Beyonce in Talks to Perform on Oscars From Compton Tennis Courts Telecast

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LOS ANGELES — Oscar organizers are pulling out all the stops to land an iconic performance from Beyonce, nominated for Best Original Song, multiple sources close to the show told Variety.

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While the superstar hasn’t taken a break from the awards campaign in recent months to support her track “Be Alive,” co-written with artist Dixson for the movie “King Richard,” Beyonce’s camp has been in extensive talks with producers to mount a satellite performance of the song — the one that would possibly open the show and stream live from the tennis courts in Compton, California.

The concept began to solidify last Monday, three people familiar with the talks said.

The place, of course, is where sports legends Venus and Serena Williams exercised tirelessly in their youth under the watchful eye of their father, Richard. One possible scenario would be for Will Smith, who plays the film’s title character, to appear on location with Beyonce, then presumably head north to Hollywood in time to take his place for the Best Actor category announcement, sources added. sources.

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An Academy spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Beyonce could not immediately be reached for comment.

The “Lemonade” singer is notoriously secretive, often requiring top collaborators to sign binding nondisclosure agreements for the chance to work with her. Many industry and city government insiders have said it’s possible Beyonce could drop the concept entirely if any of her plans were to come to light.

Although there are many tennis courts in the city of Compton, located in metro Los Angeles, the courts in Lueders Park were officially renamed Venus and Serena Williams Court of Champion in 2016. The Director’s Office the city of Compton did not return multiple calls for comment on the matter.

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Any pop culture watcher or member of Beyhive would recognize a move like this as the Beyonce brand — a performance that could use Oscar popularity to shine a spotlight on Compton and celebrate two Indigenous girls who conquered their sport and the world.

Over the years, the Academy has shown affection for Beyonce as a performer (if not for her acclaimed acting breakthrough in the 2006 film “Dreamgirls”). In 2005, the singer performed many songs in the category of the best songs during the live broadcast, including “Learn to Be Lonely” from the remake of “The Phantom of the Opera”. She sang alongside Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose in 2007 with a medley of “Dreamgirls”, and also in 2009 to accompany host Hugh Jackman in a montage celebrating the musicals.

The 2022 Oscars will air this Sunday, March 27 on ABC.