stopping you from grabbing an over-the-air antenna and watching the Oscars the old-fashioned way.

 

This story has been updated from last year’s Oscars guide for cord-cutters.

 

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