00:00Gaga dazzles amidst ping-poms and welcomes us to 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.
00:21This 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 along the other competing nations
00:39sailing across the River Seine, and 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 appearing on a bridge
01:01overlooking the Seine and playing an incredible rendition of her hit song.
01:06Meanwhile, French opera singer Axel Sansorel sang a rendition of the French national anthem
01:10from 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 Beyoncé's Renaissance horse,
01:47and a spectacular light show of the Eiffel Tower to close out the ceremony.
01:51Celebs such as Serena Williams, Ariana Grande, and Cynthia Erivo, and Snoop Dogg were 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 Rafael 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.
02:15And finally, the icon, the queen, that is Celine Dion, appeared under the Eiffel Tower
02:21with a powerful rendition of an Edith Piaf classic to 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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