Oscars 2017: What to expect from the Academy Awards

The 89th Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will air live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood tonight, beginning 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

The network's red carpet coverage gets under way at 7 p.m. ET.

If last month's Golden Globe Awards are any indication, politics will take center stage at the Oscars show, and for his part Kimmel tells ABC News you can can expect to hear President Donald Trump's name several times.

"I'm sure it will come up repeatedly throughout the show, and I'm guessing that the president won't be the most popular guy," he says. "I'd really love to just bring him on stage, that would be the best surprise for everyone."

There are nine nominees for best picture this year, with the modern-day musical "La La Land" being the odds-on favorite. It's the leading nominee with a record-tying 14 nods. Director Damien Chazelle is favored to walk off with best director and its female star, Emma Stone, is also a frontrunner for best actress. However, her co-star Ryan Gosling, who is up for best actor, faces stiff competition from Denzel Washington, who stars in another best picture contender, "Fences," and Casey Affleck for "Manchester by the Sea."

"Manchester" was also nominated for best picture, along with "Arrival," "Hacksaw Ridge," "Hell or High Water," "Hidden Figures," "Lion," and "Moonlight."

Washington's "Fences" co-star, Viola Davis, took home a Golden Globe for supporting actress for her role as his wife in the movie, and is the favorite to win the Oscar as well. Mahershala Ali, who also won a Golden Globe for his supporting role in "Moonlight," has a good shot at winning Sunday.

Elsewhere, "Arrival" and "Moonlight" both have eight nominations; "Hacksaw Ridge," "Lion," and "Manchester by the Sea" each have six.