Want to catch up on all the Oscar contenders before Sunday that you missed in theaters? Disney is making its fall hit “Moana” available for digital download on Tuesday (Feb. 21). The film follows the adventures of a Polynesian teenage girl who has always been drawn to the ocean, despite her dad decreeing that no one on their island is to go beyond the protective reef. However, when danger threatens, she ventures forth in search of Maui, a mischievous demigod, to seek his help.
Sign up to get Gold Derby’s free newsletter
with experts’ latest predictions and breaking news
“Moana” opened the Wednesday of the extended Thanksgiving weekend and scored a jaw-dropping 99% freshness on Rotten Tomatoes. Part of its appeal was the score by Lin-Manuel Miranda who reaped his first Oscar bid for the tune “How Far I’ll Go.” If he prevails on Sunday, he’ll become the youngest EGOT winner in history at age 37. Robert Lopez, the most recent of the 12 versatile talents to pull off this grand slam, had just turned 39 when he won his Oscar for “Let It Go” from “Frozen” in 2015.
Miranda won his first Tony in 2008 for the score of “In the Height” and picked up his first Grammy a year later for the cast recording (he repeated in both those races for “Hamilton” last year, also winning a Tony for Best Book of a Musical). He won an Emmy in 2014 for writing a number, “Bigger!,” that had been performed on the 2013 Tony Awards.
Join in the fierce debate about the Oscar contenders
going on right now in our red-hot forums
The multi-hyphenate talent recently admitted, “The best way to not get an EGOT is to set your sights on it. I knew about it early, because I remember reading that Rita Moreno, the patron saint of Puerto Rican kids, had won all four prizes.”
Miranda is currently filming “Mary Poppins Returns” in London but will jet west to be at the Oscars, where he is slated to perform “How Far I’ll Go” with Auli’i Cravalho who gave voice to the title character in this Disney toon.
Predict the Oscar winners now; change them till February 26
Be sure to make your Oscar predictions. Weigh in now with your picks so that Hollywood insiders can see how their films are faring in our Oscar odds. You can keep changing your predictions right up until just before winners are announced on February 26 at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET. And join in the fierce debate over the Oscars taking place right now with Hollywood insiders in our forums.
