Pregnant Rihanna's 2023 Oscars Performance Lifted Up Everyone, Including A$AP Rocky

Rihanna took the stage at the 2023 Oscars to perform her Best Original Song nominee "Lift Me Up" from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in honor of the late Chadwick Boseman.

By JD Knapp Mar 13, 2023 2:52 AMTags
Watch: Pregnant Rihanna Posts Pic Of Son Reacting To Sibling Going To Oscars

Take some time and stay with her.

Exactly one month after her showstopping halftime show performance at Super Bowl LVII, Rihanna once again took center stage at the 2023 Oscars on March 12.

The pregnant singer performed her ballad "Lift Me Up" from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is nominated for Best Original Song. The single, which honored the late Chadwick Boseman, earned Rihanna her first Oscar nomination and marked the 35-year-old's first new solo track in six years.

Danai Gurira introduced Rihanna, who wore an original Maison Margiela Artisanal piece covered in diamonds created by John Galliano. Onstage, she was joined by a full orchestra and stood in place for her performance before receiving a cheers of a champagne glass from A$AP Rocky at the end of her song. 

Elsewhere in the awards show, Rihanna's Best Original Song competition Sofia Carson and Diane Warren performed "Applause" from Tell It Like a Woman, Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava performed "Naatu Naatu" from RRR, and David ByrneSon Lux and Stephanie Hsu performed "This Is a Life" from Everything Everywhere All at Once.

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While fellow nominated artist Lady Gaga was originally not expected to perform "Hold My Hand" from Top Gun: Maverick, she ended up making a surprise, stripped-down appearance after all.

Additionally, Lenny Kravitz is set to perform the In Memoriam tribute, while Ricky Minor led the house orchestra throughout the night.

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

While she has attended multiple of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Oscar after-parties over the years, the 2023 ceremony, which was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, was Rihanna's first time at the actual awards themselves.

For the red carpet, she wore a black, body-hugging longsleeve dress that revealed her baby bump through sheer fabric complemented by an updo.

(Click here to see every star at the 2023 Oscars.)

Plus, see which other couples supported each other at the 95th Academy Awards, below...

Jamie Lee Curtis & Christopher Guest

The Everything Everywhere All at Once star, who won the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar, dazzled in her Dolce & Gabbana gown and was joined by her filmmaker husband. During Live From E!, Jamie shared how she kicked off Oscars morning, including reading The Book of Awakening.

"I do meditation," she said. "I'm a sober person. I talk to people. I communicate with my friends. My husband made me a little breakfast."

Nicole Kimpel & Antonio Banderas

The star of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which is up for Best Animated Feature Film, wore a tuxedo that was purrrrrfection while his girlfriend wore a ravishing red ensemble.

Miles Teller & Keleigh Sperry

The Top Gun: Maverick star and his wife made a stylish landing on the red carpet.

Jeanne Moore & Brendan Fraser

The actor, who is nominated for his lead role in The Whale, and the makeup artist were all smiles on the carpet. Just a few weeks before, Jeanne celebrated Brendan's SAG Awards win, writing on Instagram, "Congrats to my incredibly talented man!!! What an incredible honor!!! I am so proud of you!!!"

Hugh Grant & Anna Eberstein

From Notting Hill to the L.A. Oscars, the actor arrived at the Academy Awards with his producer wife, both matching in all-black ensembles.

Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban

No big little lies about it! The Oscar winner, who's been nominated for five Academy Awards so far in her career, and the country music singer appeared to enjoy their date night at the Oscars and kicked off the evening with a kiss on the carpet.

Seth Rogen & Lauren Miller

The actor, who appears in the Oscar-nominated movie The Fabelmans, hit the carpet in a cream-colored jacket, gray trousers and a matching bow tie and was joined by his wife, with the actress donning a green gown.

Mark Consuelos & Kelly Ripa

Live from the Oscars red carpet it's Mark and Kelly!

Alexander Dreymon & Allison Williams

The Girls star turned heads in her Giambattista Valli couture gown as she walked the carpet with her actor fiancé.

Halle Berry & Van Hunt

The Monster's Ball star, who made history as the first Black woman to win an Oscar in the Best Actress in a Leading Role category in 2002, stunned in her Tamara Ralph gown and was joined by her musician love, who wore a dapper tux.

Alyson Sandro & Barry Keoghan

The Banshees of Inisherin actor, who was nominated for his supporting role in the film, rocked a periwinkle suit with flower buttons as he celebrated the Academy Awards with his girlfriend, who dazzled in a black gown.

Sabrina Dhowre Elba & Idris Elba

The Luther star rocked a blue tuxedo jacket while his wife sported a gorgeous green gown.

Kevin Bacon & Kyra Sedgwick

While it isn't time to kick off the Sunday shoes just yet, the Footloose actor and the actress were ready to have a good time and celebrate the 2023 Oscars.

Troy Kotsur & Deanne Bray

The actor—who won the Oscar last year for his supporting role in CODA—arrived on the champagne carpet with his wife. During his interview on Live From E!, Troy reflected on his history-making Academy Award, in which he became the first deaf male actor to win an Oscar.

"Well most importantly is when I mentioned that my award was dedicated to the Deaf community, the disabled community and the CODA community, I saw that inspire so many folks, and I believe it's opening many more doors and opportunities," he said. "So I'm seeing much more diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. So that's what was quite inspiring about my moment. And of course, we haven't seen a deaf male actor for quite a while. Ever since Marlee Matlin, the female winner in the '80s. And Marlee said, 'I'm not alone anymore,' which was really touching."

Felicitas Rombold & Daniel Bruhl

The actor, who appeared in the Oscar-nominated film All Quiet on the Western Front, and his wife coordinated in black and white ensembles at the award show.

Marco Perego & Zoe Saldaña

The star of Avatar: The Way of Water, which is nominated for four Oscars including Best Picture, rocked a Fendi couture gown and vintage Cartier jewels while her producer husband sported a black tuxedo.

Malala Yousafzai & Asser Malik

The Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist sparkled in Ralph Lauren and was joined on the champagne carpet with her Mettle Cricket founder husband.

Katie Lowes & Adam Shapiro

Dinner and a movie? How about a snack at the Oscars? The Scandal alum and the Never Have I Ever actor brought a pretzel to the champagne carpet.

Lauren Ridloff & Douglas Ridloff

The Walking Dead star glimmered in her Elie Saab gown, and the poet suited up in a classic tuxedo.

Kathy Crawford & Joel Crawford

The director of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which is nominated for Best Animated Feature Film, and his love celebrated Oscars night in style.

David Byrne & Mala Gaonkar

The musician—whose Everything Everywhere All at Once song "This Is a Life" is nominated for an Oscar—and the businesswoman arrived at the event to see if he'll take home his second Academy Award.

Head to E! Online's Oscars page for a full recap of the 2024 Academy Awards.