Beyoncé will sing at the Oscars and Van Morrison will skip the gala

Beyoncé and Billie Eilish will sing on Sunday at the Oscars ceremony, but Irish singer Van Morrison, who has questioned vaccination against covid-19, will not be going to the gala, event organizers reported on Tuesday.

All three are nominated for best song at the 94th Academy Awards, as are Lin-Manuel Miranda and Diane Warren's compositions, which will also be performed during the ceremony.

The pop star Beyoncé was nominated with “Be Alive”, written for “King Richard: A Winning Family”, starring Will Smith and which follows the struggle of Venus's father and Serena Williams to make them the greatest tennis players of all time.

The specialized publication Variety said that the singer will sing from the courts of Compton, the suburb of Los Angeles where the Williams sisters began their career as children. The organizers did not respond to AFP's queries on the subject.

Eilish and her brother Finneas will sing “No Time To Die”, from the latest installment of James Bond.

Morrison, author of “Down to Joy” featured in Kenneth Branagh's black-and-white drama “Belfast,” “will not attend the Oscars due to the dates of his tour,” organizers said.

The singer, known as “Van the Man” among his followers, plans to continue his tour in England at the end of March, and then go to the United States to meet other dates.

But Morrison's criticism of restrictions to prevent the spread of covid-19 - including three songs against confinement - and his refusal to compulsory vaccination raised speculation.

The ceremony requires that nominees, guests and media personnel be vaccinated, although it has been said that presenters and interpreters could attend without presenting proof of immunization as long as they follow strict testing protocols.

The song “Dos Oruguitas”, composed by Miranda for the Disney animated film Encanto, will be performed by Colombian director Sebastián Yatra.

Having risen to stardom with Broadway sensation “Hamilton”, Miranda competes for the Oscar that could give her the EGOT status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) that fewer than twenty people hold.

Reba McEntire will sing “Somehow You Do”, composed for “Four Good Days” and the 13th nomination of Diane Warren who has not yet won the long-awaited statuette.

This Sunday's ceremony also includes the participation of an all-star band that includes, among others, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ D-Nice.

The Hollywood Grand Prize gala will be this Sunday at the Dolby Theater.

AMZ/PR/DL