Oscars 2014: Pharrell Williams to perform ‘Happy’ at ceremony, what else we know about the telecast

One thing is for sure come Oscar Sunday: There will be music. Pharrell Williams will perform "Happy" on March 2. Here's what we also know.

Photo by Mimi Valdés, courtesy The Academy.

One thing is for sure come Oscar Sunday: There will be music.

At least one of the Oscar-nominated Original Songs will be performed. Pharrell Williams will perform “Happy” on March 2, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced Tuesday.

Williams wrote and produced the up-beat tune for “Despicable Me 2.” The three other nominated songs are "Ordinary Love" from "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," "Let It Go" from "Frozen" and "The Moon Song" from "Her." (The fifth song, "Alone Yet Not Alone," was removed from contention last week.)

The seven-time Grammy Award winner teamed up with Hans Zimmer in 2002 for the 84th Academy Awards to create a fantastic ceremony soundtrack.

He collaborated on two of 2013’s most ubiquitous anthems: Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” which he co-wrote and produced, and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” which he co-wrote and also sang.

Here is the song:


The ceremony: What we know so far
As Oscar Sunday gets closer, look for more announcements from the producers to build excitement.

Here's what we know so far about the ceremony: It will include a "Wizard of Oz" tribute, celebrate movie heroes, feature college students and will be hosted by one funny lady.

It could also feature song and dance, if the trailer teases anything. (Update 2/5: But one production number has already been cut and dancers let go "reportedly due to show running long.")

We also know about the production team:
Directing the ceremony is Hamish Hamilton, who directed the 82nd Oscars in March 2010. He also directed this year's Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bruno Mars, along with last year's Super Bowl halftime show featuring Beyoncé and the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics, and  direct the upcoming 2014.

Production designer Derek McLane is back. He designed the show last year, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award. He most recently worked on NBC's “The Sound of Music Live!”

Choreographer Rob Ashford is also back. This will be his third Oscars telecast. He worked on last year's show, along with the 81st Academy Awards (hosted by Hugh Jackman) in February 2009, for which he won an Emmy. He was recently nominated for a Directors Guild Award for directing “The Sound of Music Live!” (executive produced by Zadan and Meron). Ashford has been nominated for eight Tony Awards and won for Best Choreography in 2002 for "Thoroughly Modern Millie."

Ellen has her team of writers and the producers are also bringing in Kristin Gore, Amy Ozols and Jon Macks. Gore is a novelist and screenwriter whose past credits include “Futurama” and “Saturday Night Live.” Ozols was formerly a writer and producer for “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” Macks, a longtime writer for “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and has been nominated for 6 Emmys. He has written for 17 Oscar telecasts, including other major awards shows.

Music director William Ross is also back, returning to the Oscars after working on the 79th, 83rd and 85th Academy Awards. He is a four-time Emmy winner and Ross earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Music Direction for his work on the 85th Oscars.

Costume designers Julie Weiss and Bruce Pask are also returning to the Oscars, after working together last year. Weiss, the recipient of the Career Achievement Award from The Costume Designers Guild, has designed costumes for more than 50 feature films, including her Oscar-nominated work for “Frida” and “Twelve Monkeys.” Pask is the Men's Fashion Director of T Magazine at The New York Times. Both have worked with Ashford before.

Talent producer Taryn Hurd is new this year. She has served as talent producer on FOX's “So You Think You Can Dance” and ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” Hurd has also served as talent executive on broadcasts such as The ESPYS, the Billboard Music Awards and the Critics’ Choice Awards.

Also back on the production team: supervising producer Michael Seligman, co-producer Lee Lodge and lighting designer Robert Dickinson. Seligman has a total of 11 Emmy nominations, including nine for his work on Oscar telecasts. Lodge has served as either co-producer or creative producer for the past five Oscar broadcasts. Dickinson has worked on 26 Oscar broadcasts, including last year's show. His credits include the “Kennedy Center Honors,” the Grammys, Emmys, Tonys,  American Music Awards, Olympic Ceremonies in Atlanta, Salt Lake and Vancouver and the broadcast of “The Sound of Music Live!” He has 18 Primetime Emmy Awards.

That's what we know.

The 86th Academy Awards, for outstanding film achievements of 2013, will be presented on Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 225 countries worldwide.