'OSCARS(R) OPENING CEREMONY: LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET'

The Only Official Oscars Opening Ceremony Coverage With Exclusive Access to the Red Carpet in Final Hour Leading Up to Event

Hosted by Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan and Lara Spencer

Joined by Special Contributors Jess Cagle, Nina Garcia and Krista Smith

Airs Oscar(R) Sunday, February 26, 7:00 p.m. EST/ 4:00 p.m. PST on The ABC Television Network

The ABC Television Network and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today "Oscars(R) Opening Ceremony: Live From The Red Carpet," the ultimate opening event and highly anticipated lead-in to the live telecast of the 89th Oscars hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26. This 90-minute special, hosted by "Good Morning America" Anchors Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, and Lara Spencer begins at 7:00 p.m. EST/4:00 p.m. PST on the ABC Television Network and is the only official red-carpet event. Additionally, from 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. EST (4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PST), ABC is the only telecast broadcasting live exclusively from the red carpet.

Roberts, Strahan and Spencer will be joined by special contributors Jess Cagle, editor-in-chief of People and editorial director, Time Inc. Style & Entertainment Group; Marie Claire's creative director and "Project Runway" judge, Nina Garcia; and Vanity Fair's West Coast executive editor, Krista Smith.

The special features interviews with the nominees, presenters and performers arriving on the red carpet plus gives viewers an ultimate insiders' view of all the pre-show excitement.

For the third consecutive year, Oscars show producers and the Academy tapped ABC's Lincoln Square Productions team to produce the red carpet show. "The Oscar red carpet is the most exciting and unpredictable place in Hollywood - you never know what is going to happen. We are looking forward to this fast-paced, live, lead in to one of the biggest global events on television," said Oscar producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd.

"We are honored to be working with the Academy for the third year on such a high-profile evening" said Lincoln Square Productions' Morgan Hertzan. "It's one of the greatest live television events in the world, and we are thrilled to be part of its history."

"Oscars(R) Opening Ceremony: Live From the Red Carpet" will be executive produced by John R. Green and directed by Jeff Winn.

The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre(R) at Hollywood & Highland Center(R) in Hollywood, and will be broadcast live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST. The Oscars, produced by De Luca and Todd and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, also will be televised in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide. Additionally, "The Oscars: All Access" live stream from the red carpet and backstage will begin at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST on Oscar.com.

About The Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards-in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners-Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

About Lincoln Square Productions

ABC News' Lincoln Square Productions produces original content for broadcast, cable and digital distribution specializing in entertaining ways to tell fact based stories, including ABC's "What Would You Do?," ABC's "Madoff," the OSCAR Red Carpet Opening Ceremony," Investigation Discovery's "Barbara Walters Presents," as well as documentary programming for a wide array of partners, including PBS, Discovery Communications and A & E Networks. Lincoln Square Productions is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. The headquarters are located in New York City's Lincoln Square neighborhood. Morgan Hertzan is Senior Vice President of Lincoln Square Productions.