Sunday night was the first time Hulu aired the Oscars live, but it ended on a frustrating note due to technical issues.
Hulu’s livestream cut off during the final moments of the ceremony, leaving viewers without the announcements of two major awards: Best Actress and Best Picture. Instead, they saw an error code stating that the event had ended. Fans, including those watching Oscar parties, were upset as they missed seeing Mikey Madison and “Anora” win Best Actress and Best Picture in real time.
The Hulu stream had issues from the start, with some users reporting trouble logging in due to another technical glitch. This caused some people to miss the show’s musical opening performed by “Wicked” stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Disney, which has owned Hulu since 2019, apologized to viewers. The company issued a statement on Monday saying, “Yesterday evening, we experienced technical and live stream issues on Hulu which impacted some Oscars viewers. We apologize for the experience.” They also mentioned that a “full replay” of the event, including the missed moments, is now available on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
Hulu’s first Oscars broadcast comes at a time when streaming platforms are betting big on live events, including awards shows, pop culture moments, and major sports events like the Super Bowl. However, not all of these live-streaming attempts have gone smoothly.
Sean Baker accepts the awards for the Best DirectorFor example, Netflix faced complaints of streaming issues during the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight in November. In 2023, Netflix’s “Love Is Blind” reunion special faced delays before airing live. In 2021, CBS All Access, now known as Paramount+, had trouble during the Super Bowl broadcast. Hulu also faced similar problems during the 2018 Super Bowl when its live TV service cut off early for some users.
While the Super Bowl moves between broadcast and streaming platforms each year, the Oscars have been broadcast on ABC for decades. ABC’s contract with the Academy lasts until 2028, which will be the 100th anniversary of the Oscars.
This Sunday was the first time regular Hulu subscribers could watch the Oscars, though Hulu Live TV subscribers have been able to stream the awards in previous years. The show is also available on other platforms that stream ABC live, like YouTubeTV, AT&T TV, and FuboTV.
