Lady Gaga has sparked the ire of Oscars bosses by turning down an invite to perform after keeping them hanging for months.
The star is the third favourite to take the gong for power ballad Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick, behind favourite Naatu Naatu and Rihanna ’s Lift Me Up, from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
But while the other competitors all confirmed their performances in February, Gaga kept frustrated bosses guessing by “going back and forth” on her decision.
She is said to have been undecided on whether she could squeeze in enough rehearsal time. But sources at LA’s Dolby Theatre said show chiefs were left “annoyed and disappointed” when the US superstar finally backed out this month.
Oscars bosses had invited all five nominees in the category to perform – and were expecting Gaga to accept.
But as the confirmations came in thick and fast, she remained on the fence before finally declining, citing filming commitments for Joker: Folie a Deux.
Gaga is starring as wildcard Harley Quinn in the movie, opposite Joaquin Phoenix.
Oscars executive producer Glenn Weiss confirmed the singer’s decision to pull out of the ceremony this week, and insisted the Academy has “a great relationship” with the star. But we hear it has been a different story behind the scenes.
One source told us: “There are a lot of annoyed and disappointed people.”
A second insider said: “There were lots of discussions between our camp and hers, but it was pretty late in the game that she decided it was a ‘no’, saying she wouldn’t be able to do it justice. She is very famously a perfectionist when it comes to her performances, but it still did not go down well with the bosses.”
Umbrella singer Rihanna, w h o performed at the Super Bowl half-time show last month ,was quick to confirm her attendance after her first awards nod.
Gaga’s first appearance on the Oscars stage came when she duetted with Julie Andrews on Sound of Music medley in 2015.
The following year, now-US President Joe Biden introduced her performance of Til It Happens to You from The Hunting Ground.
And in 2019, she and her A Star is Born co-star Bradley Cooper set tongues wagging with an intimate duet of the hit, Shallow.
Gaga went on to win an Oscar for the emotional ballad. But tomorrow, it will fall to others to bring the Oscars house down with belting performances. Over to you, Rihanna…
