Misty Copeland surprised her fans by coming out of retirement to perform at the Oscars following hip replacement surgery

Misty Copeland/photo/Instagram/@mistyonpointe

Misty Copeland surprised her fans by making a stunning return to the stage after hip replacement surgery to perform a routine to "I Lied to You" from the Sinners movie soundtrack at the Oscars.

Misty retired from the American Ballet Theatre in October 2025, where she served as the Principal Ballerina.

It was an incredible night for director Ryan Coogler’s film, which holds the record for the most Oscar nominations, totaling 16. In addition to Michael B. Jordan's win, the film secured four awards, and "I Lied to You" was among its 16 nominations.

In February, Copeland shared a video on Instagram explaining that she had undergone hip replacement surgery shortly after her retirement and that she was currently in recovery.

Today, the ballerina expressed her feelings about rejoining her craft on Instagram. She stated, "Honored to be part of this year’s Oscars performance of “I Lied to You” from Sinners. Sharing the stage with such incredible artists was a powerful reminder of how deeply music and movement are connected."

She continued, "I had the privilege of wearing the Firebird costume from Dance Theatre of Harlem, designed by Geoffrey Holder, carrying that history with me onto the stage. Grateful to be part of a moment that celebrates the spirit of this film and the depth of Black musical storytelling."

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