Sex Scandals, Trump Will Be Hard to Avoid at Oscars; Who’ll Mention Them First?

Director Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” is this year’s Oscar darling.

Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel has promised to go light on the political and sex assault at the 90th Annual Academy Awards, but both will inexorably hang over the annual exercise in self-worship. Who will be the first to say something from the podium?

Director Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” is this year’s Oscar darling with 13 nominations.

Mary J Blige’s nomination for best supporting actress in “Mudbound” was the biggest surprise. We give 2-1 odds, she’ll talk about sex assaults if she makes it to the Oscar stage. She’s been there.

Guillermo del Toro

The scandals clearly had an effect on the nominations. Hollywood veterans were left out of the running, including Angelina Jolie and Michelle Williams. But James Franco was clearly snubbed because of allegations against him.

Ryan Seacrest is also expected to be persona non gratia when he takes up duties on the red carpet for E! News. Some celebrities are reportedly refusing to speak to him, and the network is running a 10 second delay to avoid any incidents.

In other surprise omissions, Tom Hanks failed to snag a nomination for Lead Actor for “The Post” and Judi Dench was absent from the Lead Actress category for “Victoria & Abdul.”

Among this year’s pictures, “The Big Sick,” “I, Tonya” and “Wonder Woman” were passed over for best picture nominations.

Jolie had to be disappointed because her moving film, “First They Killed My Father” lost out in the best foreign film category.

Among directors, Steven Spielberg, who helmed “The Post,” Martin McDonagh, who helmed “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri” and Ridley Scott, who directed “All The Money In The World” were also overlooked.

Franco won a Golden Globe and was nominated for a SAG award for his work in the “Disaster Artist,” but he was caught up in a sex scandal involving former students of his now defunct acting school.

Williams was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Gail Getty in Scott’s J. Paul Getty drama.

She made tabloid headlines this year for switch hitting after coming out at last year’s Oscars. She’s now dating a man.

Among other surprise Oscar misses were Tiffany Haddish for Girl’s Trip,” Holly Hunter for the Big Sick, despite getting a SAG nomination and Armie Hammer for his role in “Call Me By Your Name” despite a Golden Globe nomination.

Otherwise, there were no surprises among the nominees. del Toro’s romantic film was a heavy favorite and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Sally Hawkins and Best Supporting Actor Richard Jenkins.

Del Toro won a Golden Globe for Best Director.

Another Globe winner, Gary Oldman is an odds-on favorite in the Best Actor category for his role as World War II British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in ‘Darkest Hour.’

Daniel Day-Lewis is the sentimental favorite for his final film “Phantom Thread,” while Denzel Washington is the darkhorse for “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”

Also contending are Timothee Chalamet for “Call Me By Your Name,” and Daniel Kaluuya for “Get Out.”

Saoirse Ronan winner of the Golden Globe for “Lady Bird” is the leading contender for Best Actress, followed by Frances McDormand for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”

Margot Robbie for her role as figure skater Tonya Harding and perennial contender Meryl Streep has been nominated for “The Post.” She’s the sentimental favorite.

Jimmy Kimmel returns as host this year. The awards will be handed out at the Dolby Theatre, in Hollywood, Sunday, March 4.