Final touches set for 95th Oscars with Scots screenwriter among names to watch

Final preparations for the Oscars are underway ahead of the 95th annual ceremony on Sunday, with Scottish screenwriter Lesley Paterson among the names to look out for.

Under the large tent set up on Hollywood Boulevard, production crews put the final touches on staging and lights – while sheltering from the Los Angeles rain.

Protective plastic coverings were carefully peeled off decorations and final coats of paint were applied in anticipation of the big event.

Large replicas of the world famous golden statue stood tall along the carpet which, in a departure from previous ceremonies, will be champagne coloured instead of red.

At the carpet’s official rollout this year’s show host Jimmy Kimmel joked that the decision “shows how confident we are that no blood will be shed” – in reference to Will Smith’s now-infamous slap.

American sci-fi film Everything Everywhere All At Once leads the way with a total of 11 nominations while German adaptation All Quiet on the Western Front, which led the BAFTA nominations, and Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin each have nine.

Everything Everywhere All At Once leads the way at the 2023 Oscars nominations. DAVID BORNFRIEND/A24.

Scots screenwriter Lesley Paterson is among the nominees in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for All Quiet on the Western Front and is widely anticipated to win after also taking the Bafta for Best Screenplay.

STV News reported how pupils at Allan’s Primary in Stirling are cheering on Lesley, a former pupil at the school.

P7 pupil Lacie told STV News: “It’s just weird to think that someone who is an Oscar nominee used to come here and was in this building. It feels like a dream.”

Children at Lesley Paterson's old school have been learning about the triathlete-turned-screenwriter. — Children at Lesley Paterson’s old school have been learning about the triathlete-turned-screenwriter. STV News

The anti-war film took home seven Baftas at the ceremony – breaking the record for the most awards won by a foreign language film.

Work on Oscars ceremony – the largest in the show business calendar – has been going on for weeks and will culminate in the show on Sunday, which will be watched by millions around the world.

Felix Kammerer in Netflix's All Quiet on the Western Front. — Felix Kammerer in Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front. Netflix

Two days out, global media had already begun to descend on the Dolby Theatre, with crews from all over the world performing camera and sound checks.

Friday and Saturday saw a flurry of activity, with journalists rushing to pick up credentials and confirm negative Covid test results before finding their spaces along the carpet.

Speaking at the rollout ceremony on Wednesday, Kimmel promised that organisers had “a lot of great plans” for the show.

“We promise that this is going to be a fun show. People have been asking us, can we make the show longer and yes, it is going to be longer,” he said.

“Hopefully it won’t feel long because we have a lot of great stuff in store, we have a lot of great plans.”

The 95th Academy Awards will take place on March 12.