Pharrell Williams to perform on Oscar night

Singer-songwriter-producer Pharrell Williams will perform his Oscar-nominated song “Happy” at the Oscars, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. “Happy,” which Williams wrote and produced for “Despicable Me 2,” is nominated for Original Song. The three other nominated songs are “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” “Let It Go” from “Frozen” and “The Moon Song” from “Her.”

Pharell Williams - courtesy of AMPAS

Pharell Williams – courtesy of  Mimi Valdés 

Last week, a 5th contender  “Alone Yet Not Alone”  from a faith based movie of the same title was  disqualified from the category after the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences discovered that the song’s creator, Bruce Broughton, had improperly emailed 70 fellow Academy members to ask them to listen to the song. The Board determined that Broughton’s actions were inconsistent with the Academy’s promotional regulations and rescinded the Original Song nomination.  This is the first time in the Academy’s history a nominee has been disqualified.

“No matter how well-intentioned the communication, using one’s position as a former governor and current executive committee member to personally promote one’s own Oscar submission creates the appearance of an unfair advantage,” said Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy President on the matter.

The Oscars

Photo credit: Royalty Image 

Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theater at Hollywood & Highland Center and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The show will be hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Samantha Ofole-Prince is a journalist and movie critic who covers industry-specific news that includes television and film. She serves as the Entertainment Editor for Trendy Africa.

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