The screen icon Tom Hanks got his next job: the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris.
The “News of the World” actor is expected to present a star-studded TV special after the elected president and vice president take office. According to a Wednesday report from Deadline, the broadcast of “Celebrating America” will begin at 5:30 pm Pacific, January 20, on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and MSNBC.
Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, Ant Clemons and Jon Bon Jovi are also expected to appear in the 90-minute broadcast. More acts are expected to be announced for the show, which will also be available for broadcast on Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Bing, Fox NewsNOW and AT&T DIRECTV and U-verse, as well as on the social media accounts of the Presidential Inaugural Committee.
“I am VERY honored to announce that I will be joining @joebiden and @kamalaharris for their special event,” wrote singer Demi Lovato on Wednesday on social media. “I was speechless when I was asked to introduce myself!”
I am VERY honored to announce that I will join @Joe Biden AND @KamalaHarris for your special event, “Celebrating America” on January 20 at 8:30 pm ET / PT ❤️🤍💙 I was speechless when I was invited to perform! Tune in to various TV networks and live streaming services 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/YiYmQ43M51
– Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) January 13, 2021
“Can’t Stop the Feeling” hitmaker Timberlake and the recently nominated Grammy-nominated Clemons are ready to present their December motivational collaboration, “Better Days”.
“To say this is a dream come true would be an understatement,” wrote Clemons on Wednesday on Instagram. “2020 was accompanied by so much weight from so many angles … we were inspired to create something that could serve as a little hope in such difficult times. I can only pray that the same hope that we feel when writing this song will shine through this presidency as we enter a new chapter. “
“Hopefully the theme for 2021 is redemption,” Timberlake told NBC’s “Today” program on Wednesday. “What an honor. … We received the call to be asked [to perform for the inauguration], and I said, ‘Uh … yes?’ “
On Friday, the Inaugural Presidential Committee is hosting an inaugural themed fundraising event featuring successful White House drama stars “The West Wing” and “Scandal”. Moderated by “Designated Survivor” actor and former Obama administration student Kal Penn, the virtual panel will include actors Dulé Hill, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford and Bellamy Young.
The upcoming opening events will also feature former presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton, who will participate alongside Biden and Harris in a crowning ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. The theme of this year’s inauguration is “United America”.
“It is time to turn the page in this age of division,” said Chief Executive of the Inaugural Presidential Committee Tony Allen in a statement. “The inaugural activities will reflect our shared values and serve as a reminder that we are stronger together than apart, just as our motto ‘e pluribus unum’ reminds us – of many, one.”