00:00Gaga dazzles amidst pink palms and welcomes us to Paris.
00:04Bonsoir! Bienvenue à Paris!
00:07Celine stuns us all with a majestic performance under the Eiffel Tower
00:11and teams from countries across the world make their entrance riding on the sun.
00:15The 2024 Paris Olympics are officially underway
00:18and kicked off the global event with an epic opening ceremony.
00:22This is the first time the Olympic opening ceremony was not held inside a stadium
00:26but rather outside in front of iconic Parisian landmarks.
00:29Team USA was led by flag-bearers LeBron James and Coco Gauff
00:33who floated on boats carrying 594 U.S. athletes
00:37along the other competing nations sailing across the River Seine
00:41and they didn't let a little rain stop the celebrations.
00:43Lady Gaga kicked off the big event as the first performer of the evening
00:47and dazzled the crowd in front of a grand golden staircase overlooking the river
00:51singing in French alongside a saxophone band and a group of pink-feathered performers.
00:56Other standout performances included French pop superstar Aya Nakamura
01:00appearing on a bridge overlooking the Seine and playing an incredible rendition of her hit song.
01:05Meanwhile, French opera singer Axel Saint-Saërl
01:08sang a rendition of the French national anthem from the roof of the Grand Palais.
01:12Throughout the ceremony, the Olympic torch was carried across the city
01:15by a flame-bearer running atop buildings and at one point ziplining across the river.
01:20Peyton Manning, Mike Tirico and Kelly Clarkson served as NBC's official opening ceremony hosts
01:25walking us through the epic celebrations which also featured a makeshift runway
01:29showcasing Paris as one of the fashion capitals of the world
01:33the ringing of the Notre Dame for the first time since the cathedral was destroyed by a fire in 2019
01:39a glowing metallic horse soaring across the river to deliver the Olympic flag
01:43with many on social media joking about the resemblance to Beyonce's Renaissance horse
01:47and a spectacular light show of the Eiffel Tower to close out the ceremony.
01:52Celebs such as Serena Williams, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo and Snoop Dogg
01:56were also on deck during the big event.
01:58In a surprising move, the Olympic torch, which symbolizes the beginning of the Games
02:02was carried back up the Seine by goats such as Raphael Nadal
02:05bringing the torch back to the Louvre before being passed to athletes around the world
02:10with the final flame being lit in a giant hot air balloon
02:13which then lifted into the air overlooking Paris.
02:16And finally, the icon, the queen, that is Celine Dion
02:19appeared under the Eiffel Tower with a powerful rendition of an Edith Piaf classic
02:24to close out the epic ceremony.
02:26For more updates on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, head to THR.com
02:31and for the latest entertainment news and updates, keep watching The Hollywood Reporter News.
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